A ship travels to Mars to search for minerals valuable in modern technology. The crew is a multinational expedition, in hopes of fostering peace and cooperation between nations. The nations include the UK, US, China, Russia, and France. However, someone on board is a traitor, as the captain is found dead in suspicious circumstances immediately after the landing. The second-in-command is immediately suspect, but really it could be anyone. However, the crew can't exactly just radio back home. A drastic failure of an incredibly expensive expedition wouldn't sit well in the delicate political situation back on Earth, and they don't know whether the murderer is acting on his own accord or on the agenda of their representative nation. The main character is a British aeronaut-turned-astronaut by the of Caleb Hostetler. He immediately suspects the Russians or Chinese but is also forced to consider his fellow countrymen and the UK's long-time allies, France and the US.
This story only works because of the isolation of Mars and the confinement of the space shuttle. The isolation and helplessness make people freak out, and the confined quarters combined with the different nationalities make everyone highly suspicious of eachother. It wouldn't work in Russia for example, since the crew members could simply run away after the murder and call for help. Same for the Bahamas. But on Mars, the characters are trapped and confined, and are hesitant or inable to send a message home (due to political tension or perhaps the cliche broken antenna).
The summer of 2013, Sandy took a vacation with her family to the Bahamas. Little did she know that Kurt and his fiance were making the same journey. Who knows what it was, but the instant Sandy and Kurt laid eyes on each other, there was mutual interest and passion waiting to be developed on that sunset enveleoped beach with the neverending waves and neverending love they had yet to venture toward with each other.
The plot deals with love and passion. The bahamas are known for being romantic and a place for couples and relationships. The fact that these two characters are meeting in such a romantic place sets the tone for a love story. Had the plot been on Mars or in Russia I feel the story wouldn't have the same effect or wouldn't feel right compared to being set in the Bahamas.
Richtofen. One of the most praised names in science. Sir Edward Richtofen was a Nazi scientist working on a device to teleport objects and people to give the Nazis an edge on the New World War. Richtofen was working on a device to teleport objects when one day it worked and sent him into somewhere he had never been. It took him years to get back to his lab. He started off on his journey to find some more of what he called Element 115 that could only be found in Russia; Chernobyl to be exact. He started off with various test subjects to teleport. Most of them being POW's, names and such were not recorded because it wasn't important. As he was testing on these subjects with Element 115, he started to notice some behavorial differences with those exposed to the new element compared to those who weren't exposed. The exposed were much more submissive and obedient and hardly ever talked. These new soldiers also were extremely hard to kill because of the massive amount of damage it took to kill them and how easily they just shook it off. Richtofen finally understood what he had created. He had created an army of the undead! Nazi Zombies galore! He had to stash these incredible new soldiers someplace so he decided to use a huge amount of Element 115 and teleport these soldiers to Mars for safekeeping.
Chernobyl, Russia is a toxic wasteland full of radiation and harsh chemicals. It is unbelievable the amount of crazy and exotic creatures that come out of Chernobyl due to the radiation. Nazi was also well known for their wild experiments and insane knowledge of the other wise unknown. It only makes sense that when you combine a young flourishing Nazi scientist with the variables of nuclear Chernobyl, the story can only get better. And hey, what's a story without zombies anyway?
A few years after the Earth had exploded, only one of the escape spaceships remained. On this lonely spaceship, their were 67 human beings, all of their kind that was left in the whole universe. Now they, too, were in grave danger. Before the explosion, the ships had all been loaded up with as much supplies as possible. They'd even been given farming equipment, some housing materials, etc, just in case they ever came upon another earth-like planet where they could begin again. But the supplies were finally starting to run out. The people were desperate, and while they had previously been trying to get as far away from their doomed home planet as possible, they now had a strange desire to return home. As they were heading back in the direction of where earth had been, they came upon Mars. Astonishingly, it seemed that some of earth's soil and water had actually been thrown onto Mars during the explosion. (Okay, so I am running out of time, but basically the people land on Mars, discover they can farm there, and they still have to wear little spacesuits and whatnot, but they are able to live on this new planet, and it's wonderful.)
So, this story only really works on Mars because it's about humans trying to find a new planet on which to live. The conflict is basically the struggle to establish some kind of normal life in this new environment. And while you could write a story about a family moving to Key West or Russia and trying to establish a new life there, having it on Mars changes the meaning a little because it involves all of mankind. It's not just about one family; it's about all of us.
Amanda moved to Key West shorly after her parents split. Her mom thought sunshine and warmer weather would make them all happier. Especially when its compared to the dreary, chilled, rainy days they were used to in Washington. She squinted as she stepped out of the van into the bright, early morning sun. The air smelled of salt and sun tanning lotion. She could hear the ocean and the faint sound of a boom box playing the local radio station. Her mom opened the door to their new home, a shoe box apartment with an old musty smell. She rolled her eyes as her mom went on another one of her lectures about how starting a new life is exactly what they needed. Amanda grabbed her hat and sunglasses and told her mom she was going to go look around. As she stepped out the front door the sun hit her skin and she thought to herself that the only thing the warmer weather and sunshine was going to give her was a sunburn.
I think this setting works with my story because the sun can be related to happiness and this family is searching for that. They need a new beginning and I just feel like sunshine and warm weather makes everyone pretty happy.
