To get full credit for this 750, you’ll need to answer prompts about both stories.
“Fatso”
Does the main guy change during the course of the story? How so? What factors cause the change?
What’s the arc, or movement of this story? From what to what?
“I love you” appears in the second paragraph. The story ends with another claim of love. Do you believe him the first time? The second time? Support your answers with evidence from the text.
Fiction is “the lie that tells the truth.” That is, it can speak truth or illuminate human behavior even if it’s not “realistic.” Where’s the truth in this story? How does it illuminate real human behavior and relationships?
“Kids’ Guide to Divorce”
At time, the characters seems to step outside of their respective roles of kid & mom. Why do they do this, and what does it mean?
Lots of little connections and disconnections between the two characters in this story, small kindnesses and small meannesses and small negotiations. What’s it all about? How does it connect with the meaning of the story? What does it suggest about what it’s like to go through a divorce?
What does the girl really want?
This story has loads of pretending and imitation. What’s that about, and how does it connect with the meaning of the story?
The story starts with salt and ends with a request for a drink. Why? Is this some kind of story arc? How does it relate to the larger meaning of the story?