Penguin Readers Factsheets level E Teacher’s notes 1 2 The Prince of Egypt 3 Brothers in Egypt 4 5 Novelization by David A Adler 6 SUMMARY PRE- INTERMEDIATE he story of Moses, as told in the Bible, is one of the T most famous stories of all time. This version of his BACKGROUND AND THEMES life is based on the film ‘The Prince of Egypt’, released in 1999. Legends - ancient stories of peoples or gods - tend to have universal themes. The story of Moses is the story of The story takes place in Ancient Egypt, where its rulers, an oppressed people and an inspired leader who takes the Pharaohs, use Hebrew slaves to build their temples. THE PRINCE OF EGYPT: BROTHERS IN EGYPT them from slavery to freedom. Does it sound familiar? We The Prince of Egypt begins with Egyptian soldiers, on the can all think of historical parallels, some of them in world orders of the Pharaoh, killing every Hebrew baby boy they events today. It is not surprising, therefore, that The Prince find. A Hebrew woman hides her baby boy in a basket and of Egypt affects people as powerfully today as it has ever sends the basket down the river. He is found by the Pharaoh’s wife, who adopts the child, and calls him done in the past. ‘Moses’, bringing him up as a beloved brother to her own There are many other reasons for the power of this son, Rameses. legend. Through the ages, myths and fairy tales have told We see Moses and Rameses as happy, irresponsible the story of foundling children, abandoned by their own teenagers, racing chariots and wrecking sacred statues. parents, and adopted by parents (often royalty) who are But by accident, Moses discovers the secret of his birth. ignorant of the child’s true birth. The child then grows up The discovery alters the course of his life. He leaves the and discovers his origins. Sometimes, disaster results and palace, goes into the desert, marries a Hebrew girl and the child destroys his real family. This is the basis of the works as a shepherd. Then one day, years later, God world-famous Greek legend Oedipus. In other happier speaks to him, commanding him to free the Hebrew stories, for example Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale, the people. child is reunited with his or her true parents and there is a happy ending. Moses returns to the palace and reveals his identity to Rameses, now the Pharaoh. He begs him to release the For Jews and for Christians the story of Moses has Hebrews, but Rameses angrily refuses. Then ten terrible enormous meaning, as it depicts God’s omnipotent plagues come to Egypt... power. As a modern version of the ancient Bible story, reading the book is a valuable experience. In addition, The ABOUT THE FILM & AUTHORS Prince of Egypt succeeds in personalizing the story, telling it from the point of view of a young man who turns his The idea for ‘The Prince of Egypt’ arose from a back on his fabulously wealthy background in order to be conversation between three powerful Hollywood true to himself and his God. The first part of the book producers, of whom one was the world-famous director, revolves round the loving relationship between Moses and Stephen Spielberg. The three men were going to start Rameses, making the confrontation between them all the their own film production studio, ‘Dreamworks’, and more difficult. When by accident Moses learns of his true Katzenberg, a former Walt Disney producer, described to origins, we see and understand his difficult but inevitable his two partners the kind of animated films he wanted to decision to leave the palace and go and live with his own make. ‘"I explained to them," he said, "that what I would people. like to do is to make a Spielberg . or a David Lean movie If one thinks of animated films and Disney films, one in animation, and that’s when Stephen said, ‘Well, why thinks of ‘cute’ faces, cute voices and songs - wonderful don’t you do the Ten Commandments’?"’ (‘The Ten Commandments’ was a famous epic-style film made in children’s entertainment. However, the producers of ‘The 1956 by Cecil B. De Mille.) Prince of Egypt’ aimed at something very different. They wanted to make a film that was epic in scope, and one Out of this conversation grew the film ‘The Prince of that would appeal to adults as well as children, using Egypt’. Scriptwriters Kelly Asbury and Lorna Cook were computer generated animation to give a look that no brought in and under the guiding hand of the three cartoon had ever had before. They succeeded, and the producers, an extraordinarily realistic film was produced, film opened to excellent reviews all over the world. unlike any animation film previously seen. A novelization of the film was written by David A Adler, an experienced writer of children’s stories and schoolbooks. © Pearson Education Limited 1999 level Penguin Readers Factsheets 3 Teacher’s notes The well-known film magazine Empire tells us that the What happens/happened in these countries? Write six to visual style of the film ‘The Prince of Egypt’ was inspired twelve sentences about this. by three sources: the biblical etchings by French illustrator Chapters 10-12 Gustave Doré, the Impressionist paintings of Claude Put students in small groups. Teach the word deserve. Monet, and the films of British film director, David Lean. Then give them the following question: The result is unique: a film of great splendour, ending Very bad things happen to Rameses and the Egyptians with the incredibly realistic parting of the Dead Sea before because Rameses will not let the Hebrews go. Do you the Hebrews, which allowed them to escape from the think they deserve these things? Why/Why not? Give reasons for your opinion. pursuing Egyptians. Scenes such as these would be much too expensive in a ‘live’ film. In this film, the famous ACTIVITIES AFTER READING THE BOOK American film critic Roger Ebert writes, ‘imagination frees 1 Organize a debate. Divide the class into two groups. the spirit from the shackles of gravity and reality and One group is the Egyptians. They believe in slavery. allows a story to soar as it will’. Ask them to write down why slavery is a good thing. The other group are Hebrews. Ask them to write down The film ‘The Prince of Egypt’ deserves all the praise it why slavery is a bad thing. Then have the debate. One received. For children and teenagers, the novelization of student from one side speaks. Then a student from the the film is a wonderful way in to a fascinating ancient other side replies etc. story. 2 In groups, students discuss the following, then write 10 -15 lines about it. During this story, Moses grows from a baby to a man. Communicative activities He changes in very many ways. By the end of the story he is a very different person. Describe how he The following teacher-led activities cover the same changes. sections of text as the exercises at the back of the reader, and supplement those exercises. Further supplementary exercises, covering shorter sections of the book, can be found on the photocopiable Student’s Activities pages of Glossary this Factsheet. These are primarily for use with class It will be useful for your students to know the following new words. readers, but with the exception of pair/groupwork They are practised in the Before You Read sections of exercises at questions, can also be used by students working alone in the back of the book. (Definitions are based on those in the Longman a self-access centre. Active Study Dictionary.) Chapters 1-3 ACTIVITIES BEFORE READING THE BOOK basket (n) this is made of thin pieces of wood and people carry things Photocopy the following pictures from the book but blank in it out the captions: p6, 10, 14, 16, 25, 37, 43. Put students chariot (n) a vehicle with two wheels pulled by a horse in groups and give each group a set of photocopies. Ask crocodile (n) an animal with a long body, hard skin and sharp teeth, which lives in rivers in hot countries students to write what they think is happening in each hush (v) to be quiet picture. Then write the captions to the pictures on the lullaby (n) a song that you sing to children to make them sleep board and ask students to match the captions with the pray (v) to speak to God to ask for help or to give thanks pictures. priest (n) someone who works for a church ACTIVITIES AFTER READING A SECTION rock (v) to move gently from side to side rope (n) something very long, strong and thin, which is used for tying Chapters 1-3 things These chapters tell us about Egypt. In pairs, students slave (n) someone who is owned by another person and must work write down seven facts about Egypt. Then ask students for them what other facts they know about Egypt. Ask them to statue (n) this is made of stone and is the shape of a person or animal write down four more facts. still (adj) not moving Chapters 4-6 temple (n) a temple is where people in some religions go to pray (see THE PRINCE OF EGYPT: BROTHERS IN EGYPT Put students into groups of five. Students play the above) following roles: Moses, Rameses, Seti, Tzipporah, Miriam. throne (n) the chair that a king or queen sits on The last four tell Moses how they see and feel about him.