NatalieWeston

May1,2016
Amendingunderstandingsofempathy
Acknowledginganalysisasavalidmethodofdemonstratingempathy

Justasstudentsarenotahomogeneousgroup,eachstudentwillnotgarnerlifelong
benefitfrommasteryofthesemicolon.Somemaycontinuetopursuehighereducation,inwhich
theywillwritenumerousessaysrequiringconsistenttenseusage.However,othersdonotshare
thesesamegoals,desiringentranceintoatechnicalfieldupongraduation.Toooften,curricular
demandsstrivetoforceallstudentstofindrelevancyinmaterialonlystudentspursuinghigher
educationactuallywill.Aseducators,wearelongoverdueforanevaluationoftheoccasionally
notsosubtleassertionswearemakingwhenweactasthoughstudentsareahomogeneous
groupthusignoringindividuality,andoftenteachingwithimplicationsofclassism,racism,
andableism.
Englishispositioneduniquely,asitholdsimmensepotentialtoinciteengagementand
evokeempathy.TheCommonCorestandardsgoverningEnglisharemalleable,andcanexist
symbioticallywithcurriculumwhenapproachedwithoptimismbyanambitiousandcreative
teacher.Aswithanysetofguidelines,however,standardscanelicitaresponseofrigidity,in
whichtheybecomethenorthstarofcurriculum.
Ifstandardsstillexist,andtreatingstudentsasahomogeneousgroupholdsharmful
implication,howcantheEnglisheducatorstructurehisorherclassinsuchawayeachstudent
benefits?This,precisely,wastheoverarchingquestionofmyquest,whichinvolvedmany
evolvingquestionsthroughout.Finally,Irealizedtheanswer:empathy.

RealityofCommonCore
...weneedliteraturenowmorethanevertoremindusofperpetualcycles...inwhichhumans
acrossallculturesandalltimeperiodshavefoundways,albeitimperfectly,tocareforothers
whenallworldlywisdomsaiditwouldbewisertocareonlyforself(Murphy).
WhenIconsiderwhatmademefallinlovewithliterature,andthewrittenwordin
general,ithadnothingtodowithmemorizingvocabularyorconsistentlypausingtofillout
readingpackets.Infact,thosepracticesonlyservedtoturnassignedreadinginsomeclassesinto
adreadfulexperience.AsIrereadbooksIclaimedtodespiseinhighschoolbutassistinthe
teachingofnow,IamfindingIactuallyquiteenjoythem.
WhatmademefallinlovewithliteraturewasthemagicalworldintowhichIcould
integratemyself.Despitewhatmayhavebeenhappeningaroundme,theworldwithinnovels
withinplays,evenpoemsalwaysawaitedme,offeringbeautifulwords,charactersboth
familiarandunknown,andaplatformforimagination.
InsteadofutilizingtextsastoolstoteachotherEnglishskillsthuscreatingagapin
studentsengagementwiththetextsandunderstandingoftheskillbeingimpartedEnglish
educatorsshouldfocusonthetextitselfinanevocativemanner.
Focusingonthestrongthemesofinterestprovokingtextsnaturallyincreasesstudent
engagement.Focusingontextsdoesnotsendotherskillsbythewayside,instead,itallowsthem
toarisemoreauthentically,thusbecomingmoremeaningfultostudents.Forexample,writing
claimdatawarrantparagraphsisaneffectivemeansofarguingathematicstance.
Ofcourse,aliteraturefocusedclassroomisanidealthatexistsinmyfantasies.The
realityoftheclassroominvolvesstandards:CommonCore,andstatestandardsderivedfrom
CommonCore.AquicksearchoftheCommonCorewebsiteillustratesthevastdiscrepancy

betweenreadingfocusedstandardsandwritingfocusedstandards.Examiningthestandards
furtherilluminatesthereareonly10standardsrevolvingaroundliterature,whilethereare24for
writing.

Fig1.NumericillustrationofCommonCoreELAstandards

RealizingliteraturebasedstandardsonlyaccountsfornineteenpercentofCommonCore
EnglishLanguageArtsstandardsilluminatesthecomplicationoftheintegrationofliteraturein
classcurriculum.Teachersmayresigntousingliteratureasameansthroughwhichtoteachother
ELAskills,usuallypertainingtowriting,demandedbystandards.Thisoftensimplifiedthrough
accomplishmentinamannerthatdoesnotnecessarilyrelatedirectlytothetextaccompanying
theskill.


