Writing Across Cultures

The Archetypal Fairy Tale • Stories, often told to children, to entertain, instruct or teach • Often used to illustrate the problems that children and young people face as they become adults • The characters in fairy tales represent part of our own “psyche” or inner self Common themes in fairy tales include: • Metamorphosis • Transformation • Imprisonment • Love • Good versus evil (overcoming obstacles) • Death or transition • Illusion or misunderstanding • Rules or authority There are often boy and girl fairy tales. These differ in plot. • Boy fairy tale plots focus on exploration, discovery, and include a climax which separates the boy from his childhood. Usually by the end, the boy has grown into a man. • Girl fairy tale plots focus on discovery as well, but also abduction, outside threats, powers beyond their control, and falling in love. Usually by the end, the girl has grown into a woman. Fairy Tale Characters • Often good, innocent, or sometimes foolish. • Often instructed by

Google is a nice, convenient search engine, but it doesn't cover the world as effectively as some sites. Try a new web engine: Altavista.com This search engine has a button for international topics. It may be a better way for you to find out information suitable for your writing research. Pop Culture articles: Article on German filmmaker and writer: Alexander Kluge Article on German filmmaker & auteur: Werner Herzog German Newspapers/News sites on line: (in English) German News Germany Info suitable for writer/research Bild The Local Homework: Time to write. Use any of these tools or the books, articles, short stories, and poems we have read and create writing for your portfolio. Use the time in lab to review the information posted here and in previous posts. Use what you find to create creative writing pieces or ideas. In your journal, please jot down the research materials you are using for your project to include a works cited page.

Last year we discussed a variety of film ideas, directors, and actors coming from German cinema. A brief outline of these include: German Expressionism, Robert Wiene's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau's Nosferatu (1922), and Carl Boese and Paul Wegener's The Golem: How He Came Into the World (1920). The Expressionist movement died down during the mid-1920s, but it continued to influence world cinema for years afterward. Its influence is particular noticeable in American and European horror films and film noir. We spent some time viewing Fritz Lang's masterpiece Metropolis (1927) and discussing the German production company Declar. Fritz Lang, one of the greatest early German film directors, also produced M (1931) starring Peter Lorre, Doctor Mabuse (193 ), The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse ( and Woman in the Moon (1929) After the influence of Expressionism began to fade a variety of other genres and styles developed in the 1920s. Movies inf

Karl Marx (1818-1883) Marx sought human freedom through political and economic freedom. The way people live, he said, is determined by the "relations of production" or how they make, distribute, and use material goods. We are caught in the rut of Capitalism: people with money sell the products that people without money make, and use this money to hire more people (for as little as possible) to make more things to sell for more money, etc. etc. Capitalism will eventually burn itself out says Marx, and the workers will revolt and overthrow the viscious system. "Workers of the world unite, you have nothing to lose but your chains." The problem according to Marx concerning capitalism is that: 1. It makes the rich richer and the poor poorer 2. Workers are not invested in the product because they are really working to get money 3. Leads to alienated labor 4. Workers would eventually get sick of low wages and hard work and revolt As an alternative, Marx cre

Please complete The Caucasian Chalk Circle . What might you do with this play? Suggestion: write an epic play (perhaps be included in the playwright's festival 2010.) Here are some techniques central to the idea of epic theatre: --Use a chorus or a character who acts like a narrator --Include songs or poems(just like a musical) only not so many --Use media (specifically state in the script that images appear whereever you want them) --Use a huge cast (realize these will be double cast, but you are free to use a large "cinematic" range of characters) --Use props and signs that alert the audience about a). what is going on and b). what characters are thinking --Include many scenes (but not as many scenes as a film). The purpose of epic theatre is get an audience to THINK. Brainstorm some important issues or ideas that need to be discussed in our community. Start with this list to pick one or two that you will design characters for and develop the plot. Your play can be any

