Using Han Solo vs. Greedo to Teach Author's Purpose (or HtRLLaP Violence Chapter)

Students often have a hard time understanding a text from the author's perspective, a question type that appears on many standardized reading comprehension checks.  The following lesson works well to teach that concept and it also works well to teach Chapter 11 "More Than It's Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence" from How to Read Literature Like a Professor (for you AP Lit teachers out there).

First, start with this clip from Star Wars: Episode 4 - A New Hope.  This is part of the first time we meet the character Han Solo.  The only background needed at this time for the non-Star Wars fans is that they are in space at a bar and this guy we just met gets stopped by a bounty hunter (the green guy).  

This scene serves as our introduction to this character.  What does this tell us about Han Solo?  Various answers will be given, but most will center on how calm and collected he was in the face of death and how clever he was kill Greedo without Greedo knowing he was in danger.'

Things were all fine for a while in Star Wars fandom, but then the director, George Lucas, kept toying with the scene - specifically the shooting scene and more specifically with Greedo's role in the shooting.  Now show them all five shooting scenes and ask they why would George Lucas want to change the scene? 

There will be various answers, but help them focus on that Lucas wanted the character of Han Solo to be more heroic.  Having Han not just shoot first, but to be the only one shooting when Greedo had made it clear that he was going to take Han in alive, shows Han to be more of the Byronic hero type.  If Greedo is shooting, then Han is shooting back in self defense.  Changes the character just a bit (and drives old Star Wars fans insane).

This is a rare opportunity for us to see how an author (director) changes things up.  Everything is done on purpose with a specific rationale.  For a reader to move from what the plot means to how the author reveals it is a major step in advancing reading comprehension.

As far as AP Lit goes, this is an excellent way to show how this violent scene reveals character and how small changes in the scene reverberate out into changes to the characters as well.  

A Little FRQ3 Speed Training for Your AP Lit Students

Here's a lesson you can use with no prep assuming that you are an AP Lit teacher and you have covered the How to Read Literature Like a Professor concepts.

The FRQ3 prompt requires students to think quickly to have a text ready to go.  A little speed work can help them get mentally prepared.  This presentation will have students see a slide that has two HTRLLAP concepts on it and they will endeavor to write down eight titles that could work with either of the two.  Why eight?  Because I'm octopus obsessed and why not?  I've also ramped up the pressure and anxiety by only giving they one minute.

When the slide comes up, there will be a pause of about five seconds and then the countdown video will automatically begin the countdown.  Once time runs out, have student give their best suggestions and let the class vote on who had the best one.

Good luck with your test prep!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1KDZJdEVMdG0Beh_iFKT-xm0rAIY3I2ytBO6sqvK5vyw/edit#slide=id.g2c8fc5c0360_0_590

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The Shape of Stories

 I like to use this to introduce to my AP Lit kids the patterns that stories follow.  I usually pair it with this article "The Seven...Actually Nine Basic Plots According to Christopher Booker" by Glen C. Strathy.  The video is from a talk Kurt Vonnegut Jr. used to give on how stories follow the same patterns.

When I teach AP Lit, we go over the basic tenets from the book How to Read Literature Like a Professor, which is an interesting book for any teacher of English to check out.  It will tell you what you are most likely already doing while reading, but by brining it to the forefront of your mind, it helps you to focus better.  Some AP teachers assign this book to their kids, but I would rather spend our time reading with reading literature and I can lecture in class on what is in the book.  I use this particular video when I start with the Memory, Symbol, Pattern chapter.