Condition of Children

Regionalism reveals characteristics of a specific geographic location. How do visitors and tourists see the area in which you live? Take some time to observe or think about your own geographic region. How do people talk and behave? What are some typical sights or places that are unique to your area which visitors should recognize?

In this assignment, you will have the chance to emulate the Regionalist writing style of Mark Twain by writing your own Realist short story that takes place in your local area. Your goal is to write a story in which a reader would recognize it as taking place in your town or city without being explicitly told. It should be set in the present day, so be sure to include local dialects and colloquial speech in the characters' dialogue that is currently heard in your area. Since Mark Twain focused a lot on the plight of children, your protagonist should also be a child or teenager. Finally, your short story should be at least one thousand words in length and include at least one example of each of the following literary devices:

1. Dialect
   
2. Colloquialism
   
3. Exaggeration
   
4. Embellishment

To give you inspiration in developing Regionalism in your short story, you may want to consider the following characteristics of where you live:

• Place names (street, neighborhood, school, city or town, state)
  
• Climate (season of the year) and terrain (mountains, beaches, etc.)
  
• Economy/commerce (major industries, employers, or jobs)
  
• Tourist attractions (what is your city or town known for?)
  
• Local customs or traditions (think about holidays and celebrations)
  
• Common conflicts that people in your area face, especially children or teenagers
  
• The typical citizen of your area or the type of diversity of people
  
• Mannerisms/behavior of the people in your area
  
• Slang phrases or unique pronunciations
  

Remember to use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation where you are not deliberately manipulating the grammar and spelling to reflect regional dialects and colloquialism. Depending on what point of view you choose to write your story, it may include a mix of standard English and informal dialects/colloquialism (if you choose to write in third person) or it may be composed entirely of colloquial language (if you choose to write in first person). Before you begin, review the Regionalist Short Story Checklist to make sure that you include all of the items required for full credit.

Once you have completed your short story, please submit your work to the dropbox.