Question

To jsyy The Meet

By Madelyn Srin

"Why, why?" Ariel wailed into her locker at the pool. "I thought she was not going to make it down for this meet!" Her fiercest competitor was going to swim Saturday, after all. Ariel looked around to make sure no one had heard her then tore off her required swim cap, grabbed her towel, and ran outside to her father's waiting van.

"It's my last chance to actually make Olympics finals, Dad. And Maria is going to be there. Maria and her stupid pink swim cap. High-fiving her dad for good luck before every single race. Ugh."

"Remember what I've told you, Ari," her dad started. "The only thing that matters is what you do, not what you win." She put up her hand to block the glare of the sun just peeking up over the horizon. Every morning she was at that pool, doing laps and practicing her strokes. Ariel pictured herself so many times holding that trophy and smiling triumphantly as she advanced to the Olympic finals. No matter what her dad said, she wanted to win.

Saturday morning, Ariel stood by the pool—waiting for Maria to come out—hoping that she wouldn't. She did—crying. Ariel could barely hear what Maria was saying to the coach over the noise in the pool area.

"… lucky swim cap. gone … without it." The coach was trying to convince Maria to just wear another one when Ariel saw a pink blob, peeking out from under the bleachers. For an instant, she saw herself again, making it to the finals, and living her dream. This time, however, her vision was different. She held the trophy, but her smile was nowhere to be seen.

The world came into focus again, and Ariel knew what she had to do.

Moments later, she approached Maria and looked her rival in the eye. "Here," she said, handing her the pink cap. "It was under the bleachers."

"Oh, Ariel. Thankyouthankyouthankyou," Maria said through her sobs. "If I could not compete today, I don't know what I would do."

Ariel watched Maria greet her father and receive her customary high-five. As Ariel turned away, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Maria's father stood smiling, his flat hand raised and ready.

"One for you, too!"

Ariel high fived the man and saw a flash of embarrassment flush across Maria's face.

Write a summary that includes the important elements of the plot and explains the theme. Use evidence from the story to support your ideas.

Part I

Under the graphic organizer, type a description of each literary element from the story “The Meet.”

Under the graphic organizer, type a description of each literary element from the story The Meet.
Title:

Author:

Protagonist:

Antagonist:

Conflict:

Rising Action:

Climax:

Falling Action:

Resolution:

Theme:

Part 2: Using the information in your graphic organizer, write a summary paragraph to explain how the theme develops in the story "The Meet." For help, review the sample summary in the lesson.

Write a topic sentence which mentions the title, the author, and the theme.
Be sure to include sentences that identify the protagonist, antagonist, rising action, conflict, climax, falling action, and resolution.
End with a sentence that restates your idea about the theme.

here ya go freind

Answer 1

In "The Meet" by Madelyn Srin, the protagonist Ariel learns that true victory lies in integrity and kindness, which is reflected when she returns her rival's lost cap, highlighting the theme that character trumps competition.

Step-by-step explanation:

In “The Meet” by Madelyn Srin, a young swimmer named Ariel confronts her envy and competitive nature when she encounters Maria, her rival, in distress due to a missing swim cap. The conflict arises from Ariel's desire to win her last chance to make the Olympics against the presence of Maria, whom she sees as a barrier. The rising action includes Ariel's inner struggle and the discovery of Maria's lost swim cap. At the climax, Ariel makes a decision that reveals her character's true strength, she returns the cap to Maria. This leads to the falling action when Maria and Ariel's interactions suggest a change in their dynamic, and the resolution is realized as Ariel, despite her desire to win, chooses sportsmanship over advantage. The theme of the story revolves around the notion that integrity and kindness hold more significance than victory.

A summary that encapsulates this theme could read: 'In "The Meet" by Madelyn Srin, protagonist Ariel learns that true victory comes not from winning, but from showing kindness and integrity, even when faced with tough competition. As she weighs her desire to make the Olympic finals against doing the right thing, Ariel's decision to return Maria's swim cap serves as a turning point, reflecting the theme that the value of personal character surpasses the importance of accolades.'