Meeting our students where they live
Bet it's not in 'The Simpsons'
by Reg Harris
Copyright © 2003 by Reg Harris. All rights reserved. This article may not be copied in whole or in part without my expressed written permission. Contact me for permission. Please respect my copyright.
The Hero's Journey challenge
Each year for about seven years now, I challenge my classes to
show me a story (book, short story, film) which does not have
elements of the Hero's Journey pattern in it. Of course, because the
Hero's Journey is the pattern of human experience of any type, this
challenge will never be met.
Last year, however, an interesting situation presented itself and
resulted is a wonderful teaching opportunity.
"Not in the Simpsons"
Last fall, when I issued the challenge to my ninth graders, one
of them, Jeff Martinez, raised his hand and said, "I bet it's not in
'The Simpsons.'" Several other students immediately supported Jeff,
and then they issued a counter challenge: tape an episode of the
Simpsons and analyze it in class.
Honestly, I had never watched more than a minute or two of the
Simpsons, so I had no idea about the series. However, I agreed that
if Jeff wanted to tape an episode, we would take a look at it in
class.
"They're on tonight," Jeff said. "Can we watch it tomorrow?"
I agreed. Everyone was excited.
Bart in my class
The next day, Thursday, Jeff brought in Wednesday night's episode
of "The Simpsons." I briefly reviewed key elements in the Hero's
Journey and we started the tape.
Within minutes several elements of the journey appeared. In this
particular episode, Bart is held in after school because of
misbehavior. He is cleaning his teacher's desk and finds a magazine
in which his teacher had placed an advertisement looking for male
companionship. (She had been recently divorced and seemed to be
suffering from a battered self-image.)
Bart decides to have some fun and begins writing to his teacher,
pretending to be an adult. The teacher falls for her "pen pal" and
her self-esteem grows again. When she wants to meet the man, Bart
(in his next letter) proposes they meet for dinner at a nice
restaurant. Bart thinks it will be fun to watch his teacher be
disappointed because she is "stood up."
The evening of their dinner, the teacher goes to the restaurant, and
Bart stands outside, secretly looking in at the teacher. He sees how
disappointed she is at yet another blow to her self-image. He sees
the tears in her eyes and he realizes what he has done. He wants to
make amends, but he does not know how.
He goes to his parents for help, works out a plan in which he writes
the teacher a "Dear Jane" letter, but one which makes a noble excuse
for missing dinner, builds up the teacher's self-worth, and ends the
relationship.
The letter works like a charm. The teacher, rather than being
shattered by another rejection, feels strengthened and enriched by
the "relationship." Bart is genuinely happy that he was able to end
the relationship without further problems and to help his teacher
through a difficult time.
(As a little sub-plot, Bart's father, Homer, is challenged by his
neighbor to stop cursing.)
Three journeys in one
By the time we had finished watching the episode, all of the
students agreed that there were at least two hero's journeys in the
plot. The teacher is called to the adventure of rebuilding her life
after a divorce, and Bart is called to the adventure of helping
someone he had originally set out to hurt and ridicule (maturing and
learning compassion in the process). Homer, too, goes through a
small journey as he learns to control his temper.
The students were surprised to find the journey pattern even in
The
Simpsons. I reminded them, however, that the Hero's Journey
archetype is the pattern of virtually all human experience, so any
story which deals with human experience will contain elements of the
journey, even stories about Bart Simpson.
Bart in your class?
The "Simpson Challenge" was a valuable activity because it was
spontaneous, student-initiated and fun. As the students watched the
tape, they searched intently for elements of the journey pattern,
and when they saw them, they were pleased and surprised.
Can you make a similar challenge in your classroom? You probably
can, after you have a firm understanding of the journey pattern. You
can issue a standing, open challenge, like I have done. Then you
should be ready, when the opportunity presents itself, to use a
class period to meet a response. Kids love this spontaneous
deviation from the curriculum (they think they were getting a "free
day"), and the change is energizing and bonding.
Another approach might be to issue the challenge, and (when the
students reject the idea) you can offer extra credit for anyone who
can outline or explain the journey patterns they find in their own
favorite films or television programs.
There are probably other approaches you can try, but if you decide
to issue a journey challenge, be ready to interrupt your plans for a
day to meet a response. This activity will show your students that
the Hero's Journey pattern, the cycle of challenge and growth, is
the foundation of life and is reflected everywhere. What's more, you
will probably discover that you can relate the material the students
bring in to what you currently are reading, making your current
study even more powerful.
Whatever way you choose to work with the "Simpson Challenge," you
will find that it can be both rewarding and a whole lot of fun.