I look out the window and all I can see are pillows of white, fluffy clouds underneath me. The roar of the engine doesn't quite overpower the scream of the baby in the very back. I can hear the couple in front of me taking turns complaining about the nuisance in betweeen munching on their complimentary bag of pretzels. My thoughts are interrupted by the flight attended announcing that we will be landing soon. I step out of the airport and feel the warm air surround me. It fills my lungs as I take a deep breath knowing I have finally arrived. The first place I want to go is the beach, naturally. We pile into our Hawaiian Coconut scented rental car and speed off to the nearest beach. I roll the window down to get some relief from the sun beaming in and warming my skin. I hear the white gravel crackeling underneath the tires as we pull into the parking lot. I didn't bother waiting for anyone else, I sprinted over the boardwalk until my feel it the heated, soft sand and I didn't stop until I reached the water. It was unlike any other ocean I had been to before. I felt as if I was submerging myself in an endless tub of bathwater. I knew I wouldn't want to leave Key West.
I chose this setting because I love the beach and I've been there many times so I can picture exactly what it is like when I arrive there. This setting only really works at the beach because there aren't too many places where you will find warm sand that you can sink your feet into and you definitely cannot find an ocean warm enough to describe it as bath water just anywhere. In the beginning of the story you didn't know where I was going and in the car I could have been anywhere. But once I was on my way to the beach you knew exactly where I was and could picture it perfectly.
The sand sifted through my toes. I'd never seen anything like it. The chaotic street behind me roared with taxi drivers begging to find someone to drive and the sounds of babies crying next to their mothers filled the air almost drowning out the sound of the sweet tropical breeze in front of me. Almost. Behind me stood hotels, stores that could barely stand on their own, and barbed wire. In front of me stood an oasis. The white sand that covered my feet was hot, but cool as my feet sank deeper. The palm trees bent with the breeze that glided across my face and flowed through my hair. The smell of the ocean filled my nose. Blue water that turned white rolled up onto the beach. I was in heaven. That was until I realized that I was completetly alone. Being a 7 year old, this was not a good situation. I turned in every direction to find my parents. They were nowhere to be found. My instinct was to run for the city, but my fears kept my feet from moving. I cried a little to be honest. Finally I built up the courage to run through the crowd. Sweaty tourists bumped into me as I ran through the crowd. The sounds were intensified the longer I was away from my parents. The electric cars whizzed by me in such a great hurry to go to the next shop. The screaming vendors scared me as they held strange objects in my face and yelled at me. Every new turn presented a new surprise. None being good. In the midst of all my crying I feel in the street over an empty beer bottle. While laying face first in the dirt filled brick road, an electric car came to a screeching stop. I looked up only to see the faces I had been longing to see for the past couple hours. My parents looked back at me smiling.
The reason why my plot would only work in this setting, is because in Key West, tourism is a big deal. They also have electric rental cars and have vendors at ever corner. The beach setting that I wrote about earlier in the story was simpply meant to contradict the setting of the city. This would add emphasis on how chaotic the city acutally was.
It was a cold winter day in the frozen, Russian tundra. The wind rushed and blew around the baron, snow covered wasteland. No form of life was seen. Suddenly, a woman stumbled and fell. She passed out. Her name was Gilga. She was escaping from her previous life as a Serf, or slave. When Gilga came to, she was overcome by a burning in her foot. She looked down and screamed and sobbed. Her foot was black with frostbite. She sat there for about five minutes, crying and trying to make her foot feel better. She began to wrap it in some extra shoals. She had to keep going if she was to find her son and get back to her family. Gilga pressed on and slowly waked East toward the town of Booblagesh, where he son was. Gilga needed food, for she had not eaten in 9 days. She looked for a sign of something to eat. She could see nothing due to the glare off of the white snow. Then, she saw a mob of ravens circling over head. She went to the place that they gathered, They were eating some dead carcass. As she got closer, she gasped. Before her laid a young woman who had frozen. This was the only form of food for miles. She advanced towards the carcass.
This story only works with the setting of Russia because in the fourteen and fifteen hundreds, Russia was still using the futile system. This meant that servants and lords were very common. This form of economic class gave very few people great power and forced others into slavery and crude beatings and poor diet and shelter. So many people tried to escape and most died. I chose Russia because Russia is large, baron, and cold, just like Gilga's life since her son was taken from her.
Once upon a time, there was a plane crash and all of the survivors were stuck on a deserted island. There are lots of struggles and fights among the people: for food, water, shelter, even medical supplies. After a couple of days, some of the people decided to go into the jungle to explore and try and find supplies. They venture into the jungle, only to come out on the other side in just 30 minutes - near a hotel. They then realized that instead of a deserted island, they were in the Bahamas.
This story works best in this setting because if the survivors thought they were in a more populated area, such as a city or town, there wouldn't have been a shortage of supplies or any arguments. Essentially the main conflicts in the story would be gone and the story would not have any meaning except that an airplane crashed. And that doesn't have a real meaning; it's an event, not a story.
A long time ago, on Mars, a group of aliens known as the Wawkins and another group known as the Yokers hated each other. Their views on humans were very different and kept them from ever getting along. The Wawkins believed that humans were their friends while the Yokers believed humans were their worst enemies. The Wawkins were constantly trying to travel to Earth to show themselves to the humans and become friends with them. The Yokers constantly stopped them. The Yokers tried many times to travel to Earth and destroy all human life, but the Wawkins never let that happen. While both alien groups were trying to do two completely different things, none of their plans ever worked out. The Wawkins and the Yokers always overpowered each other, getting them nowhere. They eventually had a war and agreed that the winner could do whatever they pleased with the humans. The war started in 1876 and is still going on today. Neither of the groups can seem to win the war, although they are both fighting with all their might. The outcome is unpredictable. Humans have no idea that this is going on on Mars, but eventually they will have to find out. Either the Wawkins will come to Earth to befriend the humans or the Yokers will invade Earth, destroy humans, and take over. The two groups are so evenly matched that it may be hundreds of years before the war ends.
