RL.8.3: Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

The Clock Is Ticking

Characters:

FRANCO

JESÚS

JANIE

[Franco and Jesús run around a track, Janie holds a stopwatch.]

JANIE: (yelling): Okay guys, the six minute mark is coming up.

JESÚS: (moving ahead) You know, Franco, you might’ve beat me last week, but you haven’t run since then, and I’ve been practicing.

FRANCO: (smiling) You have to practice because you are slow and weak. I, on the other hand, am naturally fast and strong, so I do not have to practice.

JANIE: (yelling) Hey, stragglers, we’re at 5:50 now, and I’m pretty sure an old lady with a walker just passed you two.

JESÚS: (still ahead, approaching the finish line) Hey, Franco, don’t forget that you’re naturally shameless when it comes to breaking rules, which makes cheating easier.

FRANCO: (catching up) Jesús, who is the second-fastest runner in the world?

JESÚS: (puzzled) I don’t know.

[Franco trips Jesús before he crosses the finish line.]

FRANCO: (crossing the finish line) Exactly!

JANIE: (angry, helps Jesús up, and walks away with him) Way to be a jerk, Franco. You might have won the race, but you lost at life.

FRANCO: (annoyed) What did I do wrong?

Question: How does the author use Janie to develop the theme of the drama?

• Janie agrees with what Franco says to Jesus, which shows the reader that Jesus needs to keep practicing.

• Janie confronts Franco, telling him that what he did was wrong and showing that winning isn’t everything.

• Janie defends Jesús, which shows that Franco’s claim about Jesús being weak and slow is actually true.

• Janie calls out the time for the race, which draws attention to the fact Jesús and Franco are working hard.

The Clock Is Ticking

Characters:

FRANCO

JESÚS

JANIE

[Franco and Jesús run around a track, Janie holds a stopwatch.]

JANIE: (yelling): Okay guys, the six minute mark is coming up.

JESÚS: (moving ahead) You know, Franco, you might’ve beat me last week, but you haven’t run since then, and I’ve been practicing.

FRANCO: (smiling) You have to practice because you are slow and weak. I, on the other hand, am naturally fast and strong, so I do not have to practice.

JANIE: (yelling) Hey, stragglers, we’re at 5:50 now, and I’m pretty sure an old lady with a walker just passed you two.

JESÚS: (still ahead, approaching the finish line) Hey, Franco, don’t forget that you’re naturally shameless when it comes to breaking rules, which makes cheating easier.

FRANCO: (catching up) Jesús, who is the second-fastest runner in the world?

JESÚS: (puzzled) I don’t know.

[Franco trips Jesús before he crosses the finish line.]

FRANCO: (crossing the finish line) Exactly!

JANIE: (angry, helps Jesús up, and walks away with him) Way to be a jerk, Franco. You might have won the race, but you lost at life.

FRANCO: (annoyed) What did I do wrong?

Question: Franco can be best described as...

• confident, because he knows he is faster than Jesús.

• puzzled, because he doesn’t know what he did wrong.

• clever, because he tricks Jesús into losing the race.

• dishonest, because he cheats in order to win the race.

As soon as the rock left Dustin’s hand he knew he had made a mistake, actually two mistakes. Throwing the rock was the second mistake. The first mistake was trying to fit in and be friends with all of the other boys who were throwing rocks.

He couldn’t see what was on the other side of the row of bushes, but he did hear what sounded like the crack of the rock hitting a windshield, followed by the sound of a car skidding to a stop. He looked around to see if the other boys heard the same sounds, only to find out that the other boys had disappeared.

He heard a car door close and the sound of somebody walking through the bushes. At that moment, Dustin, too, thought about running. Instead, he told himself that it was better to admit what he did, and that running and being caught later would only get him more trouble. He stood there preparing himself for whatever punishment he had coming, ready to apologize, hoping he could make things right.

Question: How does the author use the main character to develop the theme of the story?

• Dustin can’t see the car, which shows that some people do not realize when they are making a mistake.

• Dustin hears somebody walking towards him, which shows how the pressure of being caught causes a person to react.

• Dustin stays when the other boys run showing that a person should be responsible for his or her actions.

• Dustin’s reaction to throwing the rock shows how bad kids can force a good kid to do something wrong.