Bertolt Brecht influenced modern theatre throughout the 20th century. His brief bio is here. Please take notes pertaining to his basic influence and importance in World Literature. Notes about Epic Theatre: Epic theatre was a reaction against other popular forms of theatre at the time, particularly the naturalistic approach pioneered by Constantin Stanislavski. Stanislavski directed the Moscow Art Theatre where Anton Chekhov (not the ensign of the Enterprise) premiered his plays ( The Seagull , etc) Brecht disliked the spectacle, manipulative plots, and heightened emotion or unrealistic "overacting" of melodrama; While Stanislavski insisted on creating real human behavior in acting to absorb the audience completely in the fictional world of the play, Brecht saw Stanislavski's methodology as escapism. Brecht's own social and political focus departed also from surrealism and Theatre of Cruelty, as developed in the work of Antonin Artaud, who sought to affect audience

George Buchne r was inspired by a real-life murder involving a poor man who was sentenced to death for stabbing his wife. The protagonist, Woyzeck is of a lower economic class. He has a young illegitimate child by Marie, his common-law wife. He lives in the military barracks with his friend and confidant, Andres, and is paid as a barber. He is also a subject of the Doctor's experiment, living on a diet of peas so that the effects on his body and mind may be studied. It is this, supposedly that ultimately is his undoing, being weak of mind in the first place. Woyzeck loves his family, but Marie's infidelity is the catalyst for his descent into madness and murder. He is considered an archetype of human suffering. Woyzeck is a weak willed character in the beginning of the play--very susceptible to manipulation and suggestion. He is compared to an animal in several cases, the most obvious is his comparison to a carnival horse who can count. Buchner is suggesting that the lower clas

These clips are shocking at times, but they give a good sense of the age. As you watch, comment in your writing about all of them, or selected ones. Prepare this for Monday's class. Bring in your commentary. World War II propaganda films: German National Anthem Hitler Speech Joseph Goebbels Speech Herr Joseph Goebbels Goebbel Talk about German Culture 1936 German Olympics Leni Riefenstahl's "Olympia" Leni Riefenstahl: The Last Days of Leni Riefenstahl The Assassination of Ernst Rohm Night of the Long Knives Hitler Speech (one of many) German Cartoon (1940) Disney Donald Duck Cartoon: The Fuhrer's Face Disney's Anti-Nazi Cartoon (American Propaganda) Tex Avery wartime cartoon

Info about Berlin , perhaps one of the "most sexually free" cities in the world... An interesting article: "Sexual Freedom vs. Fascism in Germany" by Leslie Feinberg Persecution of homosexuals in Nazi Germany . German Gay Rights Movement Berlin theatre, Brecht's Mack the Knife sung by Lotte Lenya (from the 3 Penny Opera) Willkommen from Cabaret (Joel Gray)

Key moments in German History: The Reformation Absolutism Prussian Empire Bismarck Empire Immanuel Kant & Moral Philosophy Franco-Prussian War (Napolean) Franco-Prussian War (part II) Karl Marx Sigmund Freud First World War Weimar Germany Nazi Germany G erman Propaganda German Propaganda (part II) German Propaganda Images East/West Germany - a country torn in two The Fall of the Wall Images of the Wall Part of writing is discovering new things. Research often leads to new ideas and excitement. Use the website below as a background for your research during this unit. You may be surprised where it takes your writing and subject matter. The following website is a wonderful stating point for the uninitiated. It's filled with pictures and information about German History stretching all the way back to the medieval period. Peruse it as you see fit. You will no doubt learn a lot if you do. German History in Documents and Images . How to use this as a writer? 1. Pick a picture. Write

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, we will start looking around the world. I've decided to start with Germany for a variety of reasons (some appropriate, some selfish). On the selfish bit, I find that over the last five or so years teaching this course in this manner, I find that my students are most interested in popular culture, gender issues, racial issues, media, and then I have to cover economics to some extent. Usually, classes choose Africa or Asia, finding these places exotic. I rarely get to finish the world traveling, and Europe is rarely selected (with Australia) hardly ever chosen. This class isn't the norm. Most of you are sick now to death of pop culture (you say), yet you spend 24/7 there. You are attached to technology in a way that fascinates and frightens your older US citizens. You are the blaise, non-committed generation, so they say. Part of this is your age. You are optimistic, yet unaware. And yes, I'm describing myself also at your age. It's all a stereotype. I