using movies as a meof literary analysis

Using MoviesUsing Moviesas a Meansas a Meansof Literary Analysis of Literary Analysis Presented by Lynn KnowlesPresented by Lynn KnowlesNorth Star of Texas Writing ProjectNorth Star of Texas Writing ProjectJune 7, 2004June 7, 2004

knowleslm@lisd.netknowleslm@lisd.net

Quick WriteQuick Write What is your favorite movie?What is your favorite movie?

Brainstorm & DiscussBrainstorm & Discuss Why do we watch movies?Why do we watch movies? What are the genres of movies?What are the genres of movies? How do movies compare to books How do movies compare to books

or other entertainment?or other entertainment?

Writing ExerciseWriting Exercise Convince me to see your favorite Convince me to see your favorite

movie.movie. Preparation: Discuss teacher as Preparation: Discuss teacher as

movie viewer – different from movie viewer – different from student as movie viewer.student as movie viewer.

Discussion of audience and tone.Discussion of audience and tone.

Best SentencesBest Sentences AladdinAladdin – While the “magical” – While the “magical”

aspect of the movie dazzles the aspect of the movie dazzles the children, the deeper concepts children, the deeper concepts hold the adults.hold the adults.

Field of DreamsField of Dreams – It is not the – It is not the magical aspect of the movie that magical aspect of the movie that gives us hope, it is the joy of gives us hope, it is the joy of watching people learn to watching people learn to appreciate the simple, often appreciate the simple, often overlooked parts of life.overlooked parts of life.

Forrest GumpForrest Gump – Viewers become – Viewers become engulfed in the drama of the engulfed in the drama of the movie from the moment it begins movie from the moment it begins to play, and as Forrest tells his to play, and as Forrest tells his story, they feel that they are a story, they feel that they are a part of it, too.part of it, too.

Italian JobItalian Job – It is not the – It is not the individuals that make their goal individuals that make their goal possible, but their teamwork and possible, but their teamwork and trust that lets them accomplish trust that lets them accomplish their task and succeed in getting their task and succeed in getting their gold.their gold.

Life of David GaleLife of David Gale – This becomes – This becomes a film not about Gale’s current a film not about Gale’s current situation, but about the situation, but about the consequences of Gale’s actions consequences of Gale’s actions and the ultimate purpose of his and the ultimate purpose of his crime.crime.

Lion KingLion King – Running away from – Running away from your problems will only cause your problems will only cause them to become greater, and them to become greater, and Hakuna Mattata can only help you Hakuna Mattata can only help you for so long.for so long.

Master and CommanderMaster and Commander – The – The movie knows what it has to do movie knows what it has to do and does not try to be more than and does not try to be more than that, a downfall of many other that, a downfall of many other large-scale productions.large-scale productions.

A Night at the RoxburyA Night at the Roxbury – – A Night at A Night at the Roxburythe Roxbury is filled with fun and is filled with fun and adventure that will make you laugh adventure that will make you laugh until you wet yourself, cry until you until you wet yourself, cry until you wish you had never watched the wish you had never watched the stupid movie, and feel suspense stupid movie, and feel suspense that would have even Edgar Allen that would have even Edgar Allen Poe shaking in his boots.Poe shaking in his boots.

Web Sites Web Sites of Movie Reviewsof Movie Reviews www.mrge.comwww.mrge.com www.imbde.comwww.imbde.com www.movie-reviews.colossus.netwww.movie-reviews.colossus.net www.filmcritic.comwww.filmcritic.com www.All-Reviews.comwww.All-Reviews.com www.CriticsNest.comwww.CriticsNest.com

Movies serve the function of all Movies serve the function of all storytelling, to entertain, inspire and storytelling, to entertain, inspire and perhaps even teach us to cope with perhaps even teach us to cope with problems.problems.

Delving into the inner workings of Delving into the inner workings of great cinema making means becoming great cinema making means becoming immersed in the elements of a good immersed in the elements of a good story.story. - Stuart Voytilla- Stuart Voytilla

Moviemaking can be considered Moviemaking can be considered the contemporary form of the contemporary form of mythmaking.mythmaking.

Many of our most memorable Many of our most memorable movies follow the classic movies follow the classic configuration of the Hero’s configuration of the Hero’s Journey.Journey.

- Stuart Voytilla- Stuart Voytilla

ArchetypesArchetypes An archetype is a pattern or An archetype is a pattern or

model that serves as the basis for model that serves as the basis for different – but related – versions different – but related – versions of a character, plot, image, or of a character, plot, image, or theme.theme.

