John Green Across Mediums

It comes as no surprise to many of you that I like the work of John Green; be it on youtube, in print, or on screen.  I am not the only one that enjoys his work, though.  Many of you told me that Looking for Alaska is the best (or one of the best) novels that you have read; unfortunately, it has yet to be made into a film despite multiple attempts.  Since we do not have Looking for Alaska to view, we will instead be looking at Paper Towns - a novel and film with similar themes.

You need to discuss the following in a well written blog post of at least three hundred words:
1. What themes are prominent in both works?  Why is this important for us as readers/viewers?
2. How are teens portrayed in each work?  Is this realistic?
3. How do the characters deal with adversity in each work?  What can it show us about ourselves?
4. What can film do that text cannot? What can text do that film cannot? How does this affect the story?

Running with Forrest

Forrest Gump propelled itself into popular culture following it's release in 1994.  Often you can hear people shouting "Run, Forrest, run!" at runners or at a lumbering first baseman that can barely leg out a double.  Or possibly you would rather think of life as a box of chocolates because "you never know what you're gonna get."  In their own right, both of these quotes possess a certain amount of wisdom that helps to illustrate the theme of the film. 

While yes, many of you have seen this film before, have you ever thought about this film?  For this blog, you will need to respond to as many of the following questions as necessary in order to reach the three hundred word quota.  You can certainly respond to more of the questions and you do not have to respond to them in order; however, please be clear as to what you are responding.  And as always, support your responses with examples from the film.

The Questions
1. What is the theme of the film?
2. Why do you suppose that this film lingers with those who watch it?
3. Yes, Forrest is the protagonist; however, it is interesting to follow the development of both Jenny and Lt. Dan.  Pick one of these characters and discuss how they are a dynamic character.
4. Furthering your thinking along the lines of the characters, how do different characters affect Forrest's life?  How does he affect theirs?
5. One of the most interesting symbols in the film is that of shoes/feet.  Examine shoes/feet as a symbol and explain of what they are symbolic.
6. How does Forrest embody the quote "Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you're gonna get."
7. Think about Forrest's location throughout the film.  Is there any irony to this?

The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption is the quintessential prison film because it goes beyond just a tale of detainment and escape; it deals with beauty, finding the joy in hopeless situations, finding one's life, what it means to truly live, and redemption.  What does it mean to be redeemed?  Often, you might thing of the theological understanding of redemption: that of absolving one's sins (often through sacrifice).  Or maybe you think more simply of redemption being the atonement for a mistake.

"Does this happen in stories and films?"  Absolutely it does - and not just in Shawshank.  Wisegeek's article (I suggest that you read it) does a nice job discussing how redemption shows up in some popular films (one of which we viewed in class).

"Why should I care about redemption?  We watched this movie because it is based on Stephen King's novella 'Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.'" That is true, but we are also going to be examining the redemption that occurs in the film.  Your task is to discuss The Shawshank Redemption as a redemption tale.  Does it live up to it's name?  In doing this it will be important to determine which man is redeemed and his flaw.  It will also be important to determine the times that he has the chance for redemption and then discuss the time that he is finally redeemed.

Since this is the final blog of the class (and will be treated as such) you need to write at least five hundred words.  Do not forget to use good writing conventions and to proofread.  I suggest that you keep notes during the film and organize them to help you with prewriting prior to beginning the blog. 

Music Sets Moods and Tone

Often when when people think of film scores and soundtracks, they think of the work of John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Danny Elfman.  However, popular music can also drive the tone of a film.  In both Empire Records and 10 Things I Hate About You music plays an integral part in setting both the tone and mood of the film.  This phenomenon is not limited to these films, however.  Your task is to use these two films - as well as any other that we have viewed - and discuss how popular music and the score used throughout the films helped to set the mood and tone of the pieces.  

Remember that you need to use at least three hundred words and good writing conventions to support your thoughts.  Again, while the focus is on the popular music in these films, feel free to utilize other films too.