Fig2.CommonCorewebsitestatement

ThestatementpicturedaboveeasilyaccessibleontheCommonCorewebsiteoffers
ahintastowhythestandardsexistintheformtheydo.Thisstatementmakesitclearthecreators
ofthestandardsplacegreatvalueongrammaticalform,rhetoric,andtheconventionsof
standardEnglishingeneral,placedindirectoppositiontolanguageasacraft.
Thus,myoriginalinquirydeveloped.
IinitiallybecameincrediblyalarmeduponrealizingIwasguiltyofexploitingWilliam
Shakespeares
JuliusCaesar
asameansthroughwhichtoteachrhetoricinatenthgradeEnglish
class.WhenItaughtrhetoric,Ididsoinacontextentirelyunrelatedto
JuliusCaesar
,using
advertisingasthevehiclethroughwhichtoaccomplishthetask.TheonlyreasonItaught
rhetoricalstrategiesatthistimewasbecausestudentsweresupposedtoread
JuliusCaesar
,
andrhetoricjustgoesalongwiththat.

WhenIlookbackonthatunit,Imsaddenedbythefactthatthestudentslostthe
characters,story,andlanguagewithin
JuliusCaesar
inotherwords,muchofwhatIbelieve
makesliteratureenjoyable.Theydidnthavetheopportunitytoconnectwiththetextthroughthe
workIaskedthemtocompletetheyonlyhadtheopportunitytobeexposedtoevenmore
commercialismthantheyarealreadybombardedwithintheirdailylives.ThiswaswhenIset
outtoexploremyinitialinquiryquestion,finallygraspingtherealityofstandardsabilitiesto
influenceteaching:IsitpossibletoteachELAskillsandstillmeetCommonCorestandards
whileholdingliterarythemesprominent?

Somethinghaveyouheard/OfHamletstransformation
Hamlet
asaStudyofCharacter

Uponbeginningworkingwithanewmentoratthestartofthethirdmarkingperiod,Isaw
anopportunitytoexplorethisinquirywhilepreparingtobegina
Hamlet
unitintwelfthgrade
AdvancedPlacementLiteratureandComposition.Beforeofficiallyswitchingtoworkingwith
thesetwoblocksofAPLit,Ihadspentafewweeksobservingtheclassesandinteractingwith
thestudents.BecausetheleadteacherandIknewmanyofourstudentsstrugglewithissues
relatedtodepressionandidentity,wediscussedthenecessityofrespectingthepresenceofthese
issueswithin
Hamlet
whileplanningtheunitthiswouldrequiregreatattentiontocharacter.
Thus,appreciatingHamletasapieceoftheaterwasimperativetofocusingonthetext.
Daytodayoccouranceswithintheunitencompassedthreeprimarypractices:
encouraginginternalizingofcharacter,employingtheoreticalmethodacting,andstudents
writingexplorations.Mymentor,KateWalker,andIopenedtheunitwithaconversationabout
actorsinternalizingthecharacterstheyareportraying,andthuspossessingmotivation.Indoing

so,wehopedtoencouragestudentstoemployatheoreticalmethodactingperspectivewhen
analyzingcharacterstheoreticalbecausetheywerenotactuallyacting,ratherparticipatingin
readerstheater.Whilestudentsreadaloud,weconsistentlypausedandaskedwhatacharacter
mightbethinkingand/orfeeling.Eachweek,KateandIrequiredstudentstowriteapproximately
apagelongresponsetoaquestionweposedrelatedtothatweeksreadingashaslongbeen
Katespractice.Theseresponseswerecalledexplorations,andrequirestudentstowrite
argumentsinaclaimdatawarrantformat.
SincemyinquiryoriginatedthroughaShakespeareanplay,Idecidedexaminingstudent
writingproducedduringthecourseofstudyofanotherShakespeareanplaywouldserveasan
accuratecomparison.Iexaminedstudentsexplorations,andasdepictedbelowsoon
realizedyes,itispossibleforstudentstoexhibitproficiencyinELAskills,like
claimdatawarrant,thusrespectingCommonCorestandards,whileholdingliterarytextsand
theirthemesprominent.

