Use the paragraphs to complete the activity.

Patrick lived in Emoryville, but every Saturday morning he rode two city buses to his uncle’s bookstore in Northview where he worked. He didn’t mind the commute because he loved his job. He loved spending time with his uncle, but he also loved going to work because he had become friends with Andrew, one of his co-workers. The boys would talk about everything from baseball scores to movies to favorite pizza toppings.

So this Saturday, when Patrick got to work, he and Andrew got to talking as they always did.

“Hey, Pat,” Andrew said casually.

“Hey,” said Patrick. “Did you have a good week?”

“Yeah,” he said. “Great week. My basketball team made it into the semifinals. The game is tonight. We’re playing Emoryville, our nemesis.”

Before Patrick could say another word, Andrew continued. “I don’t like Emoryville. I don’t think I could ever be friends with someone from that town. Our schools are such rivals.”

Patrick was speechless.

“Where are you from, Pat? I can’t believe I’ve never asked you that before!”

Patrick fumbled over his words. “Not too far from here,” he said before he quickly changed the subject to the new shipment of graphic novels.

Write a paragraph explaining the structure of the story and how the structure contributes to the meaning of the story.

(4 points)

The story is structured in a way that first introduces the characters, their backgrounds, and their relationships with one another. It begins with describing Patrick's home, his commute to work, and his love for his job, specifically because of his friendship with Andrew. This sets the stage for the reader to understand their close bond, which impacts the meaning of the story when Andrew's comments about not liking anyone from Emoryville create a sense of shock and tension. Patrick's speechlessness and hesitance to reveal his hometown further contribute to the meaning by illustrating how important his friendship with Andrew is and how these differing hometowns can create conflict within their relationship. The structure of the story effectively develops the characters and their relationships, while also demonstrating the complexity that can arise when personal biases come into play.