Turning Down Time Into Brain Gain
I suggest reading the classics (you knew I would, right?). You and your teen can stick your toes in the water quite easily. You can even take on a selection together. It’s always more fun to trade ideas about your reading.
Begin by consulting online reading lists for the SAT/ACT (here’s two: http://www.lakeholcombe.k12.wi.us/uploads/1/0/4/0/10408064/college_boustnd_recommended_reading.pdf, https://www.powerscore.com/sat/help/reading_list.cfm). Note: many lists say that they are “College Board recommended,” but I see no direct evidence of that.
Use the list as a menu and choose a play. I’m going with Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman because I know I can borrow it through my elibrary. And BONUS! I can also watch the movie version for free on Amazon Prime.
Read for 10-15 minutes about the American dream (click here for the Wikipedia entry, which is perfectly adequate).
And then jump in! Divide your daily reading into acts. You can even proceed by scenes if acts feel too overwhelming. As you read, take breaks and compare to the movie version. Ask yourself:
- What do I understand better from watching the movie?
- What does the movie change from the written play? Why might those changes be made? What effects do they have?
- What are the main conflicts I see developing?
If you start with Arthur Miller, you can move on to his contemporaries, Tennessee Williams and Eugene O’Neill, both of whom take on similar themes in their plays. You’ll be taking a huge stride on the trail through American plays, which are often short and use accessible vocabulary while still stretching literary analysis skills. (Parents, these playwrights take on serious adult themes of violence, sexuality, etc., so you may want to research them.)
If you or your high schooler want to discuss your reading, start a reading group, with each other or friends. You can also comment below. If popular demand indicates, I’ll create a private discussion board for Death of a Salesman and/or other plays.
Happy stay-at-home time!
And come back tomorrow for more ideas for self-study . . .