Fig3.StudentwritingexhibitingELAskillproficiency


Whatwasespeciallyintriguingaboutstudentresponsesproducedduringthisunitwasthatwhile
theyundoubtedlydisplayedproficiencyinthespecificskillsforwhichIwassearching,inthis
casetheabilitytoeffectivelywriteclaimdatawarrantbasedarguments,theyalsometmy
humanisticgoals:storyandcharacterwerenotlostattheexpenseofexhibitingskillproficiency.
Iconcludedwecancertainlymeetstandardsasnecessarywhilenotlosingsightofessential
componentsofliterature.
BeyondstudentsabilitytodemonstrateELAskillproficiencywhileretainingattention
toessentialcomponentsofliterature,Inoticedsomethingelseabouttheirresponsestoliterature
producedinatextfocusedclass:characteranalysis.Thischaracteranalysisdidnotoccuronlyin
expectedwaysrelatedtoquestionsKateandIaskedstudentsaboutcharactersduringinclass
readingstudentsputagreatdealofeffortintoattemptingtounderstandcharactersinways
necessarytoplotandinwaysthatwouldonlyservetosatisfytheirowncuriosity.
Evenmoreinterestingly,duringclassdiscussions,itbecameclearthatstudentinterest
gravitatedtowardefforttoidentifywithcharacters,evenafterKateandIminimizedour
duringreadingguidance.
Iwantedtoseehowstudentswouldapproachalessconventional,notclaimdatawarrant
based,writingassignment.Therefore,incollectingmydatasamplestoexplorestudentanalysis
ofcharacter,IpulledquotesfromExploration1,inwhichweaskedstudentstotakeontherole
ofadirector,choosingaparticularsceneofinterestandexplaininghowtheywoulddirectthe
chosenscene.
WhenIbeganreadingstudentresponses,Iknewstudentsweredoingvaluablethinking,
butdidntknowhowtoclassifyit,orifIevenshould.ThoughIinsisteducatorsmustn'tallow

themselvestoberuledbyCommonCorestandards,Iwasstillsomehowtiedtothefeelingthat
studentwritingmustdemonstratethem.ThefollowingAPLitstudentExploration1
Hamlet
responseillustratesthisvaluablethinking.
HamletfeelsbetrayedbyhismothersmarriagetoClaudiusshortlyafterhisfathers
death.ShedidnotwaitlongtomarryHamletsuncle.Hamletshouldacttheselineswhile
grabbinghischestandconvulsing.Hismothersbetrayalweighsheavyonhisheart
Respondinginauthenticwaysmuddiestheidentificationofwhichstandardswritingmeets,but
authenticwritingisincrediblyimportantwork.
Whatwastheoutsideworldsayingaboutliteratureandempathy?
Justasconfusionduetoexaminingforeignauthenticityembarrassedanddiscouragedme,
Idiscoveredastudyconductedbyapairofpsychologists,DavidComerKiddandEmanuele
Costano,whichfoundreadingliteraryfictionasopposedtononfictionandpopularfiction
enhancestheabilitytodetectandunderstandotherpeople'semotions(Bury).
Theyreachedthisconclusionafterperformingastudywith1,000participantswhowere
randomlyassignedoneofthethreecategories.ThepsychologiststhenusedavarietyofTheory
ofMindtechniquesasmeasurementforunderstandingothersemotionsthoseintheliterary
fictioncategoryconsistentlyscoredhighest(Bury).
Whatgreatwritersdoistoturnyouintothewriter.Inliteraryfiction,theincompleteness
ofthecharactersturnsyourmindtotryingtounderstandthemindsofothers,said
KiddThesamepsychologicalprocessesareusedtonavigaterealrelationships.
Fictionisnotjustasimulatorofasocialexperience,itisasocialexperience(Bury).

Readingabouttheresultsofthisstudyservedasanahhamomentofsorts:Irealizedwhatwas
displayedintheseauthenticresponseswasempathy.Throughtheabovequote,Kiddasserts
characteranalysisisaformofsocialexperiencewhichservesasempathy.
NewEnglisheducatorsmightholdunrealisticexpectationsofwhatempathylookslikein
theclassroom,expectingstudentstocryatespeciallyemotionalpartsofbooksasthoughtears
aretheonlylegitimatedepictionofempathy.Empathyhasbecomeabuzzwordineducation,
thatoftenexistsundescribed,orwiththelimitingdefinitionoffeelingthefeelingsofothers.
Theproblemwiththisdefinitionisitoutcastsstudentswhodonotnaturallyconnectwithothers
onanemotionallevel,andinsteadapproachcharactersanalytically.However,theveryactof
analyzingcharacterputsyouinthecharactersshoes,whichisanempatheticaction.
Englisheducationissituatedinauniquepositionofincrediblepotentialtofoster
discussion,criticalandindependentthinkingskills,culturalexploration,andinturnthe
promotionofempathy.Throughimmersioninliteraryfiction,empathyiscultivated,andstudents
usethisempathytonavigatetheirnonliterarylives.CostanoandKiddarenottheonlyoneswho
advocateliteraturespotentialtocultivateempathy.Multitudesofresearchandanecdotal
evidencesupportsthebenefitsofpromotingempathythroughliterature,butthisdoesntmean
studentsneedempathytoreadliterature,theydevelopitbynavigatingthenarrativeworldsof
impactfulcharactersfromliteraryfiction.
Becomingimmersedinthenarrativeworldofliteratureleadsthereadertofeelreal
emotionsinresponsetotheconflictsandrelationshipsofstorycharacters(Mar).
Storiesthusappeartoofferusadeeplyfeltsimulationofsocialexperiencethatmay
holdrealconsequencesforouractualsocialworld(Mar).