The Arts in Schools (as shown through film)

As school budgets shrink and levies fail, schools must make decisions about how to spend their money (I've told you all time and again that economics is the most important class you'll take), and often, the decision is made to cut the fine arts budget.  VH1, educators, film-makers, musicians, and the like disagree with this decision making.  There are many studies detailing the importance of music and the arts in schools: VH1 Save the Music details the importance of music, Grace Hwang Lynch discusses the importance of the arts in child development, and Education Week cites multiple studies showing the effects of the arts on students.


Without the arts, the films that we have watched would not be possible; there would be no actors, directors, cinematographers, composers.  Some of these films focus directly on disappearing arts education - it is clearly evident at the beginning of School of Rock with the VH1 Save the Music advertisement.  Think back to Here Comes the Boom; what drove Scott Voss to become an MMA fighter?  Why is Mr. Holland's Opus interesting?  Could Fame happen somewhere besides a school for the performing arts?

You need to use at least three hundred words and good writing conventions to discuss the importance of the arts in schools and how these films illustrate this.

Jonathan Larson's Rent

For Rent, Jonathon Larson was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three Tony awards posthumously; he died the day it premiered off Broadway.  After viewing the film adaptation, it is easy to see why.  In the show Larson tackles many issues: multiculturalism, homophobia, and addiction.  It is also a show, while not necessarily well known by high school students, there are songs that students are familiar with - most specifically "Seasons of Love" which asks "How do you measure a year in the life?"

For this blog, you need to discuss how Larson addressed cultural issues with Rent and also the significance of the title.  Because remember, 'rent' is more than what you pay a landlord.  Make sure that you use specific examples to support yourself.  You also need to use good writing conventions and at least three hundred words. It may be helpful to think about how the show made you feel at different points.

Singin' in the Rain in Chicago

We've started in on musicals and the first two both have commonalities revolving around show business and the need for fame.  Your task is to discuss the themes of both Chicago and Singin' in the Rain; pay special attention to the need for attention from the media, the need for control, and how show business is portrayed in each. 

As always, this needs to be at least three hundred words and demonstrate good writing conventions.

John Green's Novels Turned Films

All young adult literature is dystopian! At least this seemed to be the case prior to John Green's work taking center stage.  Green's popularity has skyrocketed and he is ever-present in many classrooms thanks in part to his work with Crash Course and Vlog Brothers both on Youtube.  This is not the only medium that Green enters the classroom, however.  His work is is revered by students and teachers alike for its realism (many students tell me that the characters are like them and deal with stuff that they deal with) and its authenticity.

It will come as no surprise to many of you that upon getting a boxed set of Green's work I was MIA from society for a week while I poured over each novel.  But it's not just me doing this; readers from classrooms to Hollywood are diving into these works and finding something in them that speaks to them.  Presently, two of Green's novels (The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns) have been adapted into films with Looking for Alaska in the works (it has continually been pushed back thanks to disputes between the director and studio, you can find out more here).

Why does Green's work resonate with us?  Your task is to discuss the themes present both The Fault in Our Stars and Paper Towns.  What do they say about the human experience?  What can we learn about ourselves?  About others?  Why does it matter?  What makes them interesting?

As always, please use good writing conventions and at least three hundred words.

9/11 and the Lost Generation

You've all probably heard me say (multiple times, I would assume) that Reign Over Me is my favorite film with Adam Sandler even though he is not the protagonist.  And much like Reign Over Me attempts to address the effects of 9/11, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close attempts to do the same.  This leads me to think of the Lost Generation - writers during the 1920s and 30s such as Ernest Hemingway, attempting to explain, understand, and cope with World War I.  Much of the work from this era did not focus on those that were directly involved with the causation of the Great War, but instead focused on those effected.

How does each of the films attempt to cope with and make sense of 9/11?  Which of the films resonates more strongly with you?  Why do you suppose that this is? 

