Lesson #45: OBJECTS "The Only Lonely Girl"- Krisy Lawlor
Storytelling School with The Moth is here to help you ring in the new year! We hope you had a restful break and are ready to jump back into some storytelling. For this month’s blog, we’re taking a look at a story about feeling lonely and making new friends.
We met Krisy at The Moth Teacher Institute. Hosted by The Moth, The Moth Teacher Institute brings together in-service 5th-12th grade teachers from across the country who currently use—or are eager to bring—Moth stories to their classrooms and school communities.
The institute features lively, story-worthy sessions: panel discussions featuring Moth student alumni, workshops focused on Moth pedagogy and approaches, and an opportunity for teachers to craft their own story. The institute will close with our very own Teacher StorySLAM! If you’re a teacher interested in attending, we encourage you to apply. Applications are open now until January 16 and you can find out more on our site here!
This month’s Storytelling School story is:
“The Only Lonely Girl” by Krisy Lawlor
Watch the video:
You can read the transcript of Krisy’s story here.
After you’ve watched and read the story, you can do the following activities:
Talk to each other about Krisy’s story.
For each post, we’ll highlight a different crafting strategy for how to make your story compelling. For this post, we’ll focus on OBJECTS. We sometimes begin storytelling workshops with a brainstorming activity called ‘The Object Exercise’ in which we ask participants to identify an object that holds some meaning for them. Maybe it reminds them of a particular person, place, time or feeling. Maybe it’s something they’ve made or been given. Objects can hold many stories within them and can sometimes show up in a story almost as another character. Krisy does a wonderful job of using the scarf in this story as a symbol for the growth of a friendship. She skillfully knits this story together across many years, and while the scarf remains unfinished, the friendship (and her story) have endured.
Close your eyes and imagine a space where you feel comfortable. Look around and notice the objects are present in that space. Choose one and think about what it means to you. How did it come into your life? What time/ place/ people/ feelings/ stories does it bring up for you? Try out your own story using the object to illustrate something that matters to you!
Krisy uses repetition sparingly and effectively throughout this story. What are some examples of repetition and how do they contribute to the overall effect?
Let’s Play “Have You Ever”
Raise your hand if …
You’ve ever been the only single one in your friend group
You’ve ever had no one to catch a movie with
You’ve ever felt like giving up
You’ve ever needed a friend
You’ve ever learned a new skill
You’ve ever had a patient teacher
You’ve ever had a weekly date with a friend
You’ve ever found a fellow fan of something you’re obsessed with
You’ve ever felt lonely
You’ve ever been set up
You’ve ever found companionship in an unexpected place
You’ve ever realized that you are not alone
Did you raise your hand? If you raised your hand even once, that’s a story you could tell! Find someone to tell it to and try out a draft!
Activities
Having friends over for dinner is a great way to connect and share some of your favorite dishes. If you were to plan a dinner party, who would you invite? What would be the menu? Here is an article about how to plan a dinner party and here is one about planning a virtual one!
Have you ever been interested in knitting or maybe you’re an old pro and want to try something new? Try finger knitting! All it requires is some yarn and your hands. Check out this YouTube video on making butterflies, or the many others online like it!
Share this post with a friend!
And check back the second Tuesday of every month for another story.
Storyteller bio
Krisy Lawlor teaches Language Arts, English as a New Language, and Journalism at The Young Women's Leadership School in the Bronx. She first told this story at The Moth Teacher Institute in August 2019.
The Moth Education Program works with young people and educators to build community through storytelling workshops, performances and innovative resources. To learn more, visit themoth.org/education
The Moth Education Program is made possible by generous support from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association Charitable Trust, the Kate Spade New York Foundation, and Alice Gottesman, and The Paul & Phyllis Fireman Charitable Foundation.
Additional program support is provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the New York State Council on the Arts, ConEdison, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.