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Home , Amber Riley, Artie Abrams, Brittany Pierce, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Ian Brennan (writer)

THE MUSIC IN ME A Study Guide

troy bullock ISSUE 61 SCREEN EDUCATION

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The musical The musical at their school assembly. The at their school assembly. was broadcast on the Fox Network Network on the Fox was broadcast 2 However, the show has not been without controversy. In has not been without controversy. the show However, 1 Glee series of Glee he first June 2010. 2009 to September in the US from Directions, of New series is about the members comedy High School in Ohio. Glee at McKinley choir group a show to Australia in September 2009 after a promotional a promotional 2009 after in September Australia to Glee

T the second episode of the first series, the members of New of New series, the members episode of the first the second classic a disco and ditch of their teacher defy the orders Directions ‘Push It’ Salt-N-Pepa’s perform to sexual school cheering at the overtly has the entire storyline members. Directions New of the otherwise outcast performances the glee to students new attract to of using sex The (im)morality who Council of America, Television the Parents club outraged adult series that is ‘an edgy, sexually-charged the show called teenagers’. for inappropriate was an instant hit with teenagers across America and, now in its and, now America across hit with teenagers was an instant by up the series is watched on the way, season with a third second fast- Ten Network each week. million Americans fourteen to tracked over attracts and the series regularly members, cast by its key tour of the songs Albums viewers. teenage) one million (mostly million units worldwide, five sold over have by the cast performed been downloaded songs have million individual thirteen and over iTunes. through wrote as a film: in 2005 conceived was originally Glee a high school show in experiences based on his own the screenplay been likened has understandably the series choir in Illinois. While – a franchise High School movie Musical successful the hugely to amazing voices High have at McKinley peculiar number of students to is also related song – Glee into break to tendency and a strange the popular teen in The series sits squarely other film traditions. high school all the hallmarks of an American and features genre geeks, over-achievers, jocks, cheerleaders, are there movie: a counsellor, student as a caring as well nuts and nerds, religious with a of and a teacher coach rigid principal, a hard-nosed misfits of likeable on a group centres the main story gold. Yet has rested success ’s out in song. Glee is played drama whose every with their win the hearts of viewers ability to on its characters’ of the social ladder. on the bottom of life story underdog classic and critics in Australia by most reviewed has been favourably Glee its After than thirty countries). in more (it screens the world around it called Ken Tucker ’s Weekly debut, Entertainment American likely [and] also its least show novel most the year’s ‘Hands down success.’ : jocks and Your slots. certain into Kids fall system. is a caste High school playing and the kids The invisibles popular kids – up in the penthouse. your floor. – bottom out in the forest druids and trolls live-action : kids lie? do the glee Where Sue Sylvester: Sub-basement. Using Glee in the classroom

Glee is a series that should already be well known to most senior students. Even if students are not avid viewers, they will be familiar with the format of the program and a number of the characters through the mass-marketing campaigns and spin-off music released to support the show. Glee can be used to study character and genre, as well as serving as a case study for storytelling. This study guide focuses on four main areas:

• the teen genre and the stereotypes that are found in nearly all these series

• narrative and the personal journeys of the Glee characters

• music as storytelling – how the songs reflect their singer’s emotions and drive the story forward

• morality – accepted norms and how this reflects on the values of contemporary society.

A series of student activities are provided for teachers and students to explore selected episodes from this series.

Student activity 1

Discussing genre

Each genre has its own set of conventions that producers will deliberately follow in order to give an audience the kind of experience they desire and expect. Think about the movies and TV shows you have seen that are set in an American high school. Choose one that you know well and watch it in the same night as you watch an episode of Glee. Make a list of the conventions, characters or production techniques that are consistent across both examples. Identify the beliefs you hold about American high school from all of the television series and movies you have seen. Make a list entitled ‘Five things that always happen in an American high school’. When you have completed your

ISSUE 61 SCREEN EDUCATION own list, share it with the class and take note of other people’s responses. Did many of you list the same things? If so, then the teen genre has successfully given you all a consistent impression of a reality you have never experi- enced. How consistent is your understanding of life in an American high school with the reality of your own high school experience in Australia?

28 previous page: Mercedes (), Rachel () and Finn () hit a high note this page: the glee club perform together ISSUE 61 SCREEN EDUCATION 29 ynch) sabotage the Brittany is the Brittany () classic dumb blonde, always with nonsensical comments. She is also an amazing dancer. The Cheerleaders Quinn () is the head president of the cheerleader, celibacy club and the most popular girl in school. She originally joined New Directions to help her cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane L but it has helped her program, learn some important life lessons and she has managed to bond with the other members of the club. is the Santana () bad girl of the school and is for an opportunity always looking to become head cheerleader. Before joining, Santana would out with any of the hang never glee club members, but singing part of has become her favourite the day.

