Topic 13 - Shared knowledge and absurdist drama (Session A) > Shared knowledge > Task A

Shared knowledge

Task A – Filling in gaps - back to the restaurant!

The fact that we share knowledge means that writers do not have to describe absolutely everything in a scene. They can depend on their readers to fill in the gaps for them, leaving them to concentrate on the aspects that are more important thematically.

Imagine that you are watching a TV drama and you see a close-up of a young couple who are in love, having a meal together in a restaurant and talking intimately while eating. Next the camera cuts to a scene where the couple are walking away from a taxi, up some steps and into a block of flats.

Think carefully about what must have happened in between the two camera shots and write down what you assume the couple have done. What happened in the restaurant after they finished their meal? What happened after they left the restaurant? Then compare your version with ours.

Our answer

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