How can your text change drastically with this tecnique.
During my last class, our teacher told us about writing styles and how these can change a story drastically. For example, imagine if Harry Potter was narrated from Voldemort’s point of view. Or what would happen if Hansel & Gretel was written in an essayistic way with evidence? The story would be the same but the tone, mood, and conclusions may change. If you google what are the writing styles you will find there are multiple answers like descriptive, informative, and narrative. However, we can deconstruct those complex topics into writing devices. For example, adding dialogue or figurative language to your text will change the text by the purpose of what is trying to share. Furthermore, I will show you the story of when I traveled to the coast with my family. Keep in mind the stories are the same but the style changed. Try to figure out what devices did I use in each story and how did they change.
Text #1
Every year in December, the Plata Suarez’s family travels to Cartagena to spend time with their relatives. This tradition existed since most of them can remember. There are multiple means of transport they can use for this journey such as airplanes, buses, cars, and motorcycles. But since they are five, motorcycles are not the best option. Moreover, the chosen option would be using a car because it allows them to transport easily once they arrive at their destination. Plata Suarez’s family luggage is not too much. It consists of clothes, bathroom utensils, a pillow, and a blanket. Each member of the family prepares its own suitcase and is responsible for its care. However, most of the time the parents end up taking care of them all. Before they are completely prepared to start their journey, they have to find someone who takes care of Oliver, the family dog. Oliver is a fat pug that only sleeps and eats, but the family loves him immensely. As soon as the Platas get rid of Oliver, they put all their things in the car. When windows are closed and seatbelts on the engines of the gray car move the family to the north of the country. Even though it may seem that there are no more problems, the Plata Suarez family does not know how bad things are going to get. The first calamity showed up in the form of boredom. For the adults of the family, it’s easy to spend 12 hours in a car, but for a teenager, it’s not. With only 20 minutes on the road, he already asked if they had arrived yet. Listening to music, watching movies, and playing games were only some of the tries that the Platas did to keep the young ones busy. After a lot of minutes, most of the people sleep, and the noise in the car decreases until the only sound left is the breathing of the family. The family’s father is relieved because all of them are asleep, and he can finally touch the radio and listen to his own music. The car remains silent for a couple of hours, but when the sun comes up in the morning things change. Everyone is fighting about who plays the music, and their anger increases each second more because they are hungry. After a lot of discussions, they finally stop in a remote place called Bosconia. After a couple of arepas, the family’s father urges the family to get on the road again because large trucks are going to pass them. At first, the family does not understand what is the problem with trucks passing them, but later when they get in the car they understand. Trucks are slow and do not let the cars behind pass them. As a result, the people behind the truck are stuck until the truck stops or commit an illegal violation, which is to pass them. Despite the extra hours of delay, the family reaches their last location before arriving at the desired city of Cartagena. The 300th song plays and the family cannot wait anymore to get out of the car. But little did they know that their destination time will be delayed. The family in the car feels that the speed they were traveling decreases. With disappointment, the only thing in front of them is a large line of cars that stopped for no reason. After discussing who controls the music for a while, the father asks someone passing by why all cars stop. The answer was deplorable. A truck hit a car without breaks, and many other cars hit the truck because of the unexpected stop. After three additional hours, the road is open and hundreds of cars pass the frontier that separates Cartagena from El Plato. They pass the welcome signs and hot, but comfortable air in the city. After a couple of minutes, they arrive at their specific destination to get lunch. Their body feels relieved and the family is finally relaxed. They eat without any worries and sit back to rest. However, there is one more problem. They are still missing another 12 hours to go back home.
Text #2
The suitcases of my family lie next to the door ready to leave. Each of us is getting prepared by packing up the chargers for our phones, and many pillows to be comfortable during the 12-hour trip we have to make. Every year we do this 12 hour trip to Cartagena for Christmas and New Year. Cartagena is an awesome city that is fun. However, it is too far away from where I live. We always go in the car because it is easiest to transport once we are there. My father is the one that puts the suitcases in the trunk of the car. Every time he does this it seems he is playing Tetris because I never knew how he managed to put that many bags in a single trunk. After he closes the trunk, we all check for the things we need for the trip like the security kit and an extra wheel just in case something goes wrong. We usually leave in the early morning because the traffic is less dense and it is easier for my father to drive. But the issue is not the driving, but entertainment in the car. I am just 16 years old and can not stay still in a single place for more than 30 minutes. However, we cannot stop every 30 minutes, or else we will last two days traveling. My mother says that the only thing I should concentrate on is thinking. If I start to imagine stuff staring at the passing by trees from the window sooner or later I will fall asleep. And I have to confess that strategy is good but is too boring if you do it 17 times on the same trip. Even though I know I will suffer boredom, we get in the car ready to cross the country until we get to the coast. The first hours of the trip were normal and surprisingly calm. It can be because we leave the city at 3 am. The first thing I look at when I wake up is my dad. I am actually worried about him falling asleep while he is driving because we can die. But I trust him because he always puts safety first. Sometimes too much safety like putting your seatbelts on while being in the back of the car. The next thing I do when I wake up is to look out for two things, time and food. I check my phone to see where we are on the map and calculate how much time we have to be in this car. Usually, every time I do this I get sad because there are still many hours left. I try to read a book but two things stop me. My parents and a terrible headache. Without anything to do, I proceed to discuss peacefully with my two sisters about who play music. In my family, each of us has different tastes in music. My parents actually like modern music or old merengue songs that they try to dance while being in the car. On the other hand, we have my older sister who likes techno or reggaeton. As well, my middle sister likes alternative music and also reggaeton. And on the other side of the universe, me. The one who likes classical or electronic music. After lots of arguments, we managed to get asleep again. Surprisingly, the hard part of the trip happened. Now the hours since the start were lower than the hours left. Nearby the frontier, we stop to get some food and stretch. For most of us, we needed that resting, but my dad insisted to continue because trucks may slow us down from arriving faster. After a couple of minutes of relaxing, we come back in the car and realize that we weren’t moving at all. It seems that the cars in front of us just stopped. I was almost crying because we were so close to arriving, but we decided to rest. Similar to the story of the turtle and the hare, destiny won the race and kept us waiting more and more time. After a couple of hours, we found out an accident happened. Unlike our plans, we had to wait more hours. We did not understand what happened exactly but proceeded to pass the road after all the disaster was cleaned. In less than a flicker, we were already in Cartagena, and I knew because the hot air could push the hair from my forehead. After a couple of minutes, we get out of the car and enjoy the view of the beautiful beaches. However, something was wrong. I did not understand what it was until I got back in the car. We still miss 12 hours back home.
