Journal Entry of Judith Van Winkle

Creative writing in response to literature is a way for students to respond to literature in a personal way. Creative writing provides a way for students to practice critical thinking and develop a stronger understanding of literary criticism while showing creativity and a bit of their own personalities. For this creative writing assignment, you will do a character analysis to allow you to get inside the mind of one of the characters.”Rip Van Winkle” and “Young Goodman Brown” are told as third-person narratives, not as first-person narratives. The difference is that a third-person narrative presents the characters to us in the words of a narrator rather than from the words of the characters themselves. The story contains descriptions such as Rip Van Winkle did this or Young Goodman Brown said that, but its not as if the characters themselves are telling everything from their perspective. Of course, sometimes they speak in the story, but they do not get to tell the story or what they thinking or feeling. It is up to the reader to determine what the characters might be thinking or feeling. For this assignment, choose one of the following options:(A) Imagine you are Rip Van Winkle’s daughter, Judith, writing a journal entry after her father reappears after 20 years. Try to get into the mind of Judith. Be imaginative and creative. Pretend you are Judith and have just seen your father after he has been missing for 20 years. You will not be retelling the plot of the story; you will be Judith reflecting on the events of the day. In this journal entry you can put down whatever thoughts she might have using absolute frankness and honesty. OR(B) Imagine you are Young Goodman Brown writing a journal entry the day after the events described in the story. Try to get into the mind of Goodman Brown. Be imaginative and creative. Pretend you are Goodman Brown and have just experienced the events described in the story. You will not be retelling the plot of the story; you will be Goodman Brown interpreting and reflecting on the events of the day. In this journal entry you can put down whatever thoughts Goodman Brown might have using absolute frankness and honesty. Criteria:
Write a minimum 400 words in paragraph form, using Times New Roman 12-point font (or similar) with double spacing. A title page is not required.
Submit as a Microsoft Word attachment on the submission page (click title above). Assignments not submitted in this way may be returned to you ungraded.

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Journal Entry of Judith Van Winkle

Date: October 12, 2023

Dear Diary,

Today has been a day unlike any other, a day that I have longed for and dreaded in equal measure. I can scarcely believe that my father, the man I have grown up hearing tales about, has finally returned after twenty long years. When I first caught sight of him, my heart raced with a mix of joy and confusion. All these years, I have carried the weight of his absence like a stone in my chest, and now, he stands before me, a ghost from my past reborn.

As we embraced, I was overwhelmed by the scent of old woodsmoke and the hint of wildflowers clinging to his tattered coat. It felt as if time had folded in on itself; the man before me is both my father and a stranger. What must he have seen during his long slumber? The stories that once filled our home with laughter and warmth have now been replaced by silence and uncertainty. I yearn to know what he experienced in those twenty years, but part of me fears the answer. How can I reconcile the man who left with the father who has returned?

I watched him as he wandered around our home, his eyes reflecting both bewilderment and a kind of longing for familiarity. He seems lost, as if the world has changed too much for him to grasp its essence. The village has grown, and yet, some things remain the same—the mountains stand tall, the trees still whisper secrets to the wind. But my heart aches for the father who should have been here to witness my growth, my achievements, and the beautiful life that unfolded in his absence.

What caught me off guard was how he spoke of his adventures with such a sense of detachment. Did he truly forget us? Did he forget me? As he shared fragments of his stories—tales of strangers in the woods and fantastical creatures—I felt a pang of anger mixed with pity. Here I am, a daughter who has borne the burden of loss and expectation, while he meandered through dreams as if time meant nothing to him.

Tonight, as we sat together by the fire, I saw glimmers of the father I once knew—the man who would tell stories to entertain me, who would hold me close when storms raged outside. But those glimpses were fleeting. Instead, I saw a man haunted by his own choices, perhaps even regretful for what he had escaped.

I don’t know how to bridge this chasm between us. I want to reclaim the connection we once shared, but I also want to scream at him for leaving me behind. How could he abandon his family? I cannot fully understand his journey or the dreams that lulled him into slumber.

For tonight, I will dwell on hope—hope that we can forge anew what was lost and hope that he can find solace in this new world that has awaited him for so long. Perhaps tomorrow will bring clarity and healing as we begin this tenuous journey together.

With all my love,

Judith

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