Recognize uncertainty a text leaves unresolved
The idea
Mark exactly what is stated; when several explanations fit, preserve the uncertainty rather than inventing a resolution.
Step by step
- Separate observed details from a character’s guesses or the reader’s predictions.
- Test each interpretation against every stated detail.
- Explain what remains unsettled if the passage supplies no deciding evidence.
Example
Mina folded the old letter. Three knocks sounded at the door. She put her hand on the latch. The story ends.
What does this ending establish?
Answer
Someone may be at the door, but the passage does not reveal who or whether it opens.
The knock and Mina’s movement are stated; identity and the next action are withheld.
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Write an ending in which a person waits at a door. Identify two possible outcomes and the evidence needed to decide.
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