Michele Celino

Exploring Self-image and Confidence Development

As Children grow into young adults their identities transform and insecurities arise. Young adults often target other young adults for their profound differences and create hostile environments in order to divert the attention away from their own insecurities. Unfortunately, the young adult who is targeted is often targeted by groups of other young adults and made an outsider, misfit who feels no place. The effects for both the giver and the receiver in the relationship between the insecure and the targeted insecure young adult have long term physiological effects on self-image and confidence.

There is a saying that �kids are cruel�. Young adults will find a peer�s deepest weakness and capitalize on it to make that young adult suffer. Young Adults are not evil or cruel, but they are struggling in a world where they feel the strongest will survive. The mentality is based on the idea that if one is a teaser, they will not be teased. Young adults in high school are developing mentally and physically into adults. They are not yet comfortable or confident in who they are and who they are becoming. A pimple on the face can be the end of the world to a lot of young adults.

The transforming body, vocal cords, pimply faces are all factors in the creation of groups or clicks. Students who have similar backgrounds, styles, hobbies, and participate in similar activities find refuge in the comfort that others are like them. The issue in the formation of these groups is that they create divisions by focusing on the differences between each group, and often some students don�t identify with any group leaving tem to be the outcast of high school society. Just like in war, the lines are clearly divided, and one must do what they can to survive.

The long term repercussions of living in the hostile and uncomfortable high school environment of teasing and tormenting to the outsiders and even members within groups create self-image issues. A positive self-image is key to living a healthy, productive, and successful life, however, the high school experience often creates problems for young adult�s perception of themselves. Students often struggle with issues as dangerous as suicide, murder, and drugs. Other struggles include health issues like anorexia. Some issues can appear to be minute, yet can have a profound effect on a young adult�s life like, a large nose.

The focus of the Unit Plan is based around the play Cyrano De Bergerac by Edmond Rostand for its theme of self-image and confidence. The play offers a variety of angles to discuss teasing, clicks, self-image, insecurities, and the long term effects students have on shaping someone�s self-image and future. As children grow into young adults it is important that they understand the responsibility that they have as part of society to get along with others and appreciate the differences between people. The Unit Plan is designed for high school students.

Launching the Unit:

Before reading Edmond Rostand�s Cyrano De Bergerac, start the discussion of self-image by using one or more of the listed introductions and activities.

1. View a scene from the 2004 film, Mean Girls. The film offers a comedic insight into the stereotypical present day high school experience. Lindsay Lohan stars as a transfer student from South Africa. She grew-up home schooled, completely unprepared for the wild jungle of an American high school. Lohan narrates a cafeteria scene by describing the self-segregated groups of teens including, jocks, nerds, and of course the cool girl click with the Queen Bee, Rachel McAdams. The narration of this scene is a reflection of high schools across the country. Follow the viewing of the film-clip by having the class participate in the following activity:

Yes/No/Maybe Activity:

� Create a list of yes or no questions pertaining to the film. For example: Do you think your high school is represented in the film? Do you think you are a Jock? Do you think you are a nerd? Is the movie realistic? Do you feel a character in the film represents you? Have you ever felt like one of the characters? Have you ever felt uncomfortable with yourself? Have you ever worried about your weight?

� Designate one side of the classroom for �yes� answers, the opposite side for �no� answers, and the middle of the room for �maybe� answers.

� Ask the questions to the class as a whole, and have them give their answers by standing in the designated area of Yes/No/Maybe.

� After each question, ask the students to look around them and see who is standing next to them. They may see a student who they never knew was feeling that particular way. The students will begin to see each other in a new light.

� After the activity, have the class write their thoughts for about 10-15 minutes. Then come back as a whole and discuss any feelings or awakenings they experienced from the activity.

2. Listen to Martina McBride�s song �My Baby Loves Me�. The song is about a woman who has found love by being herself, and that her �baby� loves her just the way that she is. The upbeat tempo reinforces the joy in finding satisfaction in who you are. After listening to the song, have the class write while thinking about the following questions:

• Are you happy with whom you are? What do you like about yourself? What would you want to change about yourself if you could? What do you think others like/dislike about you?
• Ask any students if they would like to read what they wrote aloud.
• Discuss how the class feels after experiencing the activity.

c. Read the poem �Barbie Doll� by Marge Piercy

This girlchild was born as usual

and presented dolls that did pee-pee

and miniature GE stoves and irons

and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy.

Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said:

You have a great big nose and fat legs.

She was healthy, tested intelligent,

possessed strong arms and back,

abundant sexual drive and manual dexterity.

She went to and fro apologizing.

Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs.

She was advised to play coy,

exhorted to come on hearty,

exercise, diet, smile and wheedle.

Her good nature wore out

like a fan belt.

