Suddenly, a Knock on the Door

1. What is your reaction to the text you just read?

This text seemed to confuse me a little. It starts with a man being held at gun point, but this man wants nothing more then a story. Throughout the short story 2 more men come in. All three of these men demand a story, something to excite life to escape reality. They say times are hard and they can’t stand it anymore. The story is called "suddenly, a knock on the door", I believe that this story is meant to show you the possibilities of what can happen and how you never know what will be waiting for you out side that door, what will the word be demanding of you next. Every person has a role in this world and his is to tell stories. Sadly, this writing doesn’t want to spit out some story that wont matter at all, he only wants to bring beautiful stories to such a horrible world but that takes time and he has none of that. I respect this writer for still wanting time to make something lovely and worth hearing even with three guns to his face, but that’s life.

2. What connections did you make with this story? Discuss the elements of the work in which you were able to connect.

            Here is a man looking death in the face, given a chance to tell a simple story but he can’t. I think him not being able to tell a story in this texts way of saying even when life gives you a curve ball you wont always be able to dodge it or make sure you make it out alive. I can relate. My life has only been curve balls and I’ve had people expect things of me and demand things of me like its that easy to give others what they want. He is given a choice to tell this story, but not all people are given a choice. I know what its like to be given a choice but being able to feel that loaded gun in my face. Life gives you options but you never really have an option.

3. What changes would you make to adapt this story to another medium? What medium would you use? What changes would you make?

            This text is short and I feel it holds a lot of intensity and fear of life in it. For that reason, I would want to adapt this story into a graphic novel. I would keep it black and white to show how this world is only black and white, good and bad, dark and light. Every action has a reaction, that’s life. I would give all these shots harsh shadows and really let my darks glide across the page, this shows the impending doom. He knows that no matter what he might die, they may hate his story and this short encounter is over. I would have the three men move around him, circle him until he is forced to tell them something. Life doesn’t just sit there until you are ready to talk, he demands you now. He demands you to stop everything and work around it.