The Jocks Hudson Finn (Cory Monteith) is the star Finn quarterback of the football team and the male lead of New Directions. He is handsome and a highly attuned and has naive, conscience that always sees him doing the right thing by others. Noah ‘’ Puckerman Puck () is the bad boy of the school and is often getting into trouble both in and out of school. He is a member of the football team and fancies man. Puck himself as a ladies’ whom is best with Finn, he originally teased for being in the glee club before eventually joining himself. ina () is an Tina Cohen-Chang Tina T outsider with quirky tastes and fashion. She used of gothic a love to fake a stutter to keep people to her and is trying from talking to rebel against her strict hard Asian upbringing. Artie (Kevin McHale) is a self- the who loves confessed nerd glee club wholeheartedly. He uses a wheelchair due to a spinal from a car injury he received Artie when he was young. crash has an extremely strong voice and is a major asset to the group. achel student Kurt () is regularly bullied by the football team and can often be found in red dumped in bins and covered slushie. He dresses in the finest designer clothing and always puts on a confident front, but under- neath he is still a typical scared and anxious teenager. Mercedes (Amber Riley) is the of the group. She has an backed up range amazing vocal by a sassy attitude. Underneath, girl she is a moralistic however, who is struggling with body image and trying to find her place in the school system. R The classic over-achiever, The Original Outsiders she was (Lea Michele) believes let born for the stage and won’t in the way of her stand anyone She has anquest for stardom. and is the female incredible voice lead of New Directions. The characters in Glee Morri- (Matthew Will Schuester until Spanish teacher of social outcasts a small group High was originally club at McKinley The glee the school’s the gap between bridge to has the power of music and performance that a love the club, believing expand son) sought to featured have who club members The glee walks of life. all different from with students is filled Directions New social cliques. Now, are: seasons and second in both the first heavily Student activity 2

Character Most of the drama in Glee comes from the personality clashes between the very different members of New Directions. If you haven’t seen the show before, watch an episode and look out for the different characters. Which member of the glee club do you relate to the most? Write down a list of positive and negative qualities about that character based on the episode you viewed. What is the one quality that you relate to the most in your chosen character?

Our ’ journeys TV characters need to change and develop as a series progresses, and compelling drama always features its characters facing a series of challenges and obstacles. Throughout the first two seasons of Glee, many of the members of New Directions faced emotional hurdles. These storylines help us get to know the characters better by allowing us to see how they react in difficult circumstances. TV shows also appeal to their viewers by present- ing scenarios that they can relate to in their own lives. Certainly, most students will understand some of the ridicule that the members of the glee club regularly face from other members of the school community. Some of the most inspiring moments come when characters are performing; in Glee, music is a means of communicating, and the members of New Directions are prone to Will () and Emma () show their support choosing an emotional over a deep conversation to express their feelings. Below is a list of the key plot lines from ‘Ballad’ and the music in each of the scenes.

Student activity 3 • Will assigns each member a partner, and they must each perform a ballad for the group. With an odd number of The music in your life students present, Rachel is left to sing with Will and they perform ‘Endless Love’ to demonstrate a ballad. As Rachel is Most of us have favourite songs that we remember because the singing, she realises she is falling in love with Will: ‘It’s like lyrics have meant something to us. What is a song that has really I’m seeing him for and what I’m seeing is super, captured your attention? Write down a series of lyrics that mean super cute.’ something to you and the experience in your life they reflect. Can you imagine yourself singing that song to someone in your life? Do • When Will tells Emma (Jayma Mays), the school’s guidance you think it would be a good way to express your emotions? counsellor, about ‘Endless Love’, she replies, ‘In hindsight, that was probably a mistake.’ Rachel’s ensuing behaviour reminds Will of a bad experience with a former student named Music as storytelling Pepper (Sarah Drew), who fell in love with him and nearly In the episode ‘Ballad’ (Season One, Episode Ten) Will explains committed suicide when he rejected her. Emma advises Will to that ‘Ballads are stories set to music, which is why they’re the ‘take your own advice and do what you told the kids to do. If perfect storm of self-expression. Stories in music are the way you feel awkward about telling Rachel how you feel then why we express feelings that we can’t get out any other way.’ Using don’t you sing it to her, you know, let her down gently.‘ music to tell a story is one of the hallmarks of the musical

ISSUE 61 SCREEN EDUCATION genre. Characters in Glee often share their feelings through • Kurt and Finn are trying to come up with a ballad but Finn is song, and the other characters usually understand the hidden too upset to work because he believes Quinn is pregnant with meaning in the song they choose to perform. Glee’s writers his baby, and she has decided to raise the baby alone. Finn is purposely select songs that will help move the characters’ scared his daughter will think her father abandoned her. Kurt stories forward, and the producers license songs up to six to tells Finn to let it all out by singing ‘I’ll Stand by You’ and eight weeks before an episode is filmed in order to give the imagining he is singing it to his little girl. Finn’s mother writers time to create or rewrite plot lines if they can’t source catches him singing to a sonogram and immediately under- the desired songs. stands. She asks Finn if Quinn is pregnant.