The story could only take place on Mars because aliens do not live on the Earth. Also, humans have no idea the war is going on or even that these aliens exist. If the aliens lived on Earth, the humans would know that they exist and that they are fighting because of them, which would affect the whole story.
Once there was a man named Johnny who decided to go sailing across the world. One night, when there was a terrible storm, Johnny wrecked his ship and got stranded in the Bahamas. For days, he traveled around the island with no food or water in hopes of surviving. Then, he ran into a group of people who were survivors of past ship wrecks as well. They invited him into their group and gave him a place to stay and food to eat. Throughout the next few months, Johnny came to know these people as his family. He no longer thought of returning home because this place became his home. He loved the warm sun, sandy beaches, and beautiful palm trees. He loved everything about the Bahamas and soon fell in love with a girl there named Emma. But, one day when Johnny was out fishing, someone found him. There was a search out for Johnny by his family. They found him and landed on the shores of the Bahamas to rescue him, but Johnny was not sure if he wanted to be rescued. They tried to convince him to come into the boat and sail back with them. He wanted to return to his family, but he loved life on the island. He did not want to hurt his real family, though. He decided he needed to go back to the city. Therefore, he said his good-byes and thanked the people for all they had done, got back on the ship, and sailed home. Once he returned, there was a huge party thrown for Johnny and his rescue. His family believed it was a miracle for him to even be alive. Months went by and Johnny still missed those people back in the Bahamas, especially the love of his life, Emma. He had not spoken to her since he left and did not know what to do. After a year passed, he finally made his decision to return to the Bahamas. He told his parents about his decision but did not know how long he would stay. They did not like the idea, but they knew they could not stop Johnny from going back to see Emma. Johnny sailed back to the Bahamas and was welcomed more this time than the time before. Emma and Johnny got married and lived happily ever after.
The setting of the Bahamas was important to my plot because there were many events that would not have taken place if it were not set there. First, he landed in the Bahamas after he wrecked his ship. He could not have ended up someplace surrounded by land or even Mars which is in outerspace. He had to end up on an island surrounded by water and the ocean. Second, the beach is an easy place to relate to because most people have been to the beach. The beach is usually a vacation spot, so people usually relate the beach to warm, happy, and exciting feelings. Therefore, it shows how Johnny fell in love with the land as well. Third, Johnny fell in love with a girl named Emma. The beach seems to be a setting for romance because of the images that go along with the beach. Therefore, this setting fit in well with the love part of the story. Also, since the Bahamas includes many islands, it fit in with the story of Johnny being lost. He could have been found easier if he was not on a tiny island. He was found fishing which also means the setting had to take place on land surrounded by water. Lastly, he first lived in a city which was a huge contrast to the Bahamas. This also shows why Johnny loved it so much and did not want to return home because it was so much different from the city he lived in.
Plot: The United States has final figured out a way to put a man on Mars. A group of 4 astronauts is sent to the planet to find out more about the planet. When they get there they lose communication with Earth and they find something the hadn't suspected, Martian life. The astronauts first worry is figuring out whether these creatures are hostile or not. They soon find out they are extremely hostile and must figure out a way to survive.
This plot only works with this setting, as opposed to the other 3 listed, because there is no reason for astronauts to go to either Key West, the Bahamas, or Russia to find out more about those places. And the possibility of finding Martians in those places is even more slim then actually finding it on Mars.
This spring break was going to be the first where all of the Maddie's got to travel anywhere together. Key West was the place to be that week, and they weren't going to let anything stop them from a good time. The Thursday before spring break was a dreary one in Evansville with lots of rain and cold weather, but Ziller being the optimistic one just said it would pass and Key West had a lot of fun in store. By Saturday they were on their plane and off to the best week of their lives. When they arrived though, nothing was going right. Their baggage got lost, they didn't know where to go, and worse than ever the biggest storm in Key West history was brewing outside. Dodson, Gish, and Ziller didn't know what to think or do. They caught a cab to the hotel after getting their bags and brainstormed ideas. It turned out there were more things to do than they thought without going to the beach. Throughout the week they found an indoor resort, some putt-putt golfing, saw a movie, ate at a lot of different restaurants, and the last two days they were able to catch some rays. Although the weather at first got in their way, they found a way around it and had the time of their lives. They had a spring break they would never forget.
This story would only work in the place I chose because Key West is a tourist-like place. The weather that turned up was unexpected, but not totally uncommon since they experience hurricanes and storms of that nature. All of the activities that they found to do instead of going to the beach are found in places that are directed toward tourists and making them happy. You don't find that on Mars or in Russia the way you do in a place like Key West. Also, only having one week to do all of these things on vacation makes Key West also more convenient. It would be one plane right there and back. With the Bahamas or Mars or Russia, it would take a few days to get there and get settled in and get used to the jet lag. Finally, the storyline goes along with how even in a bad situation you can make the best of it.