InherEdutopiablog,exteacherandcurrentleadershipcoach,ElenaAguilar,arguesin
favorofmakingstrategicdecisionstoensuretheintegrationofliteratureinthefaceof
CommonCore.
Ifwedon'tgetthefeelingsinavisceralform,willweacttochangetheinjusticesinthis
world?Aguilarwrites.We'llneedtodifferentiateevenmoresothatchildrencanselect
literaturetoreadandwemightguidethemtowardsliteraturethatdepictstheother,so
thatwe'reintentionallycultivatingtheirempatheticskills(
Aguilar).
HowdidAPLitstudentsanalyzecharacter?
FinallyunderstandingthewrittenresponsesbywhichIwasinitiallysoconfusedwere
displayingempathyinsomeform,Itooktodatacollection.Incollectingmydatasamples,I
pulledquotesfromExploration1.Aspreviouslystated,
Exploration1askedstudentstotake
ontheroleofadirector,choosingaparticularsceneofinterestandexplaininghowtheywould
directthechosenscene.
Inordertoattemptobjectivityintheselectionprocessintermsofnotpreemptively
categorizingquotesduringselectionIskimmedtheassignmentofeachstudentandsimply
pulledanyquoteinwhichacharactersnamewasused.Later,Ireadeachquotecarefully,and
placedeachquoteintooneofthreecategoriesafternoticingtrends.
Therewerethreeprimarypatternsthroughwhichstudentsanalyzedcharacter:
1. Analyzingcharacteremotions
2. Readingintoacharactersthoughts
3. Dynamicreadings


Fig4.Percentageofstudentcharacterconnectionpatterns
Pattern1:Analyzingcharacteremotions
HamletfeelsbetrayedbyhismothersmarriagetoClaudiusshortlyafterhisfathers
death.ShedidnotwaitlongtomarryHamletsuncle.Hamletshouldacttheselineswhile
grabbinghischestandconvulsing.Hismothersbetrayalweighsheavyonhisheart(AP
LitExploration1
Hamlet
studentresponse).
Poloniusisabsolutelydisgustedandalittleconcerned.(APLitExploration1
Hamlet
studentresponse).
Thispatternofstudentresponsesexploreonlycharacteremotions,andmostoftenexplore
thoseemotionsastheyoccurinagivenmomentwithintheplay.Theseresponsesare
characterizedbyemotionrelatedadjectives.
Pattern2:
Readingintoacharactersthoughts
When[Gertrude]firstbringsupthistopicofmarriagetohernewhusbandshelabelsit
asthesourceofHamletsdiscontent,sherealizesthatthesacredmarriageshehadbefore
isdisrespectedinthemindofherson(APLitExploration1
Hamlet
studentresponse).

