In the following written analysis, I am going to deal with the topic „Film in the classroom“. In the main body, I am going to show the II.1“Stundenentwurf”. After that, I will focus on the chosen film scenes and divide them into the sections “Before/ after/during the war”. The next point will deal with connecting the film materials to the novel, II.2 Anknüpfung an Moon Palace. I will divide this point into II.2.1 The draft and II.2.2 Students revolts. After that, I will talk about II.3 Homework. The next point is II.4 Time. After that, I will talk about II.5 Problems with showing films in the classroom. Than I will suggest further film material in III. Other film sequences and films about Vietnam. The last point will be IV: Conclusion.
I think that showing films in the classroom in regrads to Paul Austers’ novel “Moon Palace” is important to visualize or connect the scenes. On the other hand, a lot of problems might appear as I will discuss later on.
Teaching this lesson, I want to achieve that my pupils can imagine the background of the novel, of Vietnam War.
The preceding lesson should have dealt with the historical dates of the Vietnam War. At the end of this lesson, I will also present them a written summary of the most important facts of the Vietnam War. The next lesson will begin with the discussion of the homework. If we have enough time, we could collect arguments against the Vietnam War and present a little demonstration. Or we could also collect arguments to write a letter to Paul Auster explaining him the necessity of doing a film about “Moon Palace”.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Main body
II.1. Geplanter Unterrichtsverlauf
II. 1.1 Film sequences
II.2 Anknüpfung an “Moon palace”
II.2.1 The draft
II.2.1 Student revolts
II.3 Homework
II.4 Time
II.5 Problems with showing films in the classroom concerning the novel the“Moon Palace”
III. Other film sequences and films about the Vietnam War
IV. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The primary objective of this work is to integrate audiovisual material into the teaching of Paul Auster’s novel "Moon Palace" to provide students with a deeper understanding of the Vietnam War's historical and psychological background. The project aims to foster critical thinking by enabling students to connect literary themes with cinematic depictions, thereby encouraging the formation of independent, well-founded opinions.
- Utilization of film sequences in the classroom as a pedagogical tool.
- Connecting themes from "Moon Palace" to the historical context of the Vietnam War.
- Analysis of the psychological impact of war through character study.
- Addressing pedagogical challenges in selecting and presenting film material.
- Encouraging student engagement through interactive lesson components like "Gruppenpuzzle".
Excerpt from the Book
II.2.1 The draft
I want them to find the scene from Marco’s draft:
“I was due to report at Whitehall Street the next morning. Zimmer had already been through his physical in July(…), and we spent the next two or three hours discussing what was in store for me. It was essentially the same conversation that millions of young men in America had during those years.
(…) I had always known that I would never join the army, but once I reached that conclusion, I had not given the subject much thought. (…) I could leave the country or go to prison. Zimmer told a number of stories about people who had gone abroad, to canada, to France, to Sweden, but I wasn’t terribly interested.(…) “You’ll make a hell of a soldier, Fogg. It’s written all over you. “You’re fucking right,” I answered. “Best fucking soldier in the whole goddamned army. Any fool can see that. (…) When he reached the bottom of the page, however, the doctor raised his eyes again and fixed them on me for a good four or five seconds.
“You’re in pretty sorry shape, son,” he finally said.
“I know that,” I said. “I haven’t been very well. But I think I’m getting better now.”(…) “I am glad you flunked, Fogg”, he said. “We were going to have to do a full-scale investigation on you, but now that you are unfit, we won’t have to bother.” (…) I found myself sitting in a room along with the other misfits and rejects. There must have been a dozen of us in there, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more pathetic bunch of people gathered in one place.(…) These were the simpletons, the grotesques, the young men who did not belong anywhere.”
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: Outlines the core teaching strategy of incorporating film sequences into the curriculum to complement the study of "Moon Palace".
II. Main body: Details the planned lesson structure, specific film selections, and strategies for connecting literary passages to historical events.
II.1. Geplanter Unterrichtsverlauf: Provides a step-by-step breakdown of the lesson, including specific methods like "Gruppenpuzzle" and media usage.
II. 1.1 Film sequences: Discusses the selection of scenes from "The Deer Hunter" and "In Country" to explore themes before, during, and after the war.
II.2 Anknüpfung an “Moon palace”: Focuses on guiding students to identify specific passages in the novel that mirror the themes discussed in the films.
II.2.1 The draft: Analyzes the specific scene from the novel regarding the protagonist's draft experience to ground the historical discussion.
II.2.1 Student revolts: Examines Marco's perspective on student unrest in the late 1960s within the context of the Vietnam War.
II.3 Homework: Explains the follow-up tasks involving cartoons and timeline analysis to reinforce learning.
II.4 Time: Allocates the temporal distribution of various lesson activities to ensure comprehensive coverage.
II.5 Problems with showing films in the classroom concerning the novel the“Moon Palace”: Addresses practical obstacles such as film quality, availability, and pedagogical best practices for media integration.
III. Other film sequences and films about the Vietnam War: Offers a broader list of cinematic resources that deal with the psychological consequences of the Vietnam War.
IV. Conclusion: Synthesizes the project's goal to encourage independent student analysis beyond mere rote memorization.
Keywords
Paul Auster, Moon Palace, Vietnam War, Film in the classroom, Pedagogy, The Deer Hunter, In Country, Student revolts, Draft, Historical context, Psychology of war, Classroom methodology, Media literacy, Lesson planning, Literature analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores the pedagogical integration of film sequences into the literature classroom to help students visualize and understand the historical and psychological background of Paul Auster’s novel "Moon Palace".
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The work centers on the Vietnam War, its impact on American society, the psychological effects of military service, and student activism during the 1960s.
What is the main objective of the lesson plan?
The goal is to enable students to form their own independent, well-founded opinions by connecting literary themes with visual film analysis rather than just repeating historical facts.
Which teaching methods are employed?
The author suggests a mix of media presentations, whole-class discussions (UG/FeU), and interactive collaborative group work, specifically the "Gruppenpuzzle" (jigsaw method).
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body details the lesson plan structure, the selection of relevant film sequences, how to bridge these with the text of the novel, and the practical challenges of using films in an educational setting.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is defined by terms such as Paul Auster, Vietnam War, pedagogical methodology, film sequences, psychological aspects of war, and classroom engagement.
Why are "The Deer Hunter" and "In Country" selected as film material?
These films were selected because they provide both graphic depictions of the war and focus on the psychological consequences of the Vietnam War, which are highly relevant to the themes in "Moon Palace".
How does the author propose to handle students' lack of understanding?
The author suggests showing the film sequences at least twice, as students often focus on the action rather than the dialogue during the first viewing.
What is the role of the "Gruppenpuzzle" in this lesson?
It serves as the main part of the lesson, taking 20 minutes to facilitate peer-to-peer interaction and deep processing of the material before relating it back to the novel.
What is the main challenge regarding film in the classroom for this novel?
The primary challenge is that there is no official film adaptation of "Moon Palace", requiring the teacher to creatively curate external film clips that match the book's themes.
- Quote paper
- Sofie Renner (Author), 2003, Paul Austers “Moon Palace” and film material concerning the Vietnam War, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/92121
