Lesson overview

Introduction
Story - Narrative
Young adult and up
contrast
juxtaposition
vivid description
emotional effects
conflict
drawing attention
clarity
resonance
narrative
expressing unity
expressing difference
comparison
mood
irony
physical contrast
personality
attitude
behaviour
environmental contrast
social contrast
psychological contrast
characterisation
character relationships
breaking expectations
conflicting norms
inner complexity
internal contrast
feelings
desires
beliefs
change over time
passage of time
making divisions
categorisation
fear
unease
horror
suspense
tension
surprise
comedy
humour
opposition
If goals and motivations are the engines of story, then contrast is the law of thermodynamics. Contrast creates interest, attention, clarity, emotion, and conflict. We begin this lesson by using images to study tonal contrast, juxtaposition, and resonance. Students then write variations to explore how juxtaposition helps us see the world more clearly, creates emotional effects, and sets the conditions for conflict. Throughout the lesson, students are asked to follow a single theme. At the end, their snippets are combined into a checkpoint piece to create a rich portrait of a dynamic world, created purely through contrast.