 PoloniusstartspickinguponHamletsunderhandedjabsathimandbecomesslightly
suspicious.Outofthecornerofhismouth,hewhisperstohimselfhisinternalthoughtsas
hewarilyeyesHamlet.WhenHamlettalksabouthisgrave,Hamletexcitedlypointsat
theground,emphasizinghisnonsensicalbehavior.Poloniusquicklycomestothe
conclusionhemustleave,soheabruptly(andsomewhatnervously)tellsHamlethemust
takeleave(APLitExploration1
Hamlet
studentresponse).
Thispatternofstudentresponsesexploreonlycharactersthoughts,andperformanceof
theseanalysesappeartooccurinordertoelucidateacharactersactions.Theseresponsesare
characterizedbycognitionrelatedverbsinwriting.
Pattern3:DynamicReadings
Hamletwishesthathisfacewouldmeltoutofthegriefhefeelsoverhisfathersdeath.
Thisseemstosuggestthathedespisesthemaskofapprovalheshowstowardshisuncle
andmother.Hamletincorporatesahyperbole,wishingthathisfacewouldmeltfromhis
body.Becauseofthishyperbole,Hamletshoulddelivertheselinesinanovertly
emotionalway.Heshouldgrasphisfacewithinhishandswhilegazingintoamirror.
Thiswouldgivetheaudienceamoretangiblerepresentationofthedisapprovalofthe
maskforceduponHamlet(APLitExploration1
Hamlet
studentresponse).
Hamletactsinnocent,asifhedoesntknowwhatPoloniussimplequestionsmean.He
continuestospeakdreamilyashismind(intentionally)wanderstoslanderandoldmen
(likePoloniushimself.)Hamlethardlypausesashespeaks:hiswordsreflectthestream
ofthoughtsflowingthroughhisbrain,similartohowamadpersonmayspeak(APLit
Exploration1
Hamlet
studentresponse).
Thispatternencompassesanalysisofcharactersemotions,thoughts,andindicationsof

howtheyarerepresented.Patternthreeisthemostnotableasthisiswherethemostdynamic
analysesoccur.Thus,thekeycharacteristictoempathyinliteratureistakingupquestionsof
representationbothincharactersandsometimesareader'sownworld.Thisiswhattruly
connectsthereadertothecharacterssocialworld.
If,asKiddsuggests,analysisequalssocialexperience,whichequalsempathy,bythe
transitiveproperty,analysisisempathy.Followingthislineofreasoning,itisquiteimpressive
that49%ofwritingsamplesdemonstratedthethirdpatternofanalysisthroughwhichempathy
appearstohavebeenmostdefinitelydemonstrated.

Theaterasauniqueformofsocialexperience
Howdostudentsrespondtomoderntheater?
Uponrealizinghowsubstantialthemajorityofstudentwritingsamplesthroughwhich
dynamiccharacteranalysiswasdemonstrated,andthereforeempathywasdemonstrated,Ibegan
towonderwhethertherewassomethingabouttheater,specifically,thatwaspromotingthis
impressivelevelofcharacteranalysis.
InanessayappropriatelytitledOnReadingPlays,playwrightAyadAkhtarwrites,
inthefinestplays,itseemsthatthedialogueneverquitespeaksthehiddentruth,neverquite
articulatesthecentralemotion,butonlytalksaroundsuchthings,leavingspacefortheaudience
tocompletetheconnection.
Perhapsthereisauniquepotentialofplaystogenerateempathybyfurtherplacingthe
readerinthecharacterssocialworlds,and,asKiddstated,placingthereaderinthepositionof
thewriter.Playsnudgethereadertowardthisanalyticalempathybyencouragingevaluationof

thecharactersemotions,thoughts,andquestionsofrepresentation.Becausethereadermaybe
inclinedtoputmoreofthemselvesintothereading,thelinebetweenrealityandtheliterary
worldbecomesblurred,andquestionsofrepresentationcancrossintotheirlives.
Mydesiretopursuemytheoryaboutplaysuniquepotentialwithinthegenerationof
highqualitycharacteranalysiswouldsooncometofruition.Thenextplaywereadasafullclass
wasAnnieBakers
TheFlick
,whichwonthePulitzerPrizeforDramain2014.Itisamodern
playthatchallengesourinclinationtowardmakingassumptionsaboutothers.
Shockingly,studentcharacteridentificationpushedeverfurtherduring
TheFlick.
Like
pattern3responsesfrom
Hamlet,
writtenresponsesconsistedofthoughts,emotions,and
representation.However,whileresponsesto
TheFlick
stillexploredrepresentationincharacters
worlds,therewasaclearshiftofrepresentationfromitsdiscussiononlyincharactersworldsto
alsobeingexploredwithinthestudentsworldbothwithinhowtheyviewthemselvesandare
viewedbyothers.
Obviously,performingimplieswearepretendingtobesomethingwearenotforthe
benefitofothers,butbeingauthenticis,ironically,justasfake.Webecomewhowe
wanttobecomebasedonoutsideinfluenceandexpectationtoactonewayoranother.
Nothingistrulyauthenticbecauseweareonlydrawingfromsomebodyelsesidentity
weplaythepartwefindmostattractive,andinthatwayweareinaconstantstateof
performance.ThisistheprimarydilemmaAveryfacesinchaptersixwhiletalkingtohis
therapist(APLitstudenthomeworkresponseto
TheFlick
).
Throughanalyzingcharacter,thisstudentraisedarepresentationquestionaboutherownsocial
experience.Whatisparticularlyfascinatingaboutthisresponseisthatthisstudentmanagedto