The Red Planet looked wonderful. The crane lovers the rover down to the red, dusty surface of Mars. As Curiosity springs to life, its camera to a panoramic shot of the landing zone, capturing itself in the image. The red mountains loomed around the bot as it began to drill into the martian soil, searching desperately for any trace of former life. It roves around the red planet, looking for ice. It drills, analyzes, reports, and repeats. It moves to what the scientists back on Earth thought what was an ocean. As it moves to the ocean, it digs a big hole into the soil and gets stuck. It gets buried by a windstorm and slowly overheats and dies.
The reason this story works with this plot is the fact the plot talks about surveying Mars. This plot would not need to be done for Key West or Russia (unless its Chernobyl). The fact its a MARS rover means it has to take place on Mars.
A group of friends (5 girls, college age), have received a letter in the mail telling them they have won a free trip to the Bahamas for spring break. They call the number on the letter and do some research to make sure it's a legitimate letter. They find out it's true and decide to take the trip. They get there and everything is perfect. That night they go to a party and they meet a group of guys that they really like. The next thing they know they wake up and are in some sort of warehouse. They're really confused and start to figure out ways to get out. Then 5 men in suits burst through the doors into the room where the girls woke up. One of the men explains to the girls that they got them to go on this spring break trip because they needed them in the Bahamas for a secret CIA mission.
I think my plot works best with this setting because normally when people go on a tropical vacation, it's a time for them to get away from the stresses of their life. In this case, the girls are just getting more stress added to their lives by being brought to the Bahamas for a CIA mission. Therefore, putting this plot with this setting makes the story more interesting, unpredictable, and contradicting of the "tropical lifestyle".
Isaiah Chase awoke with half his body in the water on a beach. Confused, he quickly stood and spun around, looking for answers. He yelled loudly, "Hello?!" but no one answered his cry. He performed another 360 and yelled the same words. Chase noticed a small patch of pavement in the distance and began to run toward it. Once he got there, an abandoned city with a half-broken sign that reads, "Welcome to Paradise; Key West," stood before him. Isaiah's head began to spin.
He walked through the city, occasionally yelling for signs of life. The city looked as if it had been trampled by elephants who threw boulders at every building they saw. Smashed cars, broken windows on buildings with smashed walls. Now, it came back to Isaiah that he had planned a vacation with his wife, Maria, and two kids, Joel and Athena. Something had gone terribly wrong during their flight as they flew above Key West. The pilots announced the inevitable, that the plane would reside in the water. "We wish the best of luck to all of you. We are sorry."
At that point, the plane was too high for anyone to jump out and live. He remembers the plane spiraling out of control in the night. He remembered seeing the blue-black mass approaching the nose of the plane, so quickly it all happened. But how did he get here now? Where was everyone else? Had they all died in the crash? If so, how did he live? He had so many questions and no means to answer them. Chase found no bodies, no life forms at all for that matter.
He came to a four-way intersection. The stoplights flashed red. There was a table in the middle, a white desk with four drawers. He ran over to the desk and opened the bottom left drawer. Isaiah was surprised at what he found. A 9 millimeter with four bullets. During his search for answers, he began analyzing everything to the last speculation. A four-way intersection, with four flashing red lights, a desk with four drawers and a 9 millimeter with four bullets.
He remembers his family of four. Himself, Maria, Athena, and Joel. Were the bullets meant for them? Was he just dehydrated and losing his mind, piece by piece? He pulled the gun from the drawer and stared down the barrel. He pressed the button to release the clip and loaded all four bullets. He opened the other three drawers. In each, there was a picture of the members of his family. Each member had their own drawer. Joel in the top left, Athena in the top right, and Maria in the bottom right.
Helplessly, he screamed their names. Again and again, he screamed their names, hearing no sound returned but the echo of his voice. Isaiah cocked the handgun and put it to his head. He thought of his life. Every family dinner. Every day he spent with his two children and his wife. How he loved them so. He wished he could kiss them goodbye.
With a squeeze and just a split second of flinch, Isaiah's mind did not race any longer. Instead, he awoke in a hospital bed in Key West.
The setting of my story gives deeper meaning to Isaiah's problem. Key West is a "paradise" so to speak. Somewhere people would dream about. But instead of a happy dream of Key West, Isaiah is trapped within his worst nightmare.
It was evening and there was a slight breeze in the air. It was the nicest during this hour in Moscow, Russia. Everything looked nice with the sun glowing off the buildings. It was nothing like I have seen back in the U.S. My friends and I decided to go out to eat that night. We had no idea what was coming our way. We ate and had a great time. I happened to notice that my glass was shaking, but by the time I had the chance to say something the ground was shaking as well. Everyone noticed and stopped in the track. We assumed it was just an earthquake, but we didn't know what was coming. Everyone took a step outside and started screaming. My friends and I decided to look for ourselves and the next thing I knew I was running down the street. Everything happened so fast I had to rethink about what I just saw. Zombies.
The setting takes place in Russia. I don't think any other setting would match quite as well as Moscow. The United States and Russia used to be in a competition to figure things out first. In this case, they made a mistake with one of their experiments and it got loose in the wrong hands. The plot could possibly fit in anywhere if you adjust things, but I think it fit best here due to the competition.
