Read the following story, and then answer the question that follows.
Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) was an American poet, author, and teacher. In this short story, a family contemplates losing their house.
Home
by Gwendolyn Brooks
[1] What had been wanted was this always, this always to last, the talking softly on this porch, with the snake plant in the jardinière(1) in the southwest corner, and the obstinate(2) slip from Aunt Eppie’s magnificent Michigan fern at the left side of the friendly door. Mama, Maud Martha, and Helen rocked slowly in their rocking chairs, and looked at the late afternoon light on the lawn and at the emphatic(3) iron of the fence and at the poplar tree(4). These things might soon be theirs no longer. Those shafts and pools of light, the tree, the graceful iron, might soon be viewed passively by different eyes.
Papa was to have gone that noon, during his lunch hour, to the office of the Home Owners’ Loan. If he had not succeeded in getting another extension, they would be leaving this house in which they had lived for more than fourteen years. There was little hope. The Home Owners’ Loan was hard. They sat, making their plans.
“We’ll be moving into a nice flat somewhere,” said Mama. “Somewhere on South Park, or Michigan, or in Washington Park Court.” Those flats, as the girls and Mama knew well, were burdens on wages twice the size of Papa’s. This was not mentioned now.
“They’re much prettier than this old house,” said Helen. “I have friends I’d just as soon not bring here. And I have other friends that wouldn’t come down this far for anything, unless they were in a taxi.”
[5] Yesterday, Maud Martha would have attacked her. Tomorrow she might. Today she said nothing. She merely gazed at a little hopping robin in the tree, her tree, and tried to keep the fronts of her eyes dry.
“Well, I do know,” said Mama, turning her hands over and over, “that I’ve been getting tireder and tireder of doing that firing. From October to April, there’s firing to be done.”
“But lately we’ve been helping, Harry and I,” said Maud Martha. “And sometimes in March and April and in October, and even in November, we could build a little fire in the fireplace. Sometimes the weather was just right for that.”
She knew, from the way they looked at her, that this had been a mistake. They did not want to cry.
But she felt that the little line of white, sometimes ridged with smoked purple, and all that cream-shot saffron(5) would never drift across any western sky except that in back of this house. The rain would drum with as sweet a dullness nowhere but here. The birds on South Park were mechanical birds, no better than the poor caught canaries in those “rich” women’s sun parlors.
[10] “It’s just going to kill Papa!” burst out Maud Martha. “He loves this house! He lives for this house!”
He lives for us,” said Helen. “It’s us he loves. He wouldn’t want the house, except for us.”
“And he’ll have us,” added Mama, “wherever.”
“You know,” Helen sighed, “if you want to know the truth, this is a relief. If this hadn’t come up, we would have gone on, just dragged on, hanging out here forever.”
“It might,” allowed Mama, “be an act of God. God may just have reached down and picked up the reins.”
[15] “Yes,” Maud Martha cracked in, “that’s what you always say — that God knows best.”
Her mother looked at her quickly, decided the statement was not suspect, looked away.
Helen saw Papa coming. “There’s Papa,” said Helen.
They could not tell a thing from the way Papa was walking. It was that same dear little staccato(6) walk, one shoulder down, then the other, then repeat, and repeat. They watched his progress. He passed the Kennedys’, he passed the vacant(7) lot, he passed Mrs. Blakemore’s. They wanted to hurl themselves over the fence, into the street, and shake the truth out of his collar. He opened his gate — the gate — and still his stride and face told them nothing.
“Hello,” he said.
[20] Mama got up and followed him through the front door. The girls knew better than to go in too.
Presently Mama’s head emerged. Her eyes were lamps turned on.
“It’s all right,” she exclaimed. “He got it. It’s all over. Everything is all right.”
The door slammed shut. Mama’s footsteps hurried away.
“I think,” said Helen, rocking rapidly, “I think I’ll give a party. I haven’t given a party since I was 11. I’d like some of my friends to just casually see that we’re homeowners.”
Footnotes:
1. French for “planter”
2. Obstinate (adjective) stubbornly refusing to change
3. Emphatic (adjective) attracting special attention
4. A type of quick-growing tree
5. An orange to orange-yellow
6. Short, quick, and separate
7. Vacant (adjective) not filled, used, or lived in
Question:
Imagine how the story would be different if it were told from the point of view of the character, Papa. Using the information from the passage, rewrite the ending of the story starting from when Papa walks home (Paragraph 17). Make sure that you provide dialogue from the characters (Papa, Mama, Maud Martha, or Helen), and use sensory details and language to capture the action of the story. Stay true to the author’s voice and style. You should have a minimum of 300 words. Be mindful of conventions, so that they do not interfere with meaning.
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(16 points)
As Papa walked closer to his house, his heart pounded with both fear and hope. He knew that his family's future depended on the outcome of his meeting at the Home Owners' Loan office. The weight of their potential loss pressed heavily on his shoulders, and he couldn't bear to see the disappointment in his family's eyes if he couldn't secure an extension.