raiseapostmodernistquestionofidentityshelikelydidntevenrealizeshewasraising.
Thepostmodernnotionofidentityisonethatdecenterstheindividual,causingashift
fromsheersubjectivitytoanalmosttotallossofsubjectivityThedecentredsubjectis
perceivedasmultifacetedandcontradictory,henceidentityisnolongerviewedas
singularandstable,butratheraspluralandmutable,andultimatelyimpossibletograsp
throughtheusualexerciseofreason(Dumitrescu).
Thestudentsresponsecertainlypaintsaselfwhoismultifacetedandcontradictory,asshe
questionsthevalidityofauthenticityandwhetherindividualityisafalsityasweoftencarefully
compilecharacteristicspleasingtoothersasweformouridentities.Shemanagedtoconnect
thesequestionsofrepresentationtooneoftheplaysmaincharactersaswell,depictinganeven
deeperformofempathythanwhatwasshowninthe
Hamlet
responsesstudentswerenow
exploringtheirownlifeexperienceasameansthroughwhichtounderstandcharacters.
Otherstudentsexploredadecenteredandcontradictoryselfaswell,thoughsometimes
notinasobviousamanner.
Forme,anidealFridaynightisstayinghomeandwatchingagoodmovie.Itsgreatifa
friendcomesoverandwerewatchingittogether,butIamjustascontenttobeby
myself.Foralongtime,IwasselfconsciousthatthisaspectofmypersonalitymeantI
amaloner.ButthatisntthecaseIlovespendingtimewithfriends,andIlovemeeting
newpeople.ButIalsolike(andneed)timetojustbeonmyownandtorecharge.
WhenAverydescribedhisfrustrationatnotknowingwhoheis,Iwassurprisedathow
muchIwasabletoempathizewithhim,andunderstandwherehewascomingfrom(AP
Litstudenthomeworkresponseto
TheFlick
).

Thisstudenttakesupemotionsandthoughtsasthey'rerelatedtoone'sself,whiledisplayinga
dynamicempatheticresponsethatisn'tonlyanemotionalorcognitiveresponsetocharacter
it'stakingupissuesofrepresentationbothsheandthecharacteraregoingthrough.
Whatmightbetheeffectsofpostmodernistexplorationsofself?
ThoughIadvocateatextcenteredclassroom,thatdoesnotmeantheclassroomshouldbe
anylessstudentcentered.Rather,itmeanstheclassroomshouldnotbestandardscentered.It
shouldbeclearlyintentioned,andthegoalsshouldbevaluedbybothstudentsandteacher.When
wellorganizedandbasedonsharedinterestsandvirtue,atextcenteredclassroomis
studentcentered.
Studentresponsesto
TheFlick,
inwhichpostmodernistquestionsoftheselfareraised,
demonstrateanaccessiblemeansthroughwhichstudentsmayexploretheirownemotionsand
socialworldswhileencouragingempathizingwithcharacters.Becausestudentsbeganraising
thesepostmodernistquestionsontheirown,theyareclearlyaccessible.Sincethetextcentered
classroommustremainstudentcentered,studentsmuststillhavethechancetoengageinreader
responsetoexploreandattempttomakesenseoftheirsocialworlds.Howeverbyvirtueof
curriculumtheyshouldbeencouragedtodosoinamannerthatdoesnotpromoteegocentrism
asthatonlyservestoundermineattemptsatcultivatingempathy.
Inadditiontocultivatingempathy,literature,whenproperlyesteemed,holdspowerto
decentertheself,diminishingego.Theaterappearstofurtherencouragethesebenefitsofstudy
becauseitplacesthereaderintheroleofthecharacter,incliningthemtoattempttoconnectwith
saidcharacter.Sincestudentsnaturallygravitatetowardidentifyingwithcharactersandoften
dosothroughdynamicanalysesthatdemonstrateempathyandstudentexplorationsinto

representationsoftheirownsocialworldsunknowinglyencompassundertonesofpostmodern
questionsofidentity,whatmighthappenifEnglisheducatorsactivelyencouragestudentsto
explorethesepostmodernquestionsofidentitythatdecentertheindividual?Couldwefurther
cultivateempathybyactivelyencouragingdecenteringoftheindividualthroughthistypeof
writing?