Text #3
‘‘Come on, help me with the bags please’’ — said, my father while putting the suitcases in the trunk of our gray car.
‘‘Wait… wait a second. I’ll go after I… I’’- I said while being half-slept.
‘‘Come on guys, it’s only 3 am and we have to travel 12 hours to get to Cartagena for Christmas. This is unbelievable you seem like ghosts.’’ — My mom said while my sisters and I were almost asleep.
‘‘Wait mom, my sister took my pillow’’- Said my middle sister angrily.
‘‘No it’s not your pillow it’s mine.’’- Said my older sister, half angry, half asleep.
‘‘No it’s not, clearly, it says CP. ’’
‘‘Hold on, that’s true that is your pillow my bad.’’
‘‘All right guys, we are leaving. Make sure you don’t leave anything you need.’’ — Said my father enthusiastically after being awake since 1 am.
Even though it was hard, we managed to get in the car ready to travel to Cartagena. As a tradition, we travel to this city to celebrate Christmas with the rest of our family. The trip starts quite unusual with the dilemma of boredom.
‘‘Are we there yet?’’ — I said after already asking this question like 5 minutes ago.
‘‘You gotta be kidding’’ — Said my older sister after she won the fight for the right to play whatever she wants.
‘‘I am sorry. It’s just that I don’t know what to do in the remaining 11 hours’’
‘‘Just sleep. And in a flicker, we’ll be in the beach’’
‘‘I’ll try. Even though it may not work, just saying.’’
‘‘Oh come on, we have already done everything. We have listened to music, talked, watched movies, and even played charades. You must be tired by now’’ — Said my middle sister with an annoyed tone.
‘‘Don’t worry son, just stare at the window and imagine anything’’ — Said my mom in a nicer tone than my sisters.
As my family said, I lay my head on the window watching all the trees from different colors pass by at great speed. I am surprised how fast we are traveling and almost don’t feel anything. I don’t even feel dizzy. Then, I start to imagine that we all are actually on earth which is moving as fast as the car. So if by some hypothetical reason the earth stops, we will be thrown away. And when we gain balance, how should we feel? Is being clear-headed the dizzy state of the human. And being dizzy is the normal one? After a couple of questions like this, I fall asleep.
‘‘Can you pass me the water please?’’ — Said my father.
‘‘Sure, with or without gas?’’ — Said my mom.
‘‘With gas definitely’’
Thanks to the noise of the conversation I woke up and looked at what was going on in the car. As usual, we were all kind of uncomfortable because of the short space we were trapped in. I try to stretch in the car, but I may end up falling on top of my family so it’s better I do it later.
‘‘My turn!’’ — Said my middle sister.
‘‘Hold on just this one’’ — Said my older sister.
‘‘You said that 3 songs ago’’
‘‘I promise this is the last one.’’
‘‘I hope so.’’
After a couple more promises and songs, we start to get near the desired city. I am just imagining being on the beach and laying on the sand hoping not to get a sunburn.
‘‘All right, this is it. Let’s stop here to stretch our bodies.’’ — Said my father.
‘‘Finally… yes, thanks’’ — We all said in disorder.
After some snacks and relaxation in the restaurant tables. We proceed to get in the car one more time hoping it’s the last.
‘‘Hurry up, the trucks are going to reach us’’ — Said my father hurried.
‘‘We are close don’t worry.’’ — Said my mother spreading the gum to every one of us.
‘‘Wait… why are we going so slow?’’ — I said worriedly.
‘‘Well, it seems something happened while we were stretching’’ — Responded my father.
This unexpected accident turned out to be more serious than it seemed. Without knowing much about what was going on, we waited for a long time.
‘‘Finally, we are moving. Cartagena, here we go.’’ — Said my father after waiting a long time.
‘‘Wait is that the entrance?’’ — Said my middle sister, surprised.
‘‘Yes it is’’
All of us got unexpectedly happy because the trip was too long. Our minds cleared and refreshed with some clean air. Passing by the beaches I could feel myself swimming in the sea while eating mango biche with lemon and salt. However, something did not go according to the plan.
‘‘Don’t get too happy we are still missing something’’ — Said my older sister.
‘‘What is it?’’ — I said worriedly.
‘‘The 12-hour trip to come back home’’
After that, we all laughed while crying on the inside.
The three texts talked about the same story, however, you could feel a big difference while reading this. Adding different devices into your writing will help you achieve the wished purpose of your text. I hope you found this useful and can improve your writing by being flexible and adaptive in any area of writing you wish.
