To say that I love the performing arts is an understatement - I see value in it, I see opportunity to grow as a person, I see moments for me to discover things about me that I never knew before. When I taught, I was once told by a young student (Gr. 10) that he had no need of English classes. In his young mind, he believed that he would never read another book and the computer would correct all his writing errors. (I wonder if he still believes that?) That evening, I went home and really wrestled with that question - why do we take English classes until Grade 12? And, upon my return the next day, I shared this struggle and my personal conclusion with my students.
We take English because we are part of the human race, and it is only in the analysis of English, in the challenge to communicate what is internal and the flip side of examining the course of 'story' that we, too, become conscious of the 'story' that is within each of us. Those moments of 'climax', those inciting incidences when something new launches, when we are the protagonist in our story but perhaps the antagonist in someone else's story. And the good writer brings truth to the page. In like fashion, the good director and actor also brings a message and the resonance of Truth to their story and development. If you learn this in the English class, you can apply it and bring purpose and personal development to all reading and viewing opportunities you will encounter. We become conscious of what we view, what we connect with, what we participate in. And then, we can become better for the stories we witness.
It is because of this that I have long wanted to begin a blog for the purpose of my own analysis of what I view and read. So here, I shall share my thoughts on novels I read, movies I see, theatre I watch, and all other arts that I encounter. It might be interesting to see where this leads ... it might be interesting to see what I learn!
Roll 'em!!