As he opened the gate and stepped onto his front porch, he could see his family waiting anxiously in their rocking chairs. Mama's eyes searched his face for any sign of good or bad news. Papa took a deep breath and said, "Hello."
Mama immediately rose from her chair and followed him inside, leaving Maud Martha and Helen on the porch. The girls exchanged worried glances, silently praying for a positive outcome.
After what felt like an eternity, Mama emerged from the house with a radiant smile on her face. "It's all right," she exclaimed. "He got it. It's all over. Everything is all right."
Relief washed over all of them as Mama's words sank in. Maud Martha felt tears of joy welling up in her eyes, and Helen let out a whoop of celebration. Papa stood on the porch, realizing the weight that had been lifted from his shoulders.
"I think," Helen said, still rocking rapidly, "I'll give a party. I haven't given a party since I was 11. I'd like some of my friends to just casually see that we're homeowners."
Papa looked at his family, feeling a surge of gratitude and love for each of them. They had weathered this storm together, and now they could continue to build their lives in the house they called home. As the sun set behind the poplar tree, casting a warm glow over their porch, Papa knew that they would always find strength and comfort in each other, no matter what challenges lay ahead.
can you right it like if an eigth grader woukd
As Papa walked up to the house, his heart was racing. He knew that the meeting at the Home Owners' Loan office was a big deal for their family. If he didn't get an extension, they might lose their home. The thought of disappointing his family made his stomach turn.
When he finally reached the porch, his family was waiting nervously in their rocking chairs. Mama was looking at him, trying to see if he had good news or bad news. Papa said, "Hello," and Mama quickly got up and went inside.
Maud Martha and Helen were left waiting outside, wondering what the outcome would be. They held their breath until Mama came back out with a huge smile on her face. "It's all right," she exclaimed. "He got it. Everything is okay!"
Maud Martha felt tears of relief welling up in her eyes, and Helen let out a cheer. Papa stood there, feeling grateful for his family and the home they could all stay in. The weight was lifted off his shoulders, and he knew they could keep building their lives together.
Helen, still rocking rapidly, said, "I think I'll throw a party. I haven't had one since I was 11. I want my friends to see that we're homeowners."
Papa looked at his family with love and gratitude. They had stuck together through a tough time, and now they could enjoy being in their home. As the sun set behind the poplar tree, lighting up the porch with a warm glow, Papa knew that they could face anything as long as they were together.
now write it as if it wasnt wirtten by AI
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write it like a human 8th grader would write it
As Papa walked up to our house, he looked so nervous. We all knew he had gone to the Home Owners' Loan office, and it was a big deal. If he didn't get an extension, we might have to leave our home. The thought just made my stomach twist.
When he got to the porch, Mama, Maud Martha, and I were all sitting there, waiting. Mama was staring at him like she was trying to read his mind. Papa just said, "Hello," and Mama got up and went inside.
It was just Maud Martha, Papa, and me left outside. We were holding our breath, waiting to hear what Mama had to say. When she came back out, she had the biggest smile on her face. "It's all right," she said. "He got it. Everything is okay!"
Maud Martha had tears in her eyes, and I couldn't help but cheer. Papa looked so relieved. The weight that had been on his shoulders seemed to lift right off. We were all so happy that we could stay in our home.
I kept rocking in my chair, feeling excited. "I think I'll throw a party. I haven't had one since I was 11. I want my friends to know that we're homeowners."
Papa looked at us with so much love. We had all stuck together through this tough time, and now we could enjoy being in our home. As the sun set behind the poplar tree, casting a warm glow on our porch, I knew that as long as we were together, we could face anything.
write it as if it was told by papas pov
As I walked back towards our home, my heart was heavy with worry. The meeting at the Home Owners' Loan office was crucial for our family's future. The possibility of losing our house weighed heavily on my mind, and the thought of disappointing my loved ones made my steps slow and heavy.
Approaching the porch, I saw my family waiting for me in their rocking chairs. Mama's eyes searched mine for any sign of what was to come. I greeted them with a simple "Hello" before Mama rose to follow me inside, leaving Maud Martha and Helen waiting outside.
Inside, Mama's eyes lit up as she spoke, "It's all right. He got it. Everything is okay." Relief washed over me as I realized we would not have to leave our home. The burden that had been weighing me down suddenly disappeared.
Outside, the girls were still waiting. Maud Martha had tears in her eyes, and Helen cheered with joy. They were so happy, and I couldn't help but smile seeing their relief.
Helen, sitting in her rocking chair, said, "I think I'll throw a party. I haven't had one since I was 11. I want my friends to know that we're homeowners." Her excitement was infectious, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for the love and support of my family.
As the sun set behind the poplar tree, casting a warm glow on our porch, I knew that as long as we were together, we could face any challenges that lay ahead. My family was my strength, and in that moment, I felt truly blessed to have them by my side.