Neil Labute, the Shape of Things

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Neil Labute, the Shape of Things Bildungsplan Basisfach: The Ambiguity of Belonging Leistungsfach Vorschlag Basisfach Gran Torino Gran Torino ‘weniger komplex unterrichtet’ Derselbe ‘Text’ – andere Herangehensweise Crooked Letter, The Shape of Things Crooked Letter Dasselbe SPT, anderer Text 1 Struktur der Präsentation 1. Stück und Autor Handlungszusammenfassung anhand von Screenshots (Einsatz optional) 2. Begründung des Tausches (The Shape statt CLCL) 3. Passung Basisfach 4. Passung SPT 5. Passung Bildungsplan (Leitperspektiven/Kompetenzen) 6. Vertiefungsmöglichkeiten für das Leistungsfach/ als Differenzierung im Basisfach 7. Teaching goals im Literaturunterricht (short drama) 8. Umsetzung im Unterricht (grobe Planung) 2 1 Stück und Autor Neil LaBute, The Shape of Things How far would you go for love? Dies Frage stellt sich Adam als er die attraktive Kunststudentin Evelyn trifft und sich in sie verliebt. Um ihr zu gefallen verändert er sich nach und nach, äußerlich und innerlich. Als er schließlich auch seine Freunde aufgibt, um Evelyn nicht zu verlieren, stellt sich die Frage, ob der Preis, den er bezahlt hat, zu hoch ist. 3 Neil LaBute . Born 1963 in Detroit, . He examines concepts of Michigan love, loneliness, deception . Degrees in Theater and Film and manipulation, identity . One of the most prolific, (unstable, untrue self) controversial and successful . He criticizes mainstream contemporary dramatists culture . Written and directed more . He makes the audience than 20 plays, successfully think about their lives and adapted some of his plays choices into movies, turned his attention to TV work….. 4 Neil LaBute: The Shape of Things World Premiere: May 2001 The Almeida, London, New York Critics’ Circle Award met with critical acclaim for best first feature and (Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Plays in 2001) Filmmakers’ Trophy at the Continues being staged in theatres all Sundance Festival for ‘In the over the world Company of Men’ Other plays: Bash Filthy Talk for Troubled Times Saguinarians & Sycophants Rounder Ravages Films: The Shape of Things (2003), In the Company of Men Your friends and neighbors Nurse Betty Possession 5 Scenes A Restaurant A Living A Museum A Bedroom Lobby Room A Doctor’s A Coffee A Park A Lawn Lounge Shop An An Exhibition Auditorium Gallery 6 2 Warum The Shape of Things statt CLCL? Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter The Shape of Things 1. Literarisch und sprachlich 1. Literarisch interessant, sprachlich eher einfach zu komplex für das 2. Erfordert kein Hintergrundwissen; Basisfach inhaltlich nah an der Lebenswelt der Jugendlichen; Komplexität des 2. Inhaltlich sehr komplex, Inhaltes variabel (zB. komplexer erfordert viel beim Thema Kunst). Hintergrundwissen 3. Kurz, fast ein ‘short drama’ 4. Behandlung im Dreistünder gut 3. Zu lang möglich 4. Behandlung im Unterricht 5. Plus: SPT und Bildungsplanvorgabe für ein zu aufwändig in drei literarisches Werk (Roman oder Wochenstunden Drama) mit einer Klappe 6. Motivation durch drama activities 7 The Shape of Things 3 5 4 Passung Passung Passung SPT Basisfach Bildungsplan 8 3 The Shape of Things Passung Basisfach Unterschiede in Anforderungsniveaus Thema/Inhalt Textmerkmale Breite und Tiefe der erwarteten Themenbearbeitung Anspruch der Themen Komplexität Anspruch der Operatoren Vertrautheitsgrad mit Abstraktheit Grad der den Themen Textlänge Selbstständigkeit Komplexität der Fokus der Analyse Themen Darstellung nur der Ausprägung des eigenen oder auch anderer erwarteten Positi onen Hintergrundwissens “Basisfach und Leistungsfach unterscheiden sich hinsichtlich des Komplexitäts- und Abstraktionsgrades der Texte und Themen sowie hinsichtlich der Breite, Tiefe und Differenziertheit der Aufgabenbearbeitung.” 9 4 The Shape of Things: Passung SPT (1) Anforderungen an das SPT Zutreffend für Anforderungen The Shape of Things? Primärwerke decken 1. Vor allem internale Faktoren: the process of (re-)defining one’s verschiedene Aspekte des identity (Adam, Jenny?, Evelyn?) SPTs ab, bieten 2. Maslow: love, belonging, sexual intimacy needs plus verschiedene (Anti-) self-esteem, confidence, respect Identifikationsfiguren needs 3. Gesellschaftskritik: need of conformity/mainstream culture/(limits of art) 4. Gender-Thematik: female as manipulating force, gender- reversed Pygmalion theme, biblical references (Adam and Eve) 10 4 The Shape of Things: Passung SPT (2) Thematische Facetten des SPTs in The Shape of Things Adam as being Adam at the beginning Low self-esteem, transformed/sculpted not living up to by Evelyn: Shallow surface appeal, one’s full potential establishing a ego massage instead of sexual/love bond, self-actualization, loss, fall surface appearance, popularity, The ambiguity Struggle for of his new self, acceptance