Dreams and Aspirations in Literature and Your Lives

[“Death of a Salesman”]

 

Language Arts Challenge

 

Submission Due Date: April 5, 2024

Designed for Middle and High School Students

Adapted by work from Minni Park and Jamal Chapman, students at Colby College, 2023

Table of Contents •      The Challenge •      Assumptions and Logistics •      Process •      Meridian Support Resources •      Presentation of Learning •      Evaluation Rubric •      Essential Questions •      Student Proficiencies ·      Curricular Correlations (R1, R3, W3, W9, SL1, SL5)

Range of Activities  •       Analysis of Willy’s character and aspirations in “Death of a Salesman” (or other relevant literary work) •      Interviews with other students •      Exploration and analysis of one’s possible future selves •      Comparing Willy’s dreams with contemporary dreams •      Digital Literacy Skills – Video Pre-production, Production and Post-Production •      Human Skills – Creativity, Collaboration, Critical Thinking, Presentational Skills

The Challenge

In “Death of a Salesman,” Arthur Miller explores the concept of the American Dream. The characters in his play all seek to define and achieve “their” American Dream despite the many obstacles they face in life. More specifically, these are characters, obstacles, and dreams in the 1940’s and 50’s; these three elements are all imbued and shaped by the culture of that time period. How, then, have these dreams changed today?

Brett Pierce, in his book Expanding Literacy, discusses the many ways in which our contemporary world has changed technologically and how these changes have, in-turn, impacted the social culture in which new generations are growing up. As a result of these changes, current students are living in a time of uncertainty in regard to their professional pathways. Pierce discusses the consequences of this uncertainty on students:

That uncertainty about their future, that unpredictability about their personal professional trajectories, has ramifications. Regarding adolescent identity, the American Psychological Association (APA) notes the following: ‘identity refers to more than just how adolescents see themselves right now; it also includes what has been termed the ‘possible self’– what individuals might become and who they would like to become.’ (Pierce, 14)

The goal of this challenge, then, is to challenge you to depict you and your peers’ ‘possible selves’ in a digital story and contrast your dreams with those of Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman. You do not have to use Death of a Salesman as your referent. Many other novels and short stories have central characters that are defined by their dreams and aspirations. You may choose other literary works as your comparative option. For the remainder of this Challenge description, we reference Death of a Salesman, but know that you may replace this play with a relevant literary work of your own choosing.

Specifically, you and your group will:

• Analyze and debate the forces that drive Willy Loman and create a short video that illustrates Willy’s dream from “Death of a Salesman.” This clip should include 3-4 quotations/snippets of dialogue from and/or about Willy in the play that illuminates his American Dream. These quotations can be written into the video, spoken, or however else you can imagine– be creative, but attempt to clearly depict Willy’s dream.
• Brainstorm amongst your team your own future possible selves.
• Interview three people in your age range about their dreams– how they see their possible selves.
• Compare and contrast the one with the other and create a digital story out of the differences and similarities that have emerged.

Deliverables include:

• Your Dreams and Aspirations Digital Story (this is the only Meridian Stories deliverable)
• Outline of Quotes and Questions (at teacher’s discretion)
• First Draft Script (at teacher’s discretion)

Assumptions and Logistics

• Time Frame – We recommend that this digital storytelling project takes place inside of a three to five-week time frame.

• Length – All Meridian Stories submissions should be under 4 minutes in length, unless otherwise specified.
• Slate – All digital storytelling projects must begin with a slate that provides: 
  • the title of the piece;
  • the name of the school submitting;      
  • the wording ‘Permission Granted’ which gives Meridian Stories the right to a) publicly display the submission in question on, as linked from, related to or in support of Meridian Stories digital media; and b) use or reference it for educational purposes only, in any and all media; and
  • We strongly recommend that students do not put their last names on the piece either at the start or finish, during the credits.

