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The merfolk kingdom - the location/setting for the first third of the play

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The prince's kingdom - the location/setting for the second third of the play

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The home of the daughters of the air - the location/setting for the last third of the play

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The "little mermaid" - the main character of the play

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The grandmother - assumed mother of the merking

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The prince - the little mermaid's love interest

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The merking - the six princesses' father and king over the merfolk; co-rules with his mother

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Church girl/princess - the girl who the prince believes saved his life; looks similar to the mermaid

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The sea-witch - the witch that gives the mermaid the human potion

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Sisters - the little mermaid's five sisters ( protagonist is included in picture )

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The mermaid desires to become human after hearing her grandmother's stories and seeing the prince for the first time

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Mermaid has to win the love of the prince before he falls in love with another; if she fails, she dies and become seafoam.

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Mermaid is given another chance to save her life: to kill the prince, let his blood drip on her feet, and become a mermaid.

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Story takes place in 17th-century Denmark

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Since the majority of characters are royalty, their costumes and fashion would be rather elaborate.

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( To introduce the narrator )
I was the youngest of six daughters, all proud princesses of the sea kingdom.

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( To build the story )
My father and grandmother ruled with gentle but firm hands, respected amongst all the sea creatures and merfolk alike.

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(To further develop the narrator ) Since we were small, my grandmother would tell us about the world above the sea and about the creatures called humans.

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( To further engage reader’s attention ) They didn’t have a tail like us merfolk but walked on two supports called “legs.”

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( To further engage reader's attention )
There were fish with large wings that spread across the wide sky as they flew, and there were large moving things called “ships” that carried the humans from place to place.

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( To further engage reader's attention )
Their gardens bloomed with large plants—I believe they were called “trees”—that bore plump, delicious fruits and flowers of all colors and fragrances.

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( To express the narrator’s desires )
Oh, how I loved Grandmother’s stories!/ I had lost count at how many times I had told her of my desire to see these humans and their world.

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( To fascinate the reader )
To be among them, to feel the earth beneath me, to touch those decadent fruits, and to smell those beautiful flowers…

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( To reassure )
“Your time will come,” she would always tell me, “when you reach fifteen, you will be allowed to view the human world.”/

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( To describe from narrator’s point of view )
Because I was the youngest, only ten years of age, my sisters went first./ One after another, each of them went to the surface and came down with a different story to tell./

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( To strike fear ) One spoke of a scary, black creature and small human children playing in the water,/

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( To strike fear )
Another spoke of a tall icy rock that made even the ship avoid it during its course./

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( To express narrator’s inner thoughts ) I, of course, burned with jealousy as I heard my sisters tell their tales; just hearing their fears and intrigue brought sorrow to my heart, but I knew that my turn would come…/

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( To express hope )
And eventually, it did./

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( To educate reader on rituals within story )
On the night of my fifteenth birthday, my grandmother adorned me with oyster shells and a veil of flowers and half-pearls./

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( To express discomfort )
They were heavy and hard to swim in./

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( To further educate reader )
My grandmother told me not to remove them, for they were a symbol of my status as a princess./

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( To express narrator’s obedience ) I didn’t bother to complain any further;/

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( To express narrator’s impatience )
I just wanted to gaze upon what I had dreamed of for so many years./

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( To express narrator’s excitement )
Without a second thought, I dashed toward the surface, excitement pounding through my little chest./ My head erupted from the water as I inhaled./

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( To appeal to reader’s senses through narrator )
The salty sea air entered my nostrils for the first time, my chest rising and falling from my first breath./ The sky was a reddish-orange hue, and the sun was disappearing slowly in the horizon./ I saw one of the “ships” that Grandmother had described to me./ There were noises coming from it and humans dancing along its top; I had to see for myself./

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( To pique reader’s curiosity )
I drew closer to the large, moving mass as it stopped in the middle of the sea./

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( To draw reader’s attention )
A large, metal device slowly exited one of the ship’s holes, plowing down into the depths of the sea./ I had to assume that it was meant to keep the ship in place./ There was a perch on the side that I climbed on, leading to one of the many windows.

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( To show interest )
And that’s when I saw him./

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( To capture reader’s attention )
He was like an angel with his soft smile./ It was a smile I had never seen before./ His eyes were dark but held no malice./ They were deep, almost as if they could pierce one’s very soul with just a glance./

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( To focus on specific features of new character ) He had such delicate lips and a light, jubilant laugh that lit up the room he was in./

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( To introduce new character )
It turns out that he was a prince celebrating his birthday; he was just a year older than me./

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( To express a new emotion within narrator )
My heart skipped a beat the second I laid eyes on him./ I knew that it was love at first sight./

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( Sudden shift in plot ) Unfortunately, my time with this lovely creature was shortened by a sudden storm./

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( First conflict of the plot )
The ship rocked violently as the waves took control./

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( Conflict intensifies )
Lightning flashed ferociously and with the waves, damaged the ship./

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Mystery of powerful lightning at sea not solved completely.jpg

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( To express fear and confusion )
I could hear the screams of the other humans as the ship collapsed underneath him./ I dove into the water to avoid the debris, but my heart stopped once I remembered that one human./

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( To express concern and show deep worry )
Where was he? Was he safe?