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SUNG TO SUNG TO

SUNG BY

ou’re ou’re our love for our love

SONG LYRICS oung girl, you’re out of oung girl, you’re having my baby / ou’re ears are in your eyes / eyes ears are in your t’s just a little crush just It’s (crush) / Not like I faint touch time we every Y mind / Y your me is way out of line / Better run, girl. Y girl much too young, Y way of What a lovely saying how much you me love over? talk it we Why can’t / Oh it seems to me / That seems to be the sorry word hardest Lean on me, when you’re not strong / And I’ll be I’ll help you friend / your on carry But I got something to tell I thought / That I never you you I believe / But would / I really ought to know you love / inside I have This love / you it all to And I’ll give my love love, / My My love / My endless love so sad? / look Oh, why you T Come on and come to me now Student activity 4 4 activity Student Music and meaning to breakdown scene in the above provided Use the information each sing) to (or intended who sang by listing this table complete whom. to and of these lyrics

house, and immediately drives her . Rachel tries to sing sing tries to her home. Rachel drives house, and immediately her. ‘Crush’ but Will stops going to sing a mashup of ‘Young Girl’ and ‘Don’t Stand So So and ‘Don’t Stand Girl’ sing a mashup of ‘Young going to the lyrics to closely very listen to Me’. He asks Rachel to Close means what he is singing. he really because Having My Baby’ to sing ‘(You’re) to summons the courage hear the emotion in his voice parents Quinn. When Quinn’s his family. and see the way he is looking at their daughter, they realise realise they daughter, at their and see the way he is looking ensues and they a song. An argument than just this is more with Finn and live kick Quinn out of the house. She goes to with Will in love fall to she was wrong Will. Rachel realises for sing ‘Sorry Seems to to ready rehearsal the next to and comes Word’. Be the Hardest sing it sing. He is about to as his ballad to You’ Love Honestly the him and summons them both to interrupts when Mercedes room. rehearsal them. ‘Lean on Me’ to • at their home. He family Finn is having dinner with Quinn’s • he is Will announces their rehearsal. Will and Rachel meet for • Rachel at his find home to Will is horrified when he arrives • their mutual love discuss seeks out Rachel and they Pepper • Finn, chooses ‘I that he loves viewers admitting to Kurt, after • sing and they sit down, club ask Finn and Quinn to The glee cheerleading coach and arch-nemesis of the glee club Sue Sylvester ()

in Glee, music is a means of communicating, and the members of New Directions are prone to choosing an emotional ballad over a deep conversation to express their feelings. ISSUE 61 SCREEN EDUCATION

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STORYLINE ue and will Sue and will two very different teachers:

CHARACTER

3 our Heart’ SONG ourself’ irgin’ ay of Light’ ogue’ ‘What It Feels Like for a Girl’ ‘Like a Prayer’ ‘Like a V ‘’ ‘’ ‘Frozen’ ‘V ‘R ‘Express Y Open Y ‘Borderline’/’ Student activity 5 5 Student activity Watch ‘The Power of ’ (Episode Fifteen, Season One) and complete the table below. Record who sang each song and the Record below. the table One) and complete Season of Madonna’ (Episode Fifteen, ‘The Power Watch relevant storyline. storyline. relevant uses a mix of both classic and contemporary music over a wide music over and contemporary uses a mix of both classic Glee been themed around and a number of episodes have of genres, range such as and Madonna. the music of individual artists in Season Show’ Glee such as ‘The Rocky Horror episodes Tribute past, the from popular culture resurrecting for been praised have Two greatly music increase of their seen sales have and many performers and its . The popularity of the show on Glee being featured after MTV in the 1980s. to been likened have impact on popular culture Many A-list celebrities have made guest appearances in Glee appearances made guest have celebrities Many A-list ests Special Gu I think the key to it is they loved the tone of it. They loved that this show this show that loved it. They of tone the loved it is they to I think the key was and young the most part, for about optimism kids, reinterpreting audience. a new for their classics including , , Josh Groban and Olivia Josh Groban Gwyneth Paltrow, Spears, including Britney in be featured their music to allowed have many more Newton-John; has Murphy Ryan producer Executive of charge. free the show allowed labels have record most easily his surprise at how expressed their songs: record to of Glee the cast Madonna and meaning Season One

• Anyone should be allowed to join the glee club (Episode One)

• Sex sells (Episode Two)

• All a baby needs is love (Episode Four)

• Taking performance-enhancing drugs is cheating (Episode Seven)

• Handicapped people are different from everyone else (Episode Nine)

