3.3. Applying the Five Fingers. RL2.

We're practicing our story analysis by practicing it as much as we can.  Tonight, I want the class to read a third story by Walter Dean Myers, "The Treasure of Lemon Brown," and complete a Five Finger summary for it.

Remember:

• Choose the main character - one main character. This focuses your summary on what is essential and makes your work far easier.
• Think carefully about what the problem with the character is, especially the internal aspect of the problem (meaning, what two ideas/values/desires are fighting inside the main character's head). The external aspect of the problem (the part of the problem that involves other people) often shifts, but the internal one rarely does. If you get the internal problem right, your job is easy.
• Remember to reflect and try to find a universal theme that emerges from the character's resolving of their internal problem.

An example:

     In the Pixar film Cars, Lightning McQueen is an arrogant, talented, friendless Nascar-style race car who desires victory in the Piston Cup and the individual rewards that come with it. He ties during the final race of the season with two other cars, and so must win a tiebreaker race. However, on his way to the tiebreaker, he becomes separated from his escort and accidentally causes a great deal of damage to the main street in a little town called Radiator Springs. He is sentenced to repair the damage done to the road, and, after first trying to talk, cheat, and race his way out of the sentence, does so. While he does, he meets and bonds with the town's residents, finding true friendship with several. When he finally gets to the tiebreaker race, his friends follow to support him, enabling him to win. However, he realizes, as he is on the cusp of winning, that the individual glory means less to him that his support of other people, and gives up the championship to help another racer finish his last race, showing to himself and the viewer that individual success is empty unless one has people to share it with, and caring for these important people is the measure of true success.

Note:

• Kids will think that Lightning McQueen's problem in Cars is that he's stuck in Radiator Springs, or that he hasn't won the race. They're kind of right, but if you miss the internal aspect, that McQueen is looking for meaning in the wrong place, the story is just a "bunch of stuff that happened."
• The summary does not mention any other character specifically. I could have mentioned others - Mater, Sally, Doc Hudson, Strip Weathers, and Chick Hicks all place important plot roles, but notice how all of those characters are in the story to show McQueen and the viewer ways of thinking about life.  The first four understand the value of people and community, and Chick does not.
• The theme at the end is one that every person in the world must make a decision on. As you go through your life, you will have to decide how much you are going to value individual success (money, career, sports) and how much you are going to value relationships (family, friends, your community). You cannot escape thinking about this. This is why a cartoon about a NASCAR with headlights for eyeballs can possibly be one of the most important things for you to understand, ever. I know that's kind of crazy, but it's true.