Breathe in: experience. Breathe out: poetry
Questions: Symbolically, what is the difference between this form of suicide and others?
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Questions: Symbolically, what is the difference between this form of suicide and others? Do you think Samurai performing seppuku would have written a death poem? If so, what would have been the tone and what type of imagery you would likely see used? Dumbledore Death Poem Compose a death poem for a fallen fictional character. Traditional Seppuku. Who’s Who Seppuku has not been limited to samurai. Actors, writers, politicians and even modern western musicians have killed themselves in this style over the years. Write and perform a news editorial on whether or not this is a dishonourable way of suicide outside of Japanese samurai custom. You can do it from the point of view of a journalist, samurai descendent, or friend of a non-samurai who has killed themselves via seppuku. Pop cultural parodies of seppuku Particularly in Western societies, seppuku is often parodied or used to convey a ridiculous or comedic message. It has been referenced or parodied in many films, tv shows, animations and literature from around the world, including: Liar, Liar How I Met Your Mother Saturday Night Live Harold and Maude Star Trek Sailor Moon Questions: Why might audiences find pop cultural uses of seppuku funny or offensive? Do you ever see other forms of suicide parodied or used in a comedic way? Where have you seen/read it? Do you find it funny? Why or why not? What ideas about traditional Japanese culture does it convey? Do you think Westerners get this confused with Modern Japanese culture? If so, how? How does this compare to glamorized depictions of death and suicide we discussed earlier? Does it promote the same message? If not, what does it promote to viewers? Class Debate Divide the class into two teams, one advocating the use of seppuku in popular culture and one against it. Give them time to devise an argument. Everyone in the group should speak at least once. Encourage the use of charts, diagrams, surprise witnesses/experts. As this is a role-playing game, remember to insist on being respectful toward other people, cultures and traditions. Dear Editor Students take on the role of an informed individual related to the context of teen suicide and compose a ‘letter to the editor’ stating their viewpoint on the depiction of seppuku and other forms of suicide in popular media and what steps need to be taken to uphold a more responsible position in our culture, e.g. less glamorization in media, bigger cultural focus on prevention strategies, wider variety of education, the dishonourable image of westernized seppuku, etc. Students can choose to take on the role of one of the following individuals: A parent, relative or friend of a suicide victim or attempted suicide The director of a particular Victorian suicide prevention organisation A musician or member of a band blamed for promoting anti-social behaviour in teenagers Protest Piece Students write a piece either advocating or criticising the use of seppuku in popular culture. You must convey who you are (you can make it up—be anyone!), why you feel this way and why others should feel the same way as well. Use persuasive appeals such as emotion, patriotism, bribery, etc.) Perform your petition to the class. Your piece can be structured in the following way: Slam/rap Rhyming couplets (AA BB CC DD…) Haiku Song
Campaign commercial 5/Part Five: Grief and Mourning Aim In this section students will learn about the process of grieving and how music and poetry have assisted people in coping during these times. They will analyse and compare two different versions of the same eulogy song, as well as create a series of eulogies for different purposes, and research and present a persuasive oral presentation on the banning of pop and footy songs at Catholic funerals. Finally, they will investigate the events, poetry and music of 9/11, analyse three contrasting poems, articulating their own viewpoint on the nature and purpose of poetry in the time of national grief. They will end the unit with something fun: investigating the alleged ‘song ban’ made by Clear Channel Communications in the wake of 9/11. Students will investigate why these songs were banned and if companies were ethically right in making such suggestions. Introduction Grief is a response to loss, specifically death. Mourning is the act of responding to this loss. It is physical, cognitive, behavioural, social and philosophical. The way humans experience grief is varied across cultures, spiritualities, religions, communities, families and generations. Questions: Have you ever lost something or someone who was very important to you? How did you react to this loss? How long does grief last? How do different people experience grief? What aspects affect this state of mourning? Think of celebrities, politicians or other well-known individuals who have passed away. How have large groups or people reacted to their passing? Activities “Candle in the Wind”: a comparative analysis The first version of “Candle in the Wind” was written and performed by Elton John in 1973. It honoured Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier of a drug overdose.