• Submissions – Keep in mind that each school can only submit three submissions per Competition (so while the entire class can participate in any given Challenge, only three can be submitted to Meridian Stories for Mentor review and scoring).
• Teacher Reviews – All reviews by the teacher are at the discretion of the teacher and all suggested paper deliverables are due only to the teacher. The only deliverable to Meridian Stories is the digital storytelling project.
• Teacher’s Role and Technology Integrator – While it is helpful to have a Technology Integrator involved, they are not usually necessary: the students already know how to produce the digital storytelling project. And if they don’t, part of their challenge is to figure it out. They will! The teacher’s primary function in these Challenges is to guide the students as they engage with the content.  You don’t need to know editing, sound design, shooting or storyboarding: you just need to know your content area, while assisting them with organization and time management issues. See the Teachers Role section of the website for further ideas about classroom guidance.
• Digital Rules/Literacy – We strongly recommend that all students follow the rules of Digital Citizenry in their proper usage and/or citation of images, music and text taken from other sources. This recommendation includes producing a citations page at the end of your entry, if applicable. See the Digital Rules area in the Meridian Stories Digital Resource Center section of the site for guidance.
• Location – Try not to shoot in a classroom at your school. The classroom, no matter how you dress it up, looks like a classroom and can negatively impact the digital story you are trying to tell.
• Collaboration – We strongly recommend that students work in teams of 3-4: part of the educational value is around building collaborative skill sets. But students may work individually.

 

 

 

 

The Process

Below is a suggested breakdown for the students’ work.

During Phase I, student teams will:

• Begin discussing Willy Loman, his dreams, and his obstacles in “Death of a Salesman.” A group member will compile a list of notes during the discussion so that the group can access this information throughout the project.
  • Think about his character, what he wants to be or achieve, and why this is his dream. What types of obstacles or issues does he face while working towards his dreams?
  • Identify 3-4 quotations or snippets of dialogue that shed light on or illustrate Willy’s dreams, ambitions, and flaws.
• For the ‘Now’ portion of this story, you have a choice: either brainstorm amongst yourselves your own dreams and visions of ‘possible selves.’ Or plan on interviewing three or four of your peers. This story is either about a contrast between then and a) your stories now, or b) stories you have gathered through interviews, …now.
• It may be helpful to apply some structure to this process by looking to identify three different categories of possible self that might include topics like profession (what do you want to be?), place (where do you want to be?), passion (what must be a part of it?), fun, family and money (are these defining elements?), and hope (who do you want to be?).
  • If this is being driven by an internal team brainstorm, you may want to record all or parts of this discussion so that you have this available for your final output. Either way, take notes.
• If this is being driven by your peers, draft questions that you would like to ask your peers in the interviews about their dreams and what they imagine about their ‘possible selves.’
  • Teacher’s Option: Outline of Quotes and Questions – Teachers may require that teams hand in an outline of the key quotations from Death of a Salesman and proposed interview questions.
• Select your peers that you want to interview, set it all up and go interview.
  • Take notes about the responses you receive or record responses (with consent from the interviewees), as you may want to use this footage or voice work in your final digital story.
• By the end of Phase I, you should have two sets of ‘aspirations’ or dreams: one from Death of a Salesman, one from your team or your interviews.

During Phase II, student teams will: 