A ship travels to Mars to search for minerals valuable in modern technology. The crew is a multinational expedition, in hopes of fostering peace and cooperation between nations. The nations include the UK, US, China, Russia, and France. However, someone on board is a traitor, as the captain is found dead in suspicious circumstances immediately after the landing. The second-in-command is immediately suspect, but really it could be anyone. However, the crew can't exactly just radio back home. A drastic failure of an incredibly expensive expedition wouldn't sit well in the delicate political situation back on Earth, and they don't know whether the murderer is acting on his own accord or on the agenda of their representative nation. The main character is a British aeronaut-turned-astronaut by the of Caleb Hostetler. He immediately suspects the Russians or Chinese but is also forced to consider his fellow countrymen and the UK's long-time allies, France and the US.
ReplyDeleteThis story only works because of the isolation of Mars and the confinement of the space shuttle. The isolation and helplessness make people freak out, and the confined quarters combined with the different nationalities make everyone highly suspicious of eachother. It wouldn't work in Russia for example, since the crew members could simply run away after the murder and call for help. Same for the Bahamas. But on Mars, the characters are trapped and confined, and are hesitant or inable to send a message home (due to political tension or perhaps the cliche broken antenna).
The summer of 2013, Sandy took a vacation with her family to the Bahamas. Little did she know that Kurt and his fiance were making the same journey. Who knows what it was, but the instant Sandy and Kurt laid eyes on each other, there was mutual interest and passion waiting to be developed on that sunset enveleoped beach with the neverending waves and neverending love they had yet to venture toward with each other.
ReplyDeleteThe plot deals with love and passion. The bahamas are known for being romantic and a place for couples and relationships. The fact that these two characters are meeting in such a romantic place sets the tone for a love story. Had the plot been on Mars or in Russia I feel the story wouldn't have the same effect or wouldn't feel right compared to being set in the Bahamas.
Richtofen. One of the most praised names in science. Sir Edward Richtofen was a Nazi scientist working on a device to teleport objects and people to give the Nazis an edge on the New World War. Richtofen was working on a device to teleport objects when one day it worked and sent him into somewhere he had never been. It took him years to get back to his lab. He started off on his journey to find some more of what he called Element 115 that could only be found in Russia; Chernobyl to be exact. He started off with various test subjects to teleport. Most of them being POW's, names and such were not recorded because it wasn't important. As he was testing on these subjects with Element 115, he started to notice some behavorial differences with those exposed to the new element compared to those who weren't exposed. The exposed were much more submissive and obedient and hardly ever talked. These new soldiers also were extremely hard to kill because of the massive amount of damage it took to kill them and how easily they just shook it off. Richtofen finally understood what he had created. He had created an army of the undead! Nazi Zombies galore! He had to stash these incredible new soldiers someplace so he decided to use a huge amount of Element 115 and teleport these soldiers to Mars for safekeeping.
ReplyDeleteChernobyl, Russia is a toxic wasteland full of radiation and harsh chemicals. It is unbelievable the amount of crazy and exotic creatures that come out of Chernobyl due to the radiation. Nazi was also well known for their wild experiments and insane knowledge of the other wise unknown. It only makes sense that when you combine a young flourishing Nazi scientist with the variables of nuclear Chernobyl, the story can only get better. And hey, what's a story without zombies anyway?
A few years after the Earth had exploded, only one of the escape spaceships remained. On this lonely spaceship, their were 67 human beings, all of their kind that was left in the whole universe. Now they, too, were in grave danger. Before the explosion, the ships had all been loaded up with as much supplies as possible. They'd even been given farming equipment, some housing materials, etc, just in case they ever came upon another earth-like planet where they could begin again.
ReplyDeleteBut the supplies were finally starting to run out. The people were desperate, and while they had previously been trying to get as far away from their doomed home planet as possible, they now had a strange desire to return home. As they were heading back in the direction of where earth had been, they came upon Mars.
Astonishingly, it seemed that some of earth's soil and water had actually been thrown onto Mars during the explosion.
(Okay, so I am running out of time, but basically the people land on Mars, discover they can farm there, and they still have to wear little spacesuits and whatnot, but they are able to live on this new planet, and it's wonderful.)
So, this story only really works on Mars because it's about humans trying to find a new planet on which to live. The conflict is basically the struggle to establish some kind of normal life in this new environment. And while you could write a story about a family moving to Key West or Russia and trying to establish a new life there, having it on Mars changes the meaning a little because it involves all of mankind. It's not just about one family; it's about all of us.
Amanda moved to Key West shorly after her parents split. Her mom thought sunshine and warmer weather would make them all happier. Especially when its compared to the dreary, chilled, rainy days they were used to in Washington. She squinted as she stepped out of the van into the bright, early morning sun. The air smelled of salt and sun tanning lotion. She could hear the ocean and the faint sound of a boom box playing the local radio station. Her mom opened the door to their new home, a shoe box apartment with an old musty smell. She rolled her eyes as her mom went on another one of her lectures about how starting a new life is exactly what they needed. Amanda grabbed her hat and sunglasses and told her mom she was going to go look around. As she stepped out the front door the sun hit her skin and she thought to herself that the only thing the warmer weather and sunshine was going to give her was a sunburn.
ReplyDeleteI think this setting works with my story because the sun can be related to happiness and this family is searching for that. They need a new beginning and I just feel like sunshine and warm weather makes everyone pretty happy.