Students read and discuss “Candle in the Wind” and answer the following questions: How does Elton John describe Marilyn Monroe? What is the significance of him referring to her by her birth name ‘Norma Jean’? How does he describe her legacy? Why is this tragic? How does he view her? How does he see himself in her legacy? How is he expressing grief for her death? “It seems as if you led your life like a candle in the wind.” What does this phrase mean? What type of figurative language is it using? Listen to the song In small groups, students discuss the following and share their findings with the class: What is the rhythm of the music and of the lyrics? What emotional effect does this have on you? What would happen to the message if the style of music was changed (e.g. into club music, hip hop, death metal) Why is the image of grief and mourning associated with slow, pretty music? Is other music ever appropriate? Why would different styles be used to convey grief? Which styles (or specific examples) could work best? I Would Have Liked to Know You Students write a letter to a fallen celebrity, athlete, family member or politician whom they never met personally. Draw inspiration from the lyrics of “Candle in the Wind.” This letter should have a rhythm to it which draws a sympathetic emotional response from the reader. Do this by imagining it as a song. What poetic devices does it use? (e.g. rhyme—which part of the lines rhyme?). Describe the person’s life in a way which describes their legacy—maybe their legacy should be different from what it is. Watch the video Students watch Elton John perform “Candle In the Wind” live in the 1970’s. Questions: How is he honouring Marilyn Monroe using costume and makeup? If a video-style film clip of this were made at the time, what would it look like? Video Killed the Movie Star Re-write ‘Candle in the Wind’ for a fallen celebrity, fictional character, athlete, or politician. Keep the rhythm and similar structure, but change everything else including the lyrics. E.g. ‘Sandle in the Chin’ could be about Kung Fu legend Bruce Lee. Then, make a film clip for your song. Candle in the Wind 1997 (See Appendices 5.2) In August 1997 Princess Diana of Wales was killed in a car accident. Renowned for her humanitarian efforts including work with AIDS sufferers, drug addicts, homeless and elderly, her legacy was honoured at her funeral by fellow Britton Elton John, who sang to 2.5 billion people, or roughly half the world’s population at the time. He sang a re-working of his 1971 song “Candle in the Wind”. Lyric Analysis and Comparison 1997 version Questions: What imagery does he use? What figurative language does he use? How does he describe her legacy? How does this song appeal to the audience emotionally? How does it appeal to them patriotically? Comparison Questions: Has the meaning of the metaphor ‘candle in the wind’ changed? What are the major differences between the two versions? At Your Funeral A funeral is a ceremony celebrating, sanctifying or remembering the life of a person who has died. Different cultures and religions have their own funeral traditions. For the purposes of this unit, we will focus on the literary or poetic aspects of traditional, non-denominational Western funerals. Eulogies A eulogy is a speech made at funerals to honour and praise a deceased individual and his or her virtues. It is traditionally written and presented by a close relative or friend. It sometimes includes a poem or lyrics to a song which were either highly regarded by the deceased or convey a meaning appropriate in honouring the person’s life. 
Questions: What are virtues? What kind of poetry would be appropriate in a eulogy? Can and should a funeral eulogy be funny? Explain your reasoning. Excerpt Using the internet, find a poem or lyrics that you would like to be said at your own funeral. Read this excerpt out loud to the class and explain your choice. The Royal Family at Princess Diana’s funeral, 1997. Eulogy for a Notable Figure Students research, write and perform a eulogy for a famous person in history. They should include at least three important aspects of this person’s life, why they are notable and how their legacy will live on. They should also find a quote or short excerpt of lyrics or poetry appropriate for this eulogy and weave it into their writing. They must be able to justify why they chose this excerpt. Costume, makeup, music and lighting are optional. Word Funeral As a class, students compose a list of overused, derogatory or silly words which must be put to rest. Then, each student chooses a word and writes a short eulogy for that word, including its origin, part of speech, purpose in language and why it needed to die. Students perform these eulogies with a print-out of the word next to them. After all students have given their word eulogies, they throw the words into the bin. Songs Many people, before they die, choose specific songs they’d like to be played at their funeral. Playlist (lists extracted from http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/weird/top-10-funeral-songs-provided-by-centennial-park/story-e6frev20-1111116794061) In 2008, Centennial Park, a leading provider of memorial services in Australia released their Top Ten most frequently-used songs at funerals: My Way, Frank Sinatra Wonderful World, Louis Armstrong Time To