• Begin scripting the production of Willy’s dreams.
  • First, talk with your group and create an outline of the video.  There are going to be three parts: Death of a Salesman, a bridge from then to Now, and then Now. What does this whole piece look like?
• One of the beauties and challenge of this project is the free-form nature of the digital story. There are no narrative structures to which you need to adhere. It’s open-ended. As you are considering how to create this story, be sure to remember that this is about dreams – real dreams. What does that look and sound like?
  • Beginning with Death of a Salesman, using the 3-4 quotes and themes that your team has identified, consider how your group will bring them to life visually; how are you going to utilize these lines to dramatize and act out Willy’s character? One way is to have someone in your group perform a newly written monologue (created using the 3-4 quotes/snippets of dialogue). Or students can create a montage of Willy from different scenes of the play.  Or, his words could be delivered as a voiceover, accompanying a montage of shots that exemplify his story.
    • If you are resurrecting Willy, what will his costume look like? Do you plan on using make-up to further emphasize Willy’s look? Where will you get all of these materials? More specifically with the audio, make sure the actor speaks clearly and adds intonations to his speech to dramatize/emphasize Willy’s emotions regarding what is being said.
    • Where will this be shot? Is there a location in your community that might hint at that time period? Along with setting, consider lighting, camera angles, and audio.
    • Create a first draft script of just this portion of your digital story.
  • Teacher’s Option: First Draft Script – Teachers may require that teams hand in their first draft of this portion of their work, for feedback and comments.
• Part II: the bridge. What does this section look like? Part of the drama and impact of the story being told here is in the contrast between dreams of the late 1940’s and now. It’s not just a video about dreams then and now. It’s also about bringing to life the differences between then and now: illuminating how much has changed about which we, the audience, may not be aware. The first thing that needs to be explored is this: what are these differences? What has surprised your team? And how do you want to present that in your story.
• Part III: the Now. You have a lot of content, from either yourselves or your peers. Be sure to discuss this question: is there commonality amongst the stories? Does that commonality have to do with ambition? Anxiety? Confidence or fear? Did you find that people were generally excited about their ‘possible selves’ …or uncertain?
  • With some of those questions answered; with footage ‘in the can’ from the interviews; and with a strong sense of what this whole digital story is going to sound and look like from previous steps, create a shot list, from start to finish.
    • Creating a shot list reveals the general order of the shots that you will use to tell the story. There is another kind of shot list: the order in which you will shoot, which is framed by convenience and location. We recommend shooting based on efficiency, not based on the order in which each shot will be placed.

During Phase III, student teams will: 

• Shoot the remainder of the digital story.
• Brainstorm about the overall sound of your digital story. Dreams can be aspirational. Dreams can be tragic. Dreams can be ethereal. These words – aspirational, tragic, and ethereal – all conjure different sounds. Pay attention to how you may want to use music and sound effects to underscore your story.
• Edit the video, adding stills, text, graphics, music, and sounds as desired.

Meridian Support Resources

Meridian Stories provides two forms of support for the student teams: 1.    Meridian Innovators and Artists – This is a series of three to four minute-videos featuring artists and innovative professionals who offer important advice, specifically for Meridian Stories, in the areas of creativity and production. 2.    Media Resource Collection – These are short documents that offer student teams key tips in the areas of creativity, production, game design and digital citizenry.   Recommended review, as a team, for this Competition include:

Meridian Innovators and Artists	Media Resource Collection
Margaret Heffernan on Non-Fiction    Sarah Childress on Documentary Films   Tom Pierce on Interviewing Techniques   Tom Pierce on Editing	Producing: Time Management   Creating Storyboards/Framing a Shot   Video Editing Basics   Conducting an Interview

 

Presentation of Learning

Meridian Stories is a proud partner of the non-profit Share Your Learning, which is spearheading the movement of over five million students to publicly share their work as a meaningful part of their educational experience.

The workforce considers Presentational Skills to be a key asset and we encourage you to allow students to practice this skill set as often as possible. These digital storytelling projects provide a great opportunity for kids to practice their public presentational skills. This can be achieved in a remote learning environment by inviting parents to a Zoom/Google/Skype screening of the student’s digital stories.

According to Share Your Learning, Presentations of Learning (POL) promote…

• Student Ownership, Responsibility & Engagement. POLs can serve as a powerful rite of passage at the end of [a project]. By reflecting on their growth over time in relation to academic and character goals, grounded in evidence from their work, students are encouraged to take ownership of their learning. Just as an artist wants their portfolio to represent their best work, POLs encourage students to care deeply about the work they will share.
• Community Pride & Involvement. When peers, teachers and community members come together to engage with student work and provide authentic feedback, they become invested in students’ growth and serve as active contributors to the school community.
• Equity. POLs ensure that all students are seen and provide insight into what learning experiences students find most meaningful and relevant to their lives.

Meridian Stories’ own research indicates this to be a really useful exercise for one additional reason:  Students actually learn from their peers’ presentations – it is useful to hear a perspective that is not just the teacher’s.

