A discussion about Vignettes

1. Directions: Choose the words or phrases that
best complete each sentence.
1. I’m _________ a swimmer as my
sister.
a. better b. good as
c. not as good d. so good

2. c
1.I’m not as good a
swimmer as my sister.

3. 2. When we heard the good news,
we were _________.
a. delight b. delighted
c. delighting d. delightful

4. b
When we heard the good
news, we were delighted.

5. Directions: Choose one pair of adjectives for
the sentence below.
short/suddenly black/round
And the ______________ spots
that seemed to dance on the floor
became ants.

6. And the round black spots
that seemed to dance on the
floor became ants.

7. Let us take a look at this snapshot.

8. How would you describe this moment
from that person’s point of view using
figurative and sensory language?

9. Let us take a look at this snapshot.

10. How would you describe this moment from that
person’s point of view using figurative and
sensory language?

11. AVIGNETTEISA
SNAPSHOT!

12. Vignette
(pronounced vin-yet)
A French loanword
vigne meaning “little vine,”

13. a short scene that captures a
single moment or a defining
detail about a character, idea,
or other element of the story.

14. A vignette is a short
piece of descriptive writing
that focuses on a single
detail at a certain moment
in time.

15. The detail is described
with vivid imagery.
The detail is a small part
of something bigger, like a
single brick in a huge brick
wall or a pair of glasses
worn by someone

16. They might be small in size,
but their impact is
significant—vignettes have
the power to pull you into a
story, evoke emotions, and
stimulate your imagination
like nothing else.

17. Why vignettes matter?
They captivate: A well-crafted
vignette grabs your attention from
the start. It's a break from the main
narrative, a moment to spotlight
something significant. It's a pause
that piques your curiosity and keeps
you hooked.

18. Why vignettes matter?
• They create depth: By focusing
on a specific moment, character, or
scene, vignettes add layers of depth
to a story. They provide insights,
stir emotions, and enhance the
overall narrative without needing to
spell everything out.

19. The room was warm and stuffy, but in a
comforting way. It had the heavy but pleasing
odor of musty books and old upholstery, with an
overall air of ash and cedar from the fire that was
always burning low the stone hearth, crackling
and spitting quietly. There was a patchwork
blanket resting over the side of the sunken but
cozy couch, its squares tattered by the love and
wear of time. A wooden clock ticked reliably on
the wall.

20. •The vignette above uses descriptive
words to paint a literary picture of a
single room.
• This vignette’s purpose is to add
further insight about the room and to
help the audience understand the
setting—it doesn’t tell a complete
story on its own, but rather, it
provides depth to the setting of some
whole story.

21. Why vignettes matter?
• They are versatile: Vignettes
aren't just limited to literature. They're
used in photography to draw focus, in
films to highlight moments, and even
in music to create mood. This
versatility makes them a powerful tool
across various forms of media.

22. How to write a vignette?
1. Choose a moment:
Remember, a vignette is all
about focusing on a specific
moment.

23. How to write a vignette?
2.Paint a picture: Use
vivid, descriptive language
to bring your moment to
life.

24. How to write a vignette?
3. Evoke emotion: Ultimately, a
vignette should evoke emotion. This
could be happiness, sadness,
nostalgia, or any other emotion. The
key is to make your readers feel
something.

25. How to write a vignette?
4. Review and refine: Writing a
vignette isn't a one-and-done deal.
Review your work, refine your
language, and ensure that every
word contributes to the overall
mood and emotion you're trying to
convey.

26. And voila! You've penned down a
vignette. Remember, it's not about
creating a full-fledged story with a
beginning, middle, and end.

27. It's about capturing a slice of life
that feels real and evokes emotion.
So, have fun with the process and
let your creativity shine!

28. SHOW & TALE
Choose an object from your life and
write about it. Of course, what you
choose will determine the course of
your storytelling.

29. Think inside the box:
 a piece of jewelry
 something from your
kitchen
 a talisman/lucky charm
 a trophy
 your camera
 a handwritten recipe
and outside the box:
 a tattoo
 your curly hair
 an old car
 a tree from your
childhood yard

30. Write: Imagine yourself touching
the object, and describe that
sensory experience. Tell the story of
your object, weaving yourself into
the story and finding the meaning
and significance of the role this
object has played in your life or a
loved one’s life.

31. • Why do vignettes matter?
• How do you identify a vignette?

32. Read the following vignette and
answer the questions that
follow.

33. When I was a kid, one of my dad’s cardinal rules was that no one
was allowed to eat in his car. Ever. It didn’t matter if we were on a
long road trip. No one was ever allowed to eat or drink anything in
my dad’s beloved Nissan 300ZX. Sometimes when the weather
was nice, my dad would take off the T-tops. He would drive me to
school or I would ride along with him while he ran errands, and I
would lean my head back against the tan leather seat and feel the
wind from the open top across my face. Every time that we were
in my dad’s bright red sports car, Creedence Clearwater Revival
blared from the radio, and my dad would always sing along. When
we got home, dad would rub dust off of his car with a cloth diaper,
and then he would zip a weatherproof auto cover around his baby.

34. 1. The example vignette contains imagery. List two examples of
imagery from the example vignette:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
2. Find an example of a precise and unique word or phrase that
appears to be intentionally chosen by the author as an example of
word choice or diction. Write that word or phrase in your activity
notebook.
___