So she cut off her nose and her legs

and offered them up.

In the casket displayed on satin she lay

with the undertaker's cosmetics painted on,

a turned-up putty nose,

dressed in a pink and white nightie.

Doesn't she look pretty? everyone said.

Consummation at last.

To every woman a happy ending.

After reading the poem pose the following questions to the class to be answered aloud or in Sustained Silent Writing:

� What is the tone of the poem? What images or lines lead you to your opinion?

� As a teen, what were her attributes? What did one of her classmates say to her that negated all of those positive things?

� For what did she go about apologizing? What influence did her apology have on how people saw her?

� How is she encouraged to behave? How does that run contrary to her natural behavior?

� What does she do as a result of not being able to live up to what others want of her?

Poem and Questions from LitWeb: the Norton Introduction to Literature Website http://www2.wwnorton.com/college/english/litweb05/workshops/poetry/piercy1.asp

The Center Piece:

The center piece of the unit is Cyrano De Bergerac by Edmond Rostand. The work is a play set in 1897 and follows the love triangle of Cyrano, Roxanne and Christian. Cyrano is brave, cavalier, and outspoken, but holds zero confidence in himself when it comes to the lovely lady Roxanne. Cyrano has a large nose and is consistently made fun of, and forced to defend his honor by using his sword against those who make-fun of his profound nose. Cyrano teams up with Christian, a man with little wit, but a handsome face, to win the love of Roxanne. In the final act Cyrano�s love is revealed, and his lack of self-confidence is still in his mind, �When Beauty said �I love you� to the Beast/ The Prince in him was instantly released. / But, you see, I still remain just as I was. . .� (Rostand 143). Cyrano struggles with his self-image his entire life, and loses happiness over the lack of confidence that has resulted from his struggle over his nose.

Although the story of Cyrano is written over a hundred years ago, the theme is still alive today in high schools across the country, like the one featured in Mean Girls. Cyrano is confronted with teasing which causes him to create a negative self-image of himself, and then results in a life of dissatisfaction and emptiness when it comes to love.

Reading the Work:

a. Reader�s Theatre:

Rostand�s play, Cyrano De Bergerac offers the students the opportunity to work outside of a novel, and to see literature come alive. A reader�s theatre challenges readers to create the voice of a character through their understanding of the reading. The reader�s theatre engages the classroom as a whole to participate actively in understanding plot, characterization, and themes within the reading.

� Prepare the reader�s theatre by assigning students parts, and changing per act to allow for the entire class to participate.

� After each scene ask the students to answer one of the following:

1. What made you choose to read the character with the voice you chose?

2. Find a line where you read wit or humor? What do the comedic undertones do to the reading for you?

3. Find a �power� line that strengthens the plot, sub-plot, or scene? Why do you consider it a �power� line?

4. How is Cyrano�s lack of confidence working with the plot in this act?

b. Plot Game

Following the reader�s theatre, prepare a Plot Game to reinforce the plot of the play, and make sure all students have a good understanding of what they are reading. A Plot Game is a recreation of the play in simple modern English to offer the students a synopsis.

Working with the Text:

a. Literature and Theatre Adaptation

The story of Cyrano has been adapted on the stage and in multiple films. Plays are dynamic in that adaptation is all found within the personal response to the reading. Tie in the introduction to the unit by having the students act out the play while adapting to a present day school setting.

• Put the students into groups and have them choose a scene to work with.
• Once a scene is chosen have them reflect on the Plot Game reading to begin to visualize how the scene can be adapted into simple modern day English.
• Create a new scene based on the one chosen in the play staying true to the plot and characterization. Brainstorm in groups how to accomplish the adaptation of the work from book to theatre.
• Practice the scene, and the act them out.
• After watching the scenes of every group come back together as a class and discuss the experience. Was it fun, why? Was it difficult, why?
• Complete the activity with a Sustained Silent Writing answering one or more of the following questions:

1. Why did you choose the scene you worked with?

2. How did you adapt the scene to work in a modern day setting?

3. How is the story of Cyrano similar to high school students of today?

b. Professional Adaptations of the Play

The story of Cyrano is popular for its timeless theme of self-image and working with confidence. Many professionals have adapted their perception of the play on stage, and in film. The students have worked with the theatre aspect of working with a play, and have seen the vast differences of interpretation.