It is with this in mind that we you encourage you to plan an event – it could be just an end-of-the-week class or an event where parents, teachers and student peers are invited – to allow the students to showcase their Meridian Stories’ digital storytelling projects. For more free resources that will support this planning, visit Share Your Learning

 

Evaluation Rubric– Dreams and Aspirations in Literature and Your Lives

Content Command
Criteria	1-10
Willy’s Quotations	There are 3 to 4 quotes from Willy effectively weaved in and incorporated into the video. Where and how the quotations appear in the video support the depiction of Willy and his dreams.
Research	The information presented in the video regarding you or your peer’s current dreams/aspirations – ‘possible selves’ – is thorough, thoughtful, and thought-provoking.
The Contrast	The ideas about dreams and society that your comparative contrast unearths are illuminating and grounded.
Storytelling Command
Criteria	1-10
Willy’s Character, Dreams, & Obstacles	Willy’s character, dreams, and obstacles are depicted in a compelling and engaging manner.
Student’s Dreams	Student dreams are explained/illustrated in a clear, engaging way. It is clear that these dreams/aspirations are authentic.
Transition (Bridge)	The bridge effectively juxtaposes Willy and today’s student dreams in a way that enlightens and sharpens the focus of both.
Story Approach	Your visual and audio approach to creating a coherent story out of these disparate elements – all connected by a theme – is exemplary.
Media Command
Criteria	1-10
Editing	The stories are edited cleanly and effectively, evoking the necessary emotions and connection to your story.
Sound and Music	The audio – sound effects, music, voice, ambient sound – serves the stories being told in an emotionally charged and inventive way.
Dream Visuals	The visuals of the video – accompanying the various dream aspects of this digital story – are creative and appropriately illustrative of the ideas being presented.
Human Skills Command (for teachers only)
Criteria	1-10
Collaborative Thinking	The group demonstrated flexibility in making compromises and valued the contributions of each group member
Creativity and Innovation	The group brainstormed many inventive ideas and was able to evaluate, refine and implement them effectively
Initiative and Self-Direction	The group set attainable goals, worked independently, and managed their time effectively, demonstrating a disciplined commitment to the project

Essential Questions

1. How has your analysis about Willy and his dreams changed the way you view and/or understand him in the play?
2. How has this challenge helped you see and understand the connections and similarities/differences between literature from the past and our contemporary society/culture?
3. How does one respectfully, safely, and thoughtfully interview a peer?
4. How does one create a visually and aurally cohesive narrative out of independent elements that are only connected thematically?
5. How has immersion in the creation of original content and the production of digital media – exercising one’s creativity, critical thinking and digital literacy skills – deepened the overall educational experience?
6. How has working on a team – practicing one’s collaborative skills – changed the learning experience?

 

Student Proficiencies

1. The student will have a deeper understanding of Willy’s character, aspirations, and struggles in the play, “Death of a Salesman.”
2. The student will have a broader view of the significance of literature as a pathway to a deeper understanding of past and present humanity.
3. The student will practice the iterative process of creating interview questions and conducting an interview, with all the permissions, respect and thoughtfulness needed to elicit honest and impactful answers.
4. The student will understand how to create story out of elements that do not obviously or organically lend themselves to a traditional narrative format.
5. The student will utilize key Human Skills, with a focus on creativity, critical thinking, and digital literacy, in their process of translating literary content into an original story.
6. The student will have an increased awareness of the challenges and rewards of team collaboration. Collaboration – the ability to work with others – is considered one of the most important 21st century skills to develop in students as they prepare for life after secondary school.

Curricular Correlations

The Dreams and Aspirations in Literature and Your Lives Challenge addresses a range of curricular objectives from the Common Core: Language Arts Standards. Below please find the standards that are addressed, either wholly or in part.

Common Core Curricular Standards – Language Arts

Standard	8th	9th/10th	11th/12th
R1   Reading (Literature)   Key Ideas and Details	Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.	Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.	Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
R3   Reading (Literature)   Key Ideas and Details	Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.	Analyze how complex characters (e.g., those with multiple or conflicting motivations) develop over the course of a text, interact with other characters, and advance the plot or develop the theme.	Analyze the impact of the author’s choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama (e.g., where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
W3   Writing   Text Types and Purposes	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, relevant descriptive details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.	Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.
W9    Writing    Research to Build and Present Knowledge	Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.	Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.	Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
SL1   Speaking and Listening   Comprehension and Collaboration	Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.	Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
SL5   Speaking and Listening   Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas	Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims and evidence, and add interest.	Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.	Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to add interest.