That Only a Mother

Subject Area

This activity has been designed for Senior English and English as a Second Language/Dialect students. It complements units dealing with creative writing, self expression, or developing creative skills.

Learning Outcomes

Teaching, learning and evaluation will focus on the student’s ability to:

• Analyze the use of language in the textual fragment and attempt to recreate the style in their writing;
  
• Predict a conclusion to a textual fragment;
  
• Propose and defend reasons for a conclusion they have developed.

Classroom Development

Judith Merril is a Canadian author and anthologist, and one of the first female writers of speculative fiction. Her personal collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy has grown into the Toronto Public Library’s “Merril Collection of Science Fiction and Fantasy.” Her short story “That Only a Mother” is not only a provocatively written story, but structurally, it functions as an excellent tool for creative writing.

1. Photocopy the first 3 pages of the story, and distribute them to the class. Avoid, if possible, explaining anything about the text to the students; let their own responses stand without mediation.
   
2. Direct them to read the text, and respond to it in their Response Journals if they are used in your class; otherwise have them write a response for their Writing Folders.
   
3. Explain that they have been given only a fragment of a complete text, and they will be responsible for the completion of the story.
   
4. Discuss as a group all the factors that will influence how their version of the story will end. Some possibilities are: the fragment they have just read; personal experience in similar or related situations; other texts they have read; their personal spiritual, cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. This discussion is intended to help students understand that what they write stems from multiple influences, rather than from the voice of some sacred muse. Try to avoid any discussion or speculation on how the story might end.
   
5. Direct students to complete the story. Senior English students should be encouraged to attempt to emulate the author’s voice as closely as possible, while E.S.L. students should be encouraged to concentrate on their own voice. Work should be done out of class, and should be processed on a computer where possible.
   
6. If your class completes post-writing activities, they can be undertaken at this point in the activity.
   
7. Once students have what they consider to be polished pieces, direct them to share them in small groups. Have each group nominate one or more pieces to be read to the class. Either the author or a designated reader should read it to the class. Supportive comments should be encouraged.
   
8. After students have read their work, have them speculate on how they think the story will finish. Hand out the conclusion, after eliciting a promise from the class to re-read the story from the beginning.
   
9. Have students produce a written response to the story, considering the narrative, the work of members of the class, and their personal response. This response should form part of their Writing Folder.

Extensions

The following points can be used for discussion and further research/writing if there is time:

• Social issues of ‘man-made’ disasters such as Hiroshima, Minamata, and Thalidomide;
• Psychological stress of conformity and the fear of being different;
  
• The possible manipulation of the mother by the child using psychic power;
  
• Whether the father kills his daughter?
  
• The baby’s future in the world Merril describes?
  
• The baby’s future in our world?
  
• Merril’s prophesy with in comparison with our world.

Timing

One 40 min period should be sufficient for the introduction of this activity. Further periods would be necessary for writing, editing, and sharing of conclusions if these steps are part of your writing program. Ensure that time is reserved for class discussion of the conclusion of the story as written by the author.

Resources

Merril, Judith. “That Only A Mother.” Permission has been given by the author for reproduction of this text for use in Canadian classrooms only. Originally published in Astounding Science Fiction (1948)

Evaluation

Student’s completion of the Learning Outcomes should form the foundation for evaluation. Auxiliary consideration should be given to the completed conclusion which can be submitted for formal evaluation, and to material intended for the Writing Folder and Response Journal.