The North Pool

“
Drama in education enables participants,
either during the drama itself, or after
the drama in a discussion, to look at
reality through fantasy, to see below the
surface of actions to their meaning.
”
-Betty Jane Wagner, Educational Drama and Language
OUR PARTNERS IN EDUCATION
T
heatreWorks thanks our generous donors to the Education Department. In the 2009/10 school year alone, the
support of these donors enabled us to provide arts education to more than 14,000 students and approximately
650 teachers at 88 different schools through our TheatreWorks for Schools programs, the Children's Healing
Project at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, as well as 1,300 adult learners through audience enrichment
opportunities such as Discussion Wednesdays.
Foundations
Avant! Foundation
The Leonard C. & Mildred F. Ferguson Foundation
The Michelson Foundation
The San Francisco Foundation
Sand Hill Foundation
Corporate
Adaptec
Air Systems Foundation, Inc.
American Century Investments Foundation
Applied Materials, Inc.
C.M. Capital Foundation
Dodge & Cox Investment Managers
Intero Foundation
JPMorgan Chase Foundation
Luther Burbank Savings
Microsoft
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Robert Half International, Inc.
SanDisk Corporation
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS
• For Teachers 2
• For Students: About the Production 3
• For Students: The Role of the Audience
4
ABOUT THE STORY
•
•
•
•
•
Plot Summary and List of Characters 5
Notes from the Director: Talking to Giovanna Sardelli 6
Producing New Works: Talking to Meredith McDonough
About the Author: Rajiv Joseph 8
About the Author: Three Questions with Rajiv Joseph 9
7
CONTEXT
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
America, Post 9-11: The Roots of Stereotypes 10
Activity—America, Post 9-11: The Roots of Stereotypes 11-12
The Middle East: Understanding the Region 13
Worksheet—America, Post 9-11: Making Connections 14
Compare and Contrast: “The Two Americas” 15
Activity—Compare and Contrast: Collage 16
Bullying & Peer Pressure: What You Need to Know 17
Bulling & Peer Pressure: Resources 18
Activity—Redemtion & Forgiveness 19
Worksheet—Understanding Theme 20
RESOURCES
• Resources and Additional Reading
21