• It’s okay not to win (Episode Twenty-two)

Sue attempts to intimidate will Season Two

• Everyone has a right to believe in God in any form or not at all (Episode Three) Student activity 6 • People deserve to be discriminated against because they are gay (Episode Six) Your own episode of Glee Which of the statements do you agree with? Do you think that Who is your favourite singer or band? Plot an episode of Glee Glee is a reflection of the values that you hold as a teenager in using only their songs. Choose which of the Glee characters will Australia? sing each of your artist’s songs and why, then weave the songs into a storyline involving all of the characters. You should include In most scenarios we learn about characters’ beliefs when their at least four songs by your favourite artist. circumstances, or someone with a conflicting opinion, challenges their viewpoint. Provide an example of a character that has disagreed with one of the moral statements listed above. Often in Glee in the media teen shows it is the older generation who are in conflict with the Many critics have commented on the impact that Glee has on the teen’s morality. Do you think this is the case in real life? generation of teenagers who religiously watch it. The characters in Glee regularly make decisions on moral issues, and their standards for what is right or wrong provide a reflection on the Student activity 8 morality of the current generation. The morality of a generation A Time magazine article recorded that a youth minister de- scribed the series as ‘anti-Christian’. The author added, Choose one of the TV series from the lists below and watch some scenes with your class. Each list is focused on a different decade It is easy to see his point, if you look at the specifics … the students and contains a number of shows that feature teenagers. Compare lie, they cheat, they steal, they lust, and they lace the bake-sale the characters in this program to the characters in Glee. How is cupcakes with pot in order to give the student body a severe case of the morality of the teenage characters different in each series? On the munchies. Nearly all the Ten Commandments get violated at what points would the characters in Glee disagree with the charac- one point or another, while the audience is invited to laugh at ters in your chosen series? Write a scene between a character in people’s pain and folly and humiliation.4 your chosen series and a character in Glee. Choose a scenario that highlights the differences between the characters. ISSUE 61 SCREEN EDUCATION Student activity 7 1960s – The Brady Bunch, Gidget or My Three Sons

The morality of Glee 1970s – Diff’ Strokes, The Facts of Life or Happy Days

Look at the statements of morality below and decide which are 1980s – Degrassi Junior High, Family Ties or Growing Pains consistent with the morality that is portrayed in Glee. The episode numbers are listed if you want to see for yourself. 1990s – Dawson’s Creek, Beverly Hills 90210 or Party of Five.

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9. Puck 10. They dance to ‘Single Ladies’ ‘Single to dance They 10. Puck 9. 8. Adrenaline Vocal 7.

1. Gleeks 2. Stop believing 3. A gold star 4. Sheets ‘n’ Things 5. Accafellas 6. That’s how Sue sees it! it! sees Sue how That’s 6. Accafellas 5. Things ‘n’ Sheets 4. star gold A 3. believing Stop 2. Gleeks 1. Answers to trivia quiz trivia to Answers •

, accessed , accessed , accessed , accessed Time magazine, , accessed 1 December 2010. 1 December , accessed http://www.parentstv.org/ http://www.nydailynews. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ , accessed 1 December 2010. 1 December , accessed http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20326356_20331616_2,00. ’, Nancy Gibbs, ‘The Gospel of Glee 2009, ‹ 7 December › article/0,9171,1942957-1,00.html Ken Tucker, ‘10 Best TV Series of 2009: Ken Tucker’s TV Series of 2009: Ken Tucker’s ‘10 Best Ken Tucker, 2009, , 21 December Weekly Entertainment Picks’, ‹ html› of TV Show ‘Worst Council of America, Television Parents 2009, ‹ 9 November the Week’, › PTC/publications/bw/2009/0911worst.asp 2010. 1 December 40 tunes’, puts edgy spin on Top Kinon, ‘“Glee” Cristina News, 18 May 2009, ‹ The Daily com/entertainment/tv/2009/05/18/2009-05-18_glee_ › puts_edgy_spin_on_top_40_tunes.html 2010. 1 December

4 1 2 3 Troy Bullock is a freelance writer and publisher of digital digital and publisher of writer is a freelance Bullock Troy secondary school students for resources educational Endnotes hris Colfer) and mercedes ? of Glee fans to What is the nickname given theme song, what should the Glee to According not do? you her signature add to What does Rachel always her talent? for as a metaphor Gilsig) (Jessalyn Terri wife does Will’s Where work? band? boy short-lived What is the name of Will’s by-line at the end of her What is Sue Sylvester’s Corner’? TV segment, ‘Sue’s choir show What is the name of the previous champions? regional Rachel to for does Sue organise Which musical in? star baby? of Quinn’s Who is the father put off their oppo- team do the football How win of the season? their first score nents to kurt (C Hale), Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz), rachel, Glee trivia quiz 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Artie (Kevin Mc