Similar Backdrop, Different Subject

Steven Spielberg is one of my favorite directors, and if you think back to the commentary we watched where spoke about the making of Saving Private Ryan, he mentions that many of his films contain some aspect of World War II.  In our classroom experience, all of Spielberg's films that we've looked at have had World War II as a back drop: Saving Private Ryan, 1941, and Schindler's List.  Spielberg mentions that he views the Holocaust as it's own entity that must be talked about and viewed on the same plain as World War II and not as a part of World War II; I tend to agree.  Thus, for this blog you will only be referencing 1941 and Saving Private Ryan.

You need to discuss what Spielberg was conveying with both of the above two films: what was the point of each?  You will need to use details from each to support yourself (if it were me, I would also reference the commentary prior to Saving Private Ryan as well). Which of the films is more poignant in its message?

Racism in Film

We've recently finished Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List, and  Edward Zwick's Glory.  If you remember, I asked you to pay attention to the story that was being told and also who was telling said story.  Lee depicts day in the life of a city block in Brooklyn that is dealing with racial tensions; Spielberg depicts the heroism of Oskar Schindler in saving nearly 1200 Jews in occupied Poland; Zwick tells the story of the 54th Massachusetts from the perspective of their commander in the Civil War.  I asked you to notice the story being told and also to notice the directorial choices based on this story: does the director's ethnicity and religious background affect the story?

In his article "How Hollywood Depicts Race," Jared Wright suggests that the director's background does influence the film.  As I think about authors such as John Grisham (a lawyer who writes legal thrillers), Kyle Mills (the son of an FBI agent who writes thrillers centered around FBI agent Mark Beamon), George Pelecanos (a Greek-American living in DC who sets his works in the city with a Greek-American protagonist), and Les Roberts (although born in Chicago has adopted Cleveland as his hometown and sets his most popular detective series here).  So if authors' backgrounds influence their work, why would directors' backgrounds not?

Your task is to utilize the films that we viewed (I also suggest referencing the three sports films: Glory Road, Remember the Titans,  and 42) and explain how the films would be different if the director was of a different race, ethnicity, or religious belief.  Would Do the Right Thing be a powerful and thought provoking if Lee was white (Juju Chang and Lauren Effron's 2014 article for ABC News discusses why the film still resonates twenty-five years after it's release)?  Would Schindler's List be as successful in it's depiction of the Nazi's oppression and elimination of the Jews if Spielberg was a German Catholic?  Would Glory focus on Robert Gould Shaw nearly as much - rather than the lives of those in the regiment - if Edward Zwick was black?

Race and Sports

We've recently finished three movies that deal with race and sports: 42, Glory Road, and Remember the Titans. Certainly, these films were dramatized versions of the actual events often to make the message more pungent. There also seems to be a resonance between sports and racism.

Sanford Jay Rosen explores the differences between 42 and The Jackie Robinson Story (1950) in "Jackie Robinson and Race in America, Then and Now: A Tale of Two Movies" while connecting these films to the present.  Frank Deford discusses "What We Talk About when We Talk About Race and Sports" and Travis Waldron attempts to make sense of The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports' grading of the four major sports in "50 Years After MLK’s ‘Dream,’ How Do Professional Sports Measure On Race?"  And while we celebrate Jackie Robinson as the first black player in Major League Baseball, Michael G. Long reminds us that we really should first look to Joe Louis in "Making Way for Jackie Robinson: The Quiet Fight of the Brown Bomber."

If you've read more than one of the above articles (or have paid attention to the news) it should be clear that racism still exists in society.  The question (and your prompt) is thus: What role do sports play in racism?  Do they help to eliminate racism?  Do sports - both professional and amateur - have a responsibility to establish a moral high ground?  You will want to reference each of the films and at least two of the above articles while discussing this.  Remember: opinions are stronger when they are supported by the thoughts of others.

Oh, and a final note: It will be very difficult to do this will in only three hundred words; I would expect responses will instead approach five hundred words.