Our summer writing program is a big hit even though we haven't gotten to writing yet. We're in the process of learning how to read and how to choose a topic by stealing from Jewish scripture like all good Hollywood writers...
Our summer writing program is a big hit even though we haven't gotten to writing yet. We're in the process of learning how to read and how to choose a topic by stealing from Jewish scripture like all good Hollywood writers.
I studied world religion in college and know the contents of the scriptures from each world religion. The scriptures for these religions - including my own - did not put Hollywood on the map. This is why I'm studying Jewish scripture. Plus, it's relatively short stories that we can read in 15 to 20 minutes and discuss.
Our formula is to read a story and discuss what happened. Then we go back to the text and make sure our summary is exactly what happened and not what my son thinks happened because he thinks he knows better than the text. Then we look at hidden literary themes and devices, ask what makes this a good story, and what movies or books used that device.
Our first eye opener was the story of Joseph and his brothers. After we read it, we discussed what happened, who the main characters are and what motivates them. I found the missing 4 points on my son's reading comp test scores. During the discussion, he described the main, main character (who's name I won't write because I'm told this is not polite) like we all would. Then we looked at the supporting text and the text did not support his explanation. In fact, the text supports an explanation of this character that I didn't know even though I read the text at least 20 times.
We are one step closer to AP Literature.
Last night, we went to see Ant Man and the Wasp and dissected this movie for our nightly literature work. After a few weeks of dissecting stories I see the world with new eyes. We had a meandering discussion, but her are the highlights:
- The movie uses 'threes' repeatedly. 3 heros working together, 3 villains, 3 daughters, 3 states of the the ant suit, and other threes.
- This was my warm up to get him to see the main point of the story.
- The daughters triplet is the lead up theme. We haven't found this is Jewish scriptures yet; maybe it's there for sons, probably, but we'll get to Ruth and other prominent female characters some day, and maybe check Christian scriptures and the scripture from Islam. One of my friends is a theology professor and I have her book on women in both scriptures.
- Then the big point - reuniting the mothers and daughters plus the father and daughter, but the big point in the Ant Mom and Wasp Girl.
- The whole point of Jewish scriptures - through chapter 40 or so, is the father is separated from his children in the first few chapters and the rest of the whole thing is more separation and reuniting leading to the big reuniting in the first book of Christian scriptures.
- We were not brought to tears by the mother and daughter thing. I recommend every mom with a daughter watch I Kill Giants followed by Ant Man and the Wasp.
- Instead, we brainstormed good movies and books with a Father Reunites With Son Theme. Most movies have this plot until Kathleen Kennedy ruined Star Wars: Indian Jones, Empire Strikes back, on and on.
- My son reads a long list of book series with Dystopian themes. Fathers are no where to be found usually. What's up with that?
Most days, my son finds time to connect with his diaspora of friends online. I stick my head in his room every 20 minutes and announce that he only has 5 minutes left. Then dinner, Trumpet practice, busy-ness. Finally we connect for 30 minutes or more for the day's 'Math', which is literature these days. It's been years since the whining stage, and we have a pleasant and productive discussion that always ends with reviewing the plots and developments in video games. This is ground breaking father and son time with a teenager.
