“Love in L.A.” by Dagoberto Gilb
Begin with a summary of the short story, one that utilizes the summary writing skills
introduced earlier.
The Narrator—using the textbook’s definition, discuss the narrator. What page(s) of the
textbook did you utilize?
Jake—what kind of character is he? Use the book to discuss. Point to instances in the story to
demonstrate. How old is Jake? Is he from LA or even California?
Mariana—what kind of character is she? Use the book to discuss. Point to instances in the
story to demonstrate. How old is she? Where does she work, or what kind of work does she
do?
Discuss the setting. Where are these two characters? How do the setting and the title inform
each other?
Discuss their (Mariana and Jake’s) differences. Point to the short story to demonstrate your
claims. Use quotes.
Demonstrate ALL of Jake’s lies. Quote from the story each of Jake’s lies, either to Mariana or
to himself. Include his exaggerations. How many lies and exaggerations does Jake tell in
total?
Please share any observations you have about the short story
You need to include a Works Cited/References page. You may use additional outside sources in
addition to the textbook; be sure to include those sources on the Works Cited/References page.
Remember, every one of your essays (aka writing assignments) requires an original title. The
textbook includes language and tips on how to create a unique, original title for your essays.
