Dealing with Controversial Images in GNs
This is a response to Katie's and Ryan's discussion about how to deal with controversial images in graphic novels. Ryan asked how I deal with sex scenes in Watchmen with my seniors. Here is my response:
Woah, there are sex scenes in Watchmen? I must have missed them.
Okay, seriously. Whenever I start a controversial text, like Watchmen, Hamlet, Canterbury Tales, Beowulf, etc., I am right up front about the violence, sexuality, and so on and tell my students if they or their parents would not want them to experience the objectionable aspects of the text, it is their responsibility to inform me ahead of time so that I can provide alternate reading. (This is school district policy.) Every few years a student will take me up on that offer, but it happens seldom. Truly, the sexuality is not nearly as objectionable to me in Watchmen as it is in Hamlet, when the title character tells his mother, "Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, honeying and making love over the nasty sty." A son telling his mom about the semen stains on her sheets? Ick. If my seniors can handle that, they can handle Rorschach's mother hooking in front of him. My kids understand why it is there and see those scenes as important.
We discuss how much of the costumed adventurer idea is sexual--after all Dan can't get it up without his costume. Homosexuality is all over the novel, both overt and more hidden, and we don't shy away from it. And today, we examined the vagina dentata images throughout the novel--including Adrian Veidt's alien, or as we called it, the vagina monster. None of us, including me, have been able to fully understand the function of the toothed vagina images in Watchmen, though we developed some hypotheses. (Actually, I didn't even noticed the vagina dentata motif. I mentioned that legendary item back when we were doing Chaucer. It was my students who noticed it.)
The point is that sexuality is a part of life and a huge part of literature. With my seniors, I hit it head in September, and by now, they don't bat an eyelash when the subject comes up.
As Martin Luther once said, "Sin boldly." That's how I deal with controversial texts. No permission slips. Just a brief warning an offer for an alternate text.
You're probably right, though, Ryan, this should be its own thread. If one starts, I can copy and past this reply there.
Woah, there are sex scenes in Watchmen? I must have missed them.
Okay, seriously. Whenever I start a controversial text, like Watchmen, Hamlet, Canterbury Tales, Beowulf, etc., I am right up front about the violence, sexuality, and so on and tell my students if they or their parents would not want them to experience the objectionable aspects of the text, it is their responsibility to inform me ahead of time so that I can provide alternate reading. (This is school district policy.) Every few years a student will take me up on that offer, but it happens seldom. Truly, the sexuality is not nearly as objectionable to me in Watchmen as it is in Hamlet, when the title character tells his mother, "Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, honeying and making love over the nasty sty." A son telling his mom about the semen stains on her sheets? Ick. If my seniors can handle that, they can handle Rorschach's mother hooking in front of him. My kids understand why it is there and see those scenes as important.
We discuss how much of the costumed adventurer idea is sexual--after all Dan can't get it up without his costume. Homosexuality is all over the novel, both overt and more hidden, and we don't shy away from it. And today, we examined the vagina dentata images throughout the novel--including Adrian Veidt's alien, or as we called it, the vagina monster. None of us, including me, have been able to fully understand the function of the toothed vagina images in Watchmen, though we developed some hypotheses. (Actually, I didn't even noticed the vagina dentata motif. I mentioned that legendary item back when we were doing Chaucer. It was my students who noticed it.)
The point is that sexuality is a part of life and a huge part of literature. With my seniors, I hit it head in September, and by now, they don't bat an eyelash when the subject comes up.
As Martin Luther once said, "Sin boldly." That's how I deal with controversial texts. No permission slips. Just a brief warning an offer for an alternate text.
You're probably right, though, Ryan, this should be its own thread. If one starts, I can copy and past this reply there.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jeana Rock on
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I could never teach Watchman in my very conservative town, although it is in my library, suggested by a former student. However, I do teach Persepolis and there is a penis peeing on someone. I simply placed a small happy face sticker over it and handed the book out! :)
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Permalink Reply by John C. Weaver on
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I admit that I am blessed in Williamsport. The practice with our department heads, the administration, and the school board (even our worst school boards) is to trust that we teachers know what we are doing and that if we don't meet controversy head on, we aren't doing our jobs. We have always been encouraged to take chances, as long it is for the benefit of our students. Intellectual honesty has always been a hallmark of our district.
That said, I would never do Watchmen with anyone else but seniors, and I wouldn't let my own kids (ages 10 and 12) read the book (since they aren't into comics, that's not really a problem) or see the movie, not until they are older.
John -
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Permalink Reply by Nick Sousanis on
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Thoughtful response, John. Sounds like a great class.
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Permalink Reply by Ryan Goble on
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John, we totally get points for TRYING to move the discussion into a thread - but cool discussion = cool discussion.
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Good point, Ryan. Perhaps my best classroom discussions are also the most messy, loud, and disorganized--in other words, all the things our principals hate. ;-)
John -
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