• View the film Roxanne, a film adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac. The theme and plot are very similar to Cyrano�s story, but names, places, and scenes have been significantly modified to fit today�s society. The adaptation is a similar experience to what the students had just achieved in writing and performing their own scenes.
• View the film, , another film adaptation of the story of Cyrano. This film attempts to stay true to the lines, themes and characters of the original work.
• Read the short story �Ape� in the short story collection novel Such a Pretty Face. The story is an example of an independent short story that follows the theme and plot sequence of Cyrano De Bergerac in a modern day high school setting. The story connects the introduction of the unit, the text itself, and the examples of adaptation. �Ape� is about a young man who is tormented for having a hairy body, and allowing the taunting to affect his self-image. The lack of confidence results in the young man, Ford, to not act upon his feelings for a girl he has a crush on at school. The story goes beyond the crush and into the everyday life of someone battling teasing and insufficient confidence in themselves.

c. Writing About the Text: Bringing it all together.

The students have been introduced to the theme of self-image through multiple sources and have worked together as a class, and independently, to begin to understand the repercussions of teasing and the power of words on the human psyche. It is time for reflection upon the unit.

• Assign the students a paper to write their own story. Tell them to write about anything they want as long as it is about them.
• The day it is due, have a Sustained Silent Writing asking the students what they chose to write about, and why hey think they wrote about it.
• In my personal classroom, I would read aloud my paper from my senior year of high school about my self-image, and issues with my nose. I would read the paper for two reasons: 1. Image issues happen to everyone at some point in their lives, even teachers, and 2. It is possible to work through them and find self-acceptance. I love my nose now, and wouldn�t change it for the world even though six years ago I wanted to chop it off for a new one.
• Assign a final writing assignment that connects the entire unit and brings it to a logical close. What about Rostand�s Cyrano De Bergerac has made the play a consistently popular thematic work to adapt in theatre, film, and literature for over the past one-hundred ten years? While writing, have the students reflect back and include examples from the films, short story, poem, and song to support their claim.

Extending the Unit:

Suggest to the students to follow-up on the theme of �self-image� by reading one or more of the following texts:

• Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix by J.K Rowling is the best example, of our time, of the adolescent struggles in searching for identity. Harry struggles with trying to fit in with both adults and adolescents that surround his life. People do not believe Voldermort is back, and the wizard world teases him and calls him a disturbed attention seeking child. Articles in the Daily Prophet are published slandering his name and calling him a liar. Harry struggles with his self-image and confidence, yet overcomes in the face of diversity, and for this, he is a positive role model for young adult readers who face similar situations.

• The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Anne Brashares. Four young women, friends from birth, embark on their first summer apart. The link that keeps them together is the discovery of a magical pair of pants in which the sisterhood is founded. The reader follows the path of the pants, while watching the young women gain strength in themselves through dealing with real life difficult situations such as self-image, confidence, love, death, and friendship.
• Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. Stargirl, the main character, is a new girl on campus who has complete confidence in her unique personality and sense of style. Lee, an average student, drawn to Stargirl for her differences, yet struggles with befriending her in fear of the other student�s response to their relationship. The novel deals with issues such as confidence, self-image, and teasing that all directly relate to the American high school experience.
• Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick. This novel is an account of two friends who struggle with being outsiders due to their physical appearance and their distressed past. �Freak�, the nickname for Kevin, is an oversized young man in a dwarfish type body who befriends Max, who looks like his murderous father. Their friendship is an example of young teens who struggle with image and the tormenting of other young adults, and how to overcome those battles in finding a friend. (Warner)
• Such a Pretty Face: Short Stories about Beauty edited by Ann Angel. This collection of short stories offers a vast variety of stories that confront issues of high school students; the teasing, tormenting, and picking on others who are different, and how those young adults deal with their particular situations.
• My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban- A Young Woman�s Story by Latifa. Latifa gives her account of living in Kabul, Afghanistan in the 1990�s. Latifa�s life turns upside down due to the Taliban. Every woman is forced to shield her face, quite their professions, and are told to follow laws that restrict their human rights. This novel offers insight into global current events, and gives students a new perspective and appreciation for courage, confidence, and pride in self-image. (Warner)

Bibliography

Angel, Anne, ed. Such a Pretty Face: Short Stories about Beauty. New York, New York:

HNA, 2007.

Brashares, Anne. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Chicago: Gardner Books, 2002.

Cyrano de Bergerac. Dir. Michael Gordon. Perf. Jose Ferrer, Mala Powers. Stanly

Kurner Productions, 1950.

Latifa. My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban- A Young Woman�s Story.

Mirimax, 2003.

Mean Girls. Dir. Mark Waters. PErf. Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey.

Paramoun, 2004.

Philbrick, Rodman. Freak the Mighty. Scholastic, 2001.

Rostand, Edmond. Cyrano De Bergerac. Trans. Christopher Fry. New York: Oxford,

1996.

Rowling, J.K. Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix. Scholastic, 2003.

Roxanne. Dir. Fred Schepisi. Perf. Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah. Colombia Pictures,

1987.

Spinelli, Jerry. Stargirl. Laurel Leaf, 2001.