attractiveness, a rise the fall from The and by cultural standards, innocence belonging a fall in morals Ambiguity of Belonging Evelyn as seductress, manipulator, The manipulative nature of Frankenstein, Professor Higgins (modern relationships, Adam Failure of Gender issues/identity, sacrificing friendship relationships: love Pygmalion),redefinition male/female roles, relationship/ of Adam’s masculinity for (sexual) love and reversed gender roles social acceptance friendship and sexuality 11 4 The Shape of Things: Passung SPT (3) Teaching goals Accepting ambiguities as part of our lives and developing strategies how to deal with these ambiguities Adam’s challenges. Adam’s coping strategies. (Why) does Adam not How does Adam develop a belong? sense of belonging? S erkennen Adams S stellen Bezüge zur unbefriedigte deficit eigenen Lebenswelt her und nehmen needs: belonging, kritisch Stellung zum S analysieren Evelyns (sexual) intimacy, Verhalten der und Adams Beitrag zu acceptance Protagonisten vor dem Adams Hintergrund einer S erkennen, dass ‘transformation’ Adam sein Potential mainstream culture, die besessen ist von nicht voll self improvement und ausschöpft the shape of things A rise in cultural standards – a fall in self-actualization? Moral ambiguities 12 4 The Shape of Things: Passung SPT (4) Adam’s (moral) ambiguities Torn between Evelyn and his friends (Evelyn makes him decide) Torn between his old and his new self Torn between his old love, Jenny, (now accessible because of his transformation) and his new love, Evelyn. In the end: experience of the shallowness of his achievements, experience of loss/fall Realization: Belonging is often ambiguous. A new beginning? 13 The Shape of Things: 5 Passung Bildungsplan: Leitperspektiven BVT Schule soll es jungen Menschen ermöglichen, die eigene Identität zu finden… Schüler schärfen ihr Einfluß von … Bewusstsein für ihre eigene Identität. Gesellschaft auf Konsum- verhalten und Ausbildung der eigenen Identität. Leit- …Kontakte und Beziehungen …Lebensführung aufbauen und halten…. (Körperbild, Erscheinung, perspektiven grundlegene Stärkung von Gesundheit…) Lebenskompetenzen VB PG 14 The Shape of Things: 5 Passung Bildungsplan: Kompetenzen Soziokulturelles Interkulturelle kommunikative Orientierungswissen Kompetenz (2) die Frage der nationalen und (1) Zentrale kulturspezifische individuellen Identität (in multikulturellen Phänomene identifizieren, Gesellschaften) analysieren und Leseverstehen interpretieren (5) Mindestens eine Ganzschrift (Roman, Drama)…verstehen. (2) Gemeinsamkeiten und TMK Unterscheide zur eigenen Texte zu gesellschaftl., politischen Kultur beschreiben….. und populärwissenschaftl. analysieren… und Stellung Themen….. analysieren, kommentieren und nehmen. interpretieren 15 The Shape of Things: 5 Passung Bildungsplan: Leseverstehen TK2 TK1 ….Hauptaussagen TK 3 ….Detailinformationen entnehmen…. …Struktur erschließen… entnehmen…. TK 4 …Haltungen und TK5 Beziehungen zwischen… …mindestens eine Charakteren erschließen Ganzschrift….verstehen und interpretieren 16 6 The Shape of Things im Leistungsfach Auch als Differenzierungsmöglichkeit im Basisfach Komplexere Fragestellungen, kompexere Zusatztexte, mehr Selbstständigkeit bei Bearbeitung. 1 The ambiguity of art 2 Reversed gender roles 3 Literary allusions/Symbolism 4 Language and structure. Tragedy?/Short play? 5 Criticism of contemporary culture 17 6.1 The ambiguity of art To what extent is an artist authorized to shape the object of his work? What is acceptable artistic material? At what point does creation become manipulation? What are the limits of art? Does creation/art carry with it any moral responsibility? Art above ethics, denying good and evil Soulless contemporary art as opposed to virtuous literature Quotes about art: Oscar Wilde, Evelyn’s presentation and discussions about art with Adam and Phillip, (komplexere) Zusatztexte 18 The ambiguity of art Evelyn Adam …there is no such concept as religion, or government, For art to exist, there has community or even family. to be a line out there Art must be created. somewhere. Whatever the cost. 19 6.2 Reversed gender roles Adam = the gender-twisted Eliza? Ovid – Shaw – LaBute Evelyn as shaping, carving, redefining Adam’s masculinity E.A.T. – Evelyn ‘eating away’ Adam’s masculinity Adam (re-)defining his sexual/gender identity The female seductress, beautiful, sexually assertive, manipulative, promising thrilling sexual encounters The play as a critique of society’s stereotypic expectations of masculinity and femininity 20 6.3 Literary Allusions/Symbolism Ovid – Shaw – LaBute; Frankenstein: creator and creation Soulless contemporary art as opposed to virtuous literature Adam and Eve(elyn) - the Biblical story of the fall from innocence: Evelyn destroys who Adam is rather than leading him to
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