Say Goodbye, Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman Unforgettable, Nat King Cole The Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler Amazing Grace, various artists We'll Meet Again, Vera Lynn Over the Rainbow, Judy Garland Abide With Me, Harry Secombe Danny Boy, various artists They also released a list of what they consider the ‘most unusual’ songs used in their funeral services: The Show Must Go On, Queen Stairway to Heaven, Led Zeppelin Highway to Hell, AC/DC Another One Bites the Dust, Queen I'll Sleep When I'm Dead, Bon Jovi Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Monty Python Ding Dong the Witch is Dead, The Wizard of Oz Hit the Road Jack, Willie Nelson I'm Too Sexy, Right Said Fred Power, Crows and AFL team songs Write a list of ten songs that you would like to play at your funeral. For each song, justify why you are including it on your list. Catholic Church Bans Pop Songs (See Appendices 5.3) Students read the article Australia’s Catholic Church bans pop songs at funerals (Reuters, 10-09-2010) and discuss the pros and cons of banning pop music and footy club songs at funerals. They choose a side: are you for the ban or against the ban? They then construct a persuasive power point presentation to present to the opposition. For example, if a student is for the ban, the rest of the class, as the audience, will play the part of musicians, music lovers and free speech advocates. If a student is against the ban, the class will play the part of Catholic Church officials. September 11th, 2001 The tragic terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center—which took the lives of over 3,000 Americans—is a day burnt into the memories of millions of people around the world. It was shocking, confusing and heartbreaking, and everyone reacted differently to it. Some, fuelled by angry patriotism, blamed the ‘terrorists’ and supported president George W. Bush when he announced the U.S. would ‘retaliate’ and ‘fight terrorism’ by invading Iraq and capturing Al-Qaeda. (To date, over 113,000 civilians in Iraq have died as a result of the war. Go to http://www.iraqbodycount.org for more information). Al-Qaeda became a buzzword umbrella term for all terrorist activities, and sparked a racist and misinformed fear of the ‘Islamification of America’ in many. 
Others turned to poetry and music as a way of healing and understanding the new direction America was facing within and beyond its borders. The music ranged from patriotic rage (e.g. country singer Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (We’ll Put A Boot In Your Ass)” to cross-cultural humanistic pride and slamming Bush’s presidency (Beastie Boys’ To the 5 Burroughs and Green Day’s American Idiot). Poetry had a similar differences in approach, with three main ideologies at work: retaliation and American pride, mourning the victims and sympathising with the objectified Muslims in the U.S., and questioning the US Government. Poetry Commotion (See Appendices 5.4) Students read the article Beyond Grief and Grievance: The poetry of 9/11 and its aftermath by Philip Metres and the accompanying poems. Questions: How does he explain why and how poetry became ‘useful’ in the wake of 9/11? How does he explain why many people were bothered by the act of poetry? 3 Different 9/11 Poems (See Appendices 5.5) Divide the class into 4 groups. One group will analyse “Albanza: In Praise of the Local 100,” one will analyse “Photograph from September 11,” and two will analyse “Somebody Blew Up America.” Questions: Poetic devices, rhythm, language What appeals does it use? How are they used? What is the meaning of this poem? What is its purpose? Who is the subject? If this were a song, what style would it be in? Why? ‘Somebody Blew Up America’ This poem was aggressively criticised when it was written, called ‘racist’ and ‘anti-Semitic’. But the author and many contemporaries have defended it, stating those who see it as racist are missing the point, for it is really a mirror being held up to powerful Western societies. What is your response to this poem? Who is the ‘who’ he constantly addresses? Slam It: “Somebody Blew Up America” Students watch the slam version of Amiri Baraka reading his poem. How does poetry change when it is read out loud? Using the slam video as inspiration, create a live performance of one of the provided 9/11 poems, or find a different one of your choice on the internet. Try memorizing it. Create an atmosphere and visual accompaniment—power point slides, candles, a poster, music, dance, body movement. To Defend It or Not to Defend It 
Is poetry appropriate to the nation in a time of grieving? Create an advertisement either advocating poetry or criticising its use after catastrophic events. Include references to political music, as well. You can also do this in the form of round-table discussion or a talk show. Directory: file -> view view -> Western Europe after wwii view -> Author study: paul fleischman view -> Qpa1 7ela study Guide view -> Arctic Oil/Gas Neg view -> November 1970 Approximately 150,000-500,000 deaths Bhola Cyclone Bangladesh view -> Grade Level: 6 Unit of Study: Caribbean glce view -> Citation: Duffield, Katy view -> Table of Contents Lesson # view -> Chinese Wind Energy Disad Download 2.37 Mb. Share with your friends:
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