Heroic PatternHeroic Pattern CallCall ResponseResponse DepartureDeparture ConflictConflict TransformationTransformation ReturnReturn

Hero ArchetypesHero Archetypes The HeroThe Hero The Young Man from the The Young Man from the

ProvincesProvinces The InitiateThe Initiate

Relationship Relationship ArchetypesArchetypes Mentor-Pupil RelationshipMentor-Pupil Relationship Father-Son ConflictFather-Son Conflict The Star-Crossed LoversThe Star-Crossed Lovers

Character ArchetypesCharacter Archetypes MentorMentor Threshold GuardianThreshold Guardian Hunting Group of CompanionsHunting Group of Companions Evil Figure with the Ultimately Evil Figure with the Ultimately

Good HeartGood Heart ScapegoatScapegoat OutcastOutcast

Female ArchetypesFemale Archetypes Earth MotherEarth Mother TemptressTemptress Platonic IdealPlatonic Ideal Amazon WarriorAmazon Warrior Unfaithful WifeUnfaithful Wife Damsel in DistressDamsel in Distress

Place ArchetypesPlace Archetypes ThresholdThreshold UnderworldUnderworld WildernessWilderness GardenGarden CrossroadsCrossroads

Situation ArchetypesSituation Archetypes QuestQuest TaskTask InitiationInitiation JourneyJourney FallFall Death and RebirthDeath and Rebirth

Student ResponsesStudent Responses

A Beautiful MindA Beautiful Mind

Call = to break codes for military Call = to break codes for military agencyagency

Journey = into unreal worldJourney = into unreal world Transformation = comes through Transformation = comes through

therapy and medicationtherapy and medication Fall = descent into schizophreniaFall = descent into schizophrenia

Finding NemoFinding Nemo

Mentor-Pupil = Dory to MarlinMentor-Pupil = Dory to Marlin Innate Wisdom = DoryInnate Wisdom = Dory Father-Son ConflictFather-Son Conflict

Miss CongenialityMiss Congeniality

Call = to become undercover Call = to become undercover agentagent

Damsels in Distress = beauty Damsels in Distress = beauty contestantscontestants

Mentor = Michael Caine’s Mentor = Michael Caine’s charactercharacter

Office SpaceOffice Space

Initiate = PeterInitiate = Peter Hunting Group of Companions = Hunting Group of Companions =

best friendsbest friends Outcast = MiltonOutcast = Milton Devil Figures = bossesDevil Figures = bosses Damsel in Distress = Jennifer Damsel in Distress = Jennifer

Aniston’s characterAniston’s character

Remember the TitansRemember the Titans

Mentor = Coach BooneMentor = Coach Boone Threshold Guardians = picketers Threshold Guardians = picketers

outside the schooloutside the school Journey = early morning run to Journey = early morning run to

Civil War battlefieldCivil War battlefield Wilderness = old school house Wilderness = old school house

out of town and near the woodsout of town and near the woods

The RingThe Ring Heroic PatternHeroic Pattern Call = death of nieceCall = death of niece Response = investigationResponse = investigation Stony Place of Suffering = well Stony Place of Suffering = well

made of stonemade of stone Stairs = Katie runs up them, Stairs = Katie runs up them,

symbolizing a dangerous way into symbolizing a dangerous way into the unknown the unknown

You’ve Got MailYou’ve Got Mail

Maternal Figure = BirdyMaternal Figure = Birdy Evil Figure with the Ultimately Evil Figure with the Ultimately

Good Heart = Joe FoxGood Heart = Joe Fox

TEKS connectionsTEKS connections(from English II)(from English II)

The student is expected The student is expected toto write in a variety of forms with an write in a variety of forms with an

emphasis on persuasive forms.emphasis on persuasive forms. write in a voice and a style write in a voice and a style

appropriate to audience and appropriate to audience and purpose.purpose.

organize ideas in writing to ensure organize ideas in writing to ensure coherence, logical progression, and coherence, logical progression, and support for ideassupport for ideas

The student is expected The student is expected toto compile information from primary compile information from primary

and secondary sources in and secondary sources in systematic ways using available systematic ways using available technology.technology.

The student is expected The student is expected toto draw upon his/her own draw upon his/her own

background to provide connection background to provide connection with texts.with texts.

The student is expected The student is expected toto compare reviews of literature, compare reviews of literature,

film, and performance with film, and performance with his/her own responses.his/her own responses.

The student is expected The student is expected toto compare and contrast varying compare and contrast varying

aspects of texts such as themes, aspects of texts such as themes, conflicts, and allusions.conflicts, and allusions.

understand literary forms and understand literary forms and terms…terms…

The student is expected The student is expected toto evaluate the credibility of evaluate the credibility of

information sources, including information sources, including how the writer’s motivation may how the writer’s motivation may affect that credibility.affect that credibility.

The student is expected The student is expected toto identify and analyze the effect of identify and analyze the effect of

artistic elements within literary artistic elements within literary texts.texts.

evaluate artistic performances.evaluate artistic performances.

The student is expected The student is expected toto deconstruct media to get the deconstruct media to get the

main idea of the message’s main idea of the message’s content.content.

recognize how visual and sound recognize how visual and sound techniques or design convey techniques or design convey messages in media.messages in media.

Final CommentsFinal Comments

Work CitedWork Cited

Voytilla, Stuart (1999). Voytilla, Stuart (1999). Myth and Myth and the movies: discovering the the movies: discovering the mythic structure of 50 mythic structure of 50 unforgettable filmsunforgettable films. Studio City, . Studio City, CA: Michael Wiese Productions.CA: Michael Wiese Productions.