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.
In 3–5 sentences, identify the two different points of view in the story, and describe the humor and suspense created by the differences in point of view.
The two different points of view in the story are Andrew’s negative attitude towards people from Emoryville and Patrick’s personal connection to the town as a resident. The humor in the story comes from Patrick’s struggle to keep the conversation light and avoid revealing where he’s from, while Andrew unknowingly expresses his disdain for Patrick’s hometown. The suspense comes from wondering if and when Patrick will reveal his true hometown to Andrew.
The two different points of view in the story are Patrick's and Andrew's. Patrick is portrayed as someone who is understanding and open-minded, as he doesn't mind commuting from Emoryville and enjoys spending time with Andrew, despite their school rivalry. On the other hand, Andrew holds a more narrow-minded perspective, instantly dismissing the idea of being friends with someone from Emoryville solely based on their competitive schools.
The humor in the story stems from the irony created by their differing viewpoints. Patrick is from Emoryville, the very town that Andrew dislikes, yet he remains silent and changes the subject when Andrew asks about his hometown. This creates comedic tension as the reader anticipates the moment when Patrick reveals the truth to Andrew.
The suspense in the story is created by the question of whether Patrick will eventually disclose his origin to Andrew, and how Andrew will react to this revelation. The reader is left wondering if their friendship will be affected or if they can overcome their differing perspectives.