Rethinking Bullying X

Mythic Connections

The “Cyclops’ Cave” is an excellent story to use for connecting with students regarding the issue of bullying and harassment. The chapter from The Hobbit that tells the tale of Lake Town and the dragon would also be another good reading for this purpose. There are also some great movies that address this topic in a way that is engaging and relevant. An older one that portrays bullying in a manner that is still pertinent today is My Bodyguard. Other movies (theatrical release as well as TV) include Ever After, The Odyssey, Big Bully, The Karate Kid, Back to the Future, Napoleon Dynamite, and The Hobbit.

Discussion Questions
• Which character in this story do you identify with most?
• What intimidating situations did the character(s) encounter?
• Have you ever felt intimidated or bullied by someone else like the character(s) in this story did? Do you feel that way now?
• How did you handle this situation? Did you tell an adult? Friends?
• How has being intimidated or bullied changed you or changed the way you feel about yourself?
• What can you do to take control of the situation? Is there someone you can turn to for help or advice?

Rethinking the Lotus VI

Innumerable students today are numbing the hurts and pains of their past in a variety of different ways. If you have the opportunity to engage young people on this topic, you can make use of stories and movies. Examples would include the story of the Lotus-Eaters from The Odyssey, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (either the book or the movie), The Family Man, Leaving Las Vegas, When a Man Loves a Woman, or The Matrix.

Discussion Questions:

• Which character in the story was turning to something to numb the pain in his or her life?

• What did that character turn to? Did it solve anything, or did it cause more problems?

• What pain do you think the character was trying to numb or forget?

• Do you identify with this character in any way?

• Have you ever tried to numb or forget pain in your life? What did you turn to? Video games?TV? Drugs or alcohol? Busyness? Did it solve anything or cause more problems?

• What pain were you trying to cover up, forget about, or numb by turning to this diversion?