I look out the window and all I can see are pillows of white, fluffy clouds underneath me. The roar of the engine doesn't quite overpower the scream of the baby in the very back. I can hear the couple in front of me taking turns complaining about the nuisance in betweeen munching on their complimentary bag of pretzels. My thoughts are interrupted by the flight attended announcing that we will be landing soon. I step out of the airport and feel the warm air surround me. It fills my lungs as I take a deep breath knowing I have finally arrived. The first place I want to go is the beach, naturally. We pile into our Hawaiian Coconut scented rental car and speed off to the nearest beach. I roll the window down to get some relief from the sun beaming in and warming my skin. I hear the white gravel crackeling underneath the tires as we pull into the parking lot. I didn't bother waiting for anyone else, I sprinted over the boardwalk until my feel it the heated, soft sand and I didn't stop until I reached the water. It was unlike any other ocean I had been to before. I felt as if I was submerging myself in an endless tub of bathwater. I knew I wouldn't want to leave Key West.
ReplyDeleteI chose this setting because I love the beach and I've been there many times so I can picture exactly what it is like when I arrive there. This setting only really works at the beach because there aren't too many places where you will find warm sand that you can sink your feet into and you definitely cannot find an ocean warm enough to describe it as bath water just anywhere. In the beginning of the story you didn't know where I was going and in the car I could have been anywhere. But once I was on my way to the beach you knew exactly where I was and could picture it perfectly.
The sand sifted through my toes. I'd never seen anything like it. The chaotic street behind me roared with taxi drivers begging to find someone to drive and the sounds of babies crying next to their mothers filled the air almost drowning out the sound of the sweet tropical breeze in front of me. Almost. Behind me stood hotels, stores that could barely stand on their own, and barbed wire. In front of me stood an oasis. The white sand that covered my feet was hot, but cool as my feet sank deeper. The palm trees bent with the breeze that glided across my face and flowed through my hair. The smell of the ocean filled my nose. Blue water that turned white rolled up onto the beach. I was in heaven. That was until I realized that I was completetly alone. Being a 7 year old, this was not a good situation. I turned in every direction to find my parents. They were nowhere to be found. My instinct was to run for the city, but my fears kept my feet from moving. I cried a little to be honest. Finally I built up the courage to run through the crowd. Sweaty tourists bumped into me as I ran through the crowd. The sounds were intensified the longer I was away from my parents. The electric cars whizzed by me in such a great hurry to go to the next shop. The screaming vendors scared me as they held strange objects in my face and yelled at me. Every new turn presented a new surprise. None being good. In the midst of all my crying I feel in the street over an empty beer bottle. While laying face first in the dirt filled brick road, an electric car came to a screeching stop. I looked up only to see the faces I had been longing to see for the past couple hours. My parents looked back at me smiling.
ReplyDeleteThe reason why my plot would only work in this setting, is because in Key West, tourism is a big deal. They also have electric rental cars and have vendors at ever corner. The beach setting that I wrote about earlier in the story was simpply meant to contradict the setting of the city. This would add emphasis on how chaotic the city acutally was.
It was a cold winter day in the frozen, Russian tundra. The wind rushed and blew around the baron, snow covered wasteland. No form of life was seen. Suddenly, a woman stumbled and fell. She passed out. Her name was Gilga. She was escaping from her previous life as a Serf, or slave. When Gilga came to, she was overcome by a burning in her foot. She looked down and screamed and sobbed. Her foot was black with frostbite. She sat there for about five minutes, crying and trying to make her foot feel better. She began to wrap it in some extra shoals. She had to keep going if she was to find her son and get back to her family. Gilga pressed on and slowly waked East toward the town of Booblagesh, where he son was. Gilga needed food, for she had not eaten in 9 days. She looked for a sign of something to eat. She could see nothing due to the glare off of the white snow. Then, she saw a mob of ravens circling over head. She went to the place that they gathered, They were eating some dead carcass. As she got closer, she gasped. Before her laid a young woman who had frozen. This was the only form of food for miles. She advanced towards the carcass.
ReplyDeleteThis story only works with the setting of Russia because in the fourteen and fifteen hundreds, Russia was still using the futile system. This meant that servants and lords were very common. This form of economic class gave very few people great power and forced others into slavery and crude beatings and poor diet and shelter. So many people tried to escape and most died. I chose Russia because Russia is large, baron, and cold, just like Gilga's life since her son was taken from her.
Once upon a time, there was a plane crash and all of the survivors were stuck on a deserted island. There are lots of struggles and fights among the people: for food, water, shelter, even medical supplies. After a couple of days, some of the people decided to go into the jungle to explore and try and find supplies. They venture into the jungle, only to come out on the other side in just 30 minutes - near a hotel. They then realized that instead of a deserted island, they were in the Bahamas.
ReplyDeleteThis story works best in this setting because if the survivors thought they were in a more populated area, such as a city or town, there wouldn't have been a shortage of supplies or any arguments. Essentially the main conflicts in the story would be gone and the story would not have any meaning except that an airplane crashed. And that doesn't have a real meaning; it's an event, not a story.
A long time ago, on Mars, a group of aliens known as the Wawkins and another group known as the Yokers hated each other. Their views on humans were very different and kept them from ever getting along. The Wawkins believed that humans were their friends while the Yokers believed humans were their worst enemies. The Wawkins were constantly trying to travel to Earth to show themselves to the humans and become friends with them. The Yokers constantly stopped them. The Yokers tried many times to travel to Earth and destroy all human life, but the Wawkins never let that happen. While both alien groups were trying to do two completely different things, none of their plans ever worked out. The Wawkins and the Yokers always overpowered each other, getting them nowhere. They eventually had a war and agreed that the winner could do whatever they pleased with the humans. The war started in 1876 and is still going on today. Neither of the groups can seem to win the war, although they are both fighting with all their might. The outcome is unpredictable. Humans have no idea that this is going on on Mars, but eventually they will have to find out. Either the Wawkins will come to Earth to befriend the humans or the Yokers will invade Earth, destroy humans, and take over. The two groups are so evenly matched that it may be hundreds of years before the war ends.