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( Narrator’s fear )
I searched around the wreckage until I found him underneath the water, fighting madly for his life./

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( Fear intensifies )
His arms were flailing before him as he tried his hardest to gasp for air./

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( Narrator’s fears turn into panic at possible outcomes )
Grandmother did tell me that humans could not breathe under water./ Also, if Father found him in the sea kingdom, he was as good as dead./ I had to do something./ I couldn’t bear to see him die in either manner./

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( Narrator acts quickly; focuses on impulsive decision )
I darted to his lifeless form and with all my strength, pulled his head to the surface./

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( To focus on narrator’s desperation
I watched him desperately cough out the sea water and gasp, but he still kept his eyes closed./ My arms were losing its strength/

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( Narrator gradually accepts and calms herself ) so I allowed the harsh waves to carry us along the current./

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( To reassure both narrator and reader )
Thankfully, we landed on some sort of beach, but it was too dark to tell./ It didn’t matter to me as long as he was safe.

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( To show fascination )
He stayed by my side for the rest of the night and into the morning, sleeping peacefully in my bosom./

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( Beat 56 – To express relief ) The color had finally returned to his pale-white cheeks, and the air was passing through his lips with ease./

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( To express hope ) My heart grew warmer just looking down at his handsome face./

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( To express a hidden desire ) Oh, how I wished it could’ve been just the two of us on that beach…

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( Curiously take in environment ) From what it looked like, we had stumbled upon a strange, white building and a flower garden with “trees.”/

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( Explore using sense of smell )
I could smell something sharp but also sweet,

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( Express concern )
but I had no time to really take in my surroundings./

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( Express fear of being seen ) There were human voices coming from inside the building./

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( To worry and hide )
I had to leave my beloved on the beach as I hid behind some rocks, anxious about his fate./

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( Curiously watch from hiding spot )
A group of girls came onto the beach to play but stopped upon seeing him./

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( Concern shifts from one conflict to another )
One of them ran to his side just as he awoke,/

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( Another conflict turns into painful reality )
and that was when my heart stopped./

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( Narrator’s feelings sink )
His face lit up at the sight of her as words of praise escaped his lips./

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( Forced suppression because of fear )
They weren’t directed to me, though; he had no idea that I was the one who had saved his life./

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( To express passage of time )
Many days and nights passed since meeting that lovely human./

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( To show sorrow after much suppression )
I told my sisters, after much of their pressing, about my sorrow,/

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( Possible shift to hope )
and they told me where I could find him./

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( To express forced suppression but also happiness )
Just watching him from afar was painful, but I couldn’t stop myself from returning to his bedroom window./

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( To express narrator’s pain during observance )
He came out on occasion and stare out into the ocean, a gentle smile always on his sweet face./ It hurt me the more I looked at him, knowing that his heart is settled on that girl./ The one he believes saved him./

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( To express curiosity )
I had asked Grandmother about humans after coming home one morning, “If humans cannot drown, then are they immortal?/ Can they not die?”/

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( To instruct )
“They do die,” my grandmother told me, “but unlike those of the sea, a human soul becomes immortal./

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( To fascinate )
It floats to the heavens and dwells amongst the stars./ For those of the sea, we live our lives for three hundred years before turning into sea foam and disappearing with the waves.”/

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( Narrator faces new conflict ) Those words resonated in my head even after my grandmother warned me./

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( Rationalization after instruction )
She says there’s no need for me to have an immortal soul, for life was much better in the sea./

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( Still suppressing hidden desires )
It was upsetting to know that she didn’t realize the feelings I held for that human in my heart./

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( Realization of new goal as well as obstacle )
I remembered hearing of the sea-witch and her power to make any wish come true./

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( Remembrance of previous warning )
My father and grandmother always warned me not to get close to her,/

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( Remembrance of previous warning )
for she was a frightening witch,/

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( Desire overtakes fear )
but I knew she would help me.

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( Shift in plot )
One night, I snuck out of the palace and crossed the seas./

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( To instill sense of dread )
As I grew closer to the sea-witch’s lair, the land around me grew dull and lifeless./

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( To instill feelings of discomfort and fear )
Everything was gray and ugly with a strong stench of death, human and ship remains littered around me./

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( Express narrator’s determination )
But I pressed on./ I knew I couldn’t waver, despite my fears./

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The witch knew about my desires and agreed to help me,/

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( Sudden plot twist )
but at the cost of my voice./

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( Introducing a difficult challenge )
“You must win the love of the prince, even without your voice to seduce him./

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( To warn the narrator )
Your legs will give you the most graceful steps, but you will feel intense pain, as if stepping on knives./ If you fail and he gives his love to another, then you will die and become the foam of the sea.”/

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( Excitement outweighs the fear of the challenge
I agreed without a second thought and drank the potion she had performed for me./

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( To enforce pain from accepting the consequences )
The sharp pain had stabbed through me like a sword, and,/

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( A sudden change )
before I knew it, I was before the same prince I had saved./

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( Nervousness slowly changes to comfort )
He took me in with that same kind smile, and my happy days with him began./

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( Time passes )
I lived every day showering the prince with my love./

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( Attempts to reach goal )
I used my graceful dance steps, in spite of my deep pain, and my expressive stare,/

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( Failing despite desperate attempts )
but they weren’t enough./

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( To express painful longing ) The prince merely saw me as a little sister, or a small child that he was obliged to care for./