Spider-Man+2

__**Spider-Man 2**__

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, and Alfred Molina Directed by: Sam Raimi Story by: Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, and Michael Chabon

__**Synopsis and Introduction:**__

Spider-Man 2 is a superhero film released in 2004 and is directed by Sam Raimi. It is the second film in the Spider-Man film franchise based on the fictional __ __ omic book character of the same name. Set two years after the original, the film focuses on Peter Parker, a young man and reluctant superhero who is struggling to manage both his personal life and his duties as his alter-ego, Spider-Man. The main villain in this film is Dr. Otto Octavius, a scientist who turns insane following a failed experiment and the death of his wife. Using his mechanical tentacles, Octavius, now dubbed "Doctor Octopus", threatens to endanger the lives of the people of New York City. The protagonist, Peter Parker struggles to balance his crime-fighting duties with the demands of his normal life. He loses a job, faces financial difficulties, and struggles to maintain his physics studies at Columbia University. Parker is also estranged from both love interest Mary Jane Watson, now a successful Broadway actress, and his best friend, Harry Osborn, who accuses Spider-Man of murdering his father Norman Osborn, who was secretly the super-villain, the Green Goblin from the first film. Peter Parker's Aunt May is threatened with foreclosure, and Daily Bugle editor and Parker's boss, J. Jonah Jameson continues to denounce Spider-Man as a menace to New York City.

__**Topic Issues:**__ I believe that this film is a good alternative media source for teaching Grades 9 or 10 students about the basic pattern ideas behind the mono-myth **,** also referred to as  **the Hero's Journey,** a term coined by Joseph Campbell to describe the cyclical journey undertaken by the standard mythological hero in many fictional adventure stories. The core concept of the mono-myth is: "A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow men." The mono-myth pattern was followed in such films as **“Star Wars”,** Disney's **“The Lion King”, a** nd the novel, **“Finnegan's Wake”** by James Joyce. Joseph Campbell held that numerous myths from different times and regions share fundamental structures and stages, which he summarized in the introduction to **“The Hero with a Thousand Faces”:** “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.” Spider-Man's alter-ego, Peter Parker, is an orphan being raised by his Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and as a teen, must deal with the normal struggles of adolescence in addition to those of a costumed crime-fighter. After the tragic death of his Uncle Ben, Peter struggles to help his Aunt May pay rent since she is his only family now. Readers of the comic book or fans of the film will recognize themselves in the character, Peter Parker. School, popularity, love, and adjusting to the world and trying to fit in despite knowing that you are different are the major themes within the comic book and film that would appeal to most teens because they would see themselves within the title character. __**Issues and Challenges**__ One of the great reasons for teaching the mono-myth unit plan featuring the film Spider-Man 2, in my opinion, is that it is an uncomplicated story of good versus evil and it is an action film which students of this age group will gravitate towards. That being said, despite being an “uncomplicated” or “simple” story, this does not imply an idea of being plain or dim-witted for one's students. On the contrary, superhero action films have been wildly popular in the last decade and this is a very good film to introduce this classic tale found in many literary forms in a new and engaging way to students. Because the character Peter Parker is himself an outsider and unpopular, I think that it is wise to use this theme as a teachable moment with the class to discuss people being excluded from social circles or being perceived as different and left out because of it. __**Assignment**__ The film, Spider-Man 2, would be shown to the class following a lesson in the previous class on Joseph Campbell's Cycle of the Hero's Journey. It would be demonstrated to the class the essential points of the Cycle of the Hero's Journey and how the mono-myth is found in typical adventure stories. Since the film's run time is 128 minutes, it would have to be viewed over two consecutive classes. The assignment would consist of two parts: An assignment during the viewing of the film to be completed and a post-viewing writing assignment to be completed after the viewing. Prior to the start of the film, the students would be issued a work sheet with a diagram of the Cycle of the Hero's Journey and it would be stated that the assignment is to find and describe the essential points of the Cycle of the Hero's Journey found throughout the film. A few minutes of time will be allotted at the end of each class for students to discuss their findings. These findings will be taken up in the next class. The second part would consist of a post-viewing response with these possible questions: Are you satisfied with the way the story ended? Why or why not? What do you think that the filmmakers are trying to say about life in this film? Is it more than just a superhero film? What do you think happens to the characters in the future? Would you recommend this film to a friend? Why or why not? It is a chance for the students to reflect on what they have just seen and how it affects them. The response should be one page, double spaced (typed) or two pages double spaced (hand written).
 * **Mono-myth**
 * **Teenage Issues**

This assignment would cover the expectations under the oral communication and writing strands for the grade 9 and 10 English curriculum. Students are required to use their knowledge of “listening to understand” and “reflecting on skills and strategies” as well students “use knowledge of form and style in writing” (The Ontario Curriculum Grades 9 and 10: English 56, 58, 61, 63).Spider-Man 2 (film)