ReplyDeleteThe story could only take place on Mars because aliens do not live on the Earth. Also, humans have no idea the war is going on or even that these aliens exist. If the aliens lived on Earth, the humans would know that they exist and that they are fighting because of them, which would affect the whole story.
Once there was a man named Johnny who decided to go sailing across the world. One night, when there was a terrible storm, Johnny wrecked his ship and got stranded in the Bahamas. For days, he traveled around the island with no food or water in hopes of surviving. Then, he ran into a group of people who were survivors of past ship wrecks as well. They invited him into their group and gave him a place to stay and food to eat. Throughout the next few months, Johnny came to know these people as his family. He no longer thought of returning home because this place became his home. He loved the warm sun, sandy beaches, and beautiful palm trees. He loved everything about the Bahamas and soon fell in love with a girl there named Emma. But, one day when Johnny was out fishing, someone found him. There was a search out for Johnny by his family. They found him and landed on the shores of the Bahamas to rescue him, but Johnny was not sure if he wanted to be rescued. They tried to convince him to come into the boat and sail back with them. He wanted to return to his family, but he loved life on the island. He did not want to hurt his real family, though. He decided he needed to go back to the city. Therefore, he said his good-byes and thanked the people for all they had done, got back on the ship, and sailed home. Once he returned, there was a huge party thrown for Johnny and his rescue. His family believed it was a miracle for him to even be alive. Months went by and Johnny still missed those people back in the Bahamas, especially the love of his life, Emma. He had not spoken to her since he left and did not know what to do. After a year passed, he finally made his decision to return to the Bahamas. He told his parents about his decision but did not know how long he would stay. They did not like the idea, but they knew they could not stop Johnny from going back to see Emma. Johnny sailed back to the Bahamas and was welcomed more this time than the time before. Emma and Johnny got married and lived happily ever after.
ReplyDeleteThe setting of the Bahamas was important to my plot because there were many events that would not have taken place if it were not set there. First, he landed in the Bahamas after he wrecked his ship. He could not have ended up someplace surrounded by land or even Mars which is in outerspace. He had to end up on an island surrounded by water and the ocean. Second, the beach is an easy place to relate to because most people have been to the beach. The beach is usually a vacation spot, so people usually relate the beach to warm, happy, and exciting feelings. Therefore, it shows how Johnny fell in love with the land as well. Third, Johnny fell in love with a girl named Emma. The beach seems to be a setting for romance because of the images that go along with the beach. Therefore, this setting fit in well with the love part of the story. Also, since the Bahamas includes many islands, it fit in with the story of Johnny being lost. He could have been found easier if he was not on a tiny island. He was found fishing which also means the setting had to take place on land surrounded by water. Lastly, he first lived in a city which was a huge contrast to the Bahamas. This also shows why Johnny loved it so much and did not want to return home because it was so much different from the city he lived in.
Setting: Mars
ReplyDeletePlot: The United States has final figured out a way to put a man on Mars. A group of 4 astronauts is sent to the planet to find out more about the planet. When they get there they lose communication with Earth and they find something the hadn't suspected, Martian life. The astronauts first worry is figuring out whether these creatures are hostile or not. They soon find out they are extremely hostile and must figure out a way to survive.
This plot only works with this setting, as opposed to the other 3 listed, because there is no reason for astronauts to go to either Key West, the Bahamas, or Russia to find out more about those places. And the possibility of finding Martians in those places is even more slim then actually finding it on Mars.
This spring break was going to be the first where all of the Maddie's got to travel anywhere together. Key West was the place to be that week, and they weren't going to let anything stop them from a good time. The Thursday before spring break was a dreary one in Evansville with lots of rain and cold weather, but Ziller being the optimistic one just said it would pass and Key West had a lot of fun in store. By Saturday they were on their plane and off to the best week of their lives. When they arrived though, nothing was going right. Their baggage got lost, they didn't know where to go, and worse than ever the biggest storm in Key West history was brewing outside. Dodson, Gish, and Ziller didn't know what to think or do. They caught a cab to the hotel after getting their bags and brainstormed ideas. It turned out there were more things to do than they thought without going to the beach. Throughout the week they found an indoor resort, some putt-putt golfing, saw a movie, ate at a lot of different restaurants, and the last two days they were able to catch some rays. Although the weather at first got in their way, they found a way around it and had the time of their lives. They had a spring break they would never forget.
ReplyDeleteThis story would only work in the place I chose because Key West is a tourist-like place. The weather that turned up was unexpected, but not totally uncommon since they experience hurricanes and storms of that nature. All of the activities that they found to do instead of going to the beach are found in places that are directed toward tourists and making them happy. You don't find that on Mars or in Russia the way you do in a place like Key West. Also, only having one week to do all of these things on vacation makes Key West also more convenient. It would be one plane right there and back. With the Bahamas or Mars or Russia, it would take a few days to get there and get settled in and get used to the jet lag. Finally, the storyline goes along with how even in a bad situation you can make the best of it.
