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Meeting the kids where they live
Bet it's not in 'The Simpsons'
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by Reg Harris
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.
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.
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.)
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 the Simpsons.
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.
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