The Red Planet looked wonderful. The crane lovers the rover down to the red, dusty surface of Mars. As Curiosity springs to life, its camera to a panoramic shot of the landing zone, capturing itself in the image. The red mountains loomed around the bot as it began to drill into the martian soil, searching desperately for any trace of former life. It roves around the red planet, looking for ice. It drills, analyzes, reports, and repeats. It moves to what the scientists back on Earth thought what was an ocean. As it moves to the ocean, it digs a big hole into the soil and gets stuck. It gets buried by a windstorm and slowly overheats and dies.
ReplyDeleteThe reason this story works with this plot is the fact the plot talks about surveying Mars. This plot would not need to be done for Key West or Russia (unless its Chernobyl). The fact its a MARS rover means it has to take place on Mars.
A group of friends (5 girls, college age), have received a letter in the mail telling them they have won a free trip to the Bahamas for spring break. They call the number on the letter and do some research to make sure it's a legitimate letter. They find out it's true and decide to take the trip.
ReplyDeleteThey get there and everything is perfect. That night they go to a party and they meet a group of guys that they really like. The next thing they know they wake up and are in some sort of warehouse. They're really confused and start to figure out ways to get out.
Then 5 men in suits burst through the doors into the room where the girls woke up. One of the men explains to the girls that they got them to go on this spring break trip because they needed them in the Bahamas for a secret CIA mission.
I think my plot works best with this setting because normally when people go on a tropical vacation, it's a time for them to get away from the stresses of their life. In this case, the girls are just getting more stress added to their lives by being brought to the Bahamas for a CIA mission. Therefore, putting this plot with this setting makes the story more interesting, unpredictable, and contradicting of the "tropical lifestyle".
Isaiah Chase awoke with half his body in the water on a beach. Confused, he quickly stood and spun around, looking for answers. He yelled loudly, "Hello?!" but no one answered his cry. He performed another 360 and yelled the same words. Chase noticed a small patch of pavement in the distance and began to run toward it. Once he got there, an abandoned city with a half-broken sign that reads, "Welcome to Paradise; Key West," stood before him. Isaiah's head began to spin.
ReplyDeleteHe walked through the city, occasionally yelling for signs of life. The city looked as if it had been trampled by elephants who threw boulders at every building they saw. Smashed cars, broken windows on buildings with smashed walls. Now, it came back to Isaiah that he had planned a vacation with his wife, Maria, and two kids, Joel and Athena. Something had gone terribly wrong during their flight as they flew above Key West. The pilots announced the inevitable, that the plane would reside in the water. "We wish the best of luck to all of you. We are sorry."
At that point, the plane was too high for anyone to jump out and live. He remembers the plane spiraling out of control in the night. He remembered seeing the blue-black mass approaching the nose of the plane, so quickly it all happened. But how did he get here now? Where was everyone else? Had they all died in the crash? If so, how did he live? He had so many questions and no means to answer them. Chase found no bodies, no life forms at all for that matter.
He came to a four-way intersection. The stoplights flashed red. There was a table in the middle, a white desk with four drawers. He ran over to the desk and opened the bottom left drawer. Isaiah was surprised at what he found. A 9 millimeter with four bullets. During his search for answers, he began analyzing everything to the last speculation. A four-way intersection, with four flashing red lights, a desk with four drawers and a 9 millimeter with four bullets.
He remembers his family of four. Himself, Maria, Athena, and Joel. Were the bullets meant for them? Was he just dehydrated and losing his mind, piece by piece? He pulled the gun from the drawer and stared down the barrel. He pressed the button to release the clip and loaded all four bullets. He opened the other three drawers. In each, there was a picture of the members of his family. Each member had their own drawer. Joel in the top left, Athena in the top right, and Maria in the bottom right.
Helplessly, he screamed their names. Again and again, he screamed their names, hearing no sound returned but the echo of his voice. Isaiah cocked the handgun and put it to his head. He thought of his life. Every family dinner. Every day he spent with his two children and his wife. How he loved them so. He wished he could kiss them goodbye.
With a squeeze and just a split second of flinch, Isaiah's mind did not race any longer. Instead, he awoke in a hospital bed in Key West.
The setting of my story gives deeper meaning to Isaiah's problem. Key West is a "paradise" so to speak. Somewhere people would dream about. But instead of a happy dream of Key West, Isaiah is trapped within his worst nightmare.
It was evening and there was a slight breeze in the air. It was the nicest during this hour in Moscow, Russia. Everything looked nice with the sun glowing off the buildings. It was nothing like I have seen back in the U.S. My friends and I decided to go out to eat that night. We had no idea what was coming our way. We ate and had a great time. I happened to notice that my glass was shaking, but by the time I had the chance to say something the ground was shaking as well. Everyone noticed and stopped in the track. We assumed it was just an earthquake, but we didn't know what was coming. Everyone took a step outside and started screaming. My friends and I decided to look for ourselves and the next thing I knew I was running down the street. Everything happened so fast I had to rethink about what I just saw. Zombies.
ReplyDeleteThe setting takes place in Russia. I don't think any other setting would match quite as well as Moscow. The United States and Russia used to be in a competition to figure things out first. In this case, they made a mistake with one of their experiments and it got loose in the wrong hands. The plot could possibly fit in anywhere if you adjust things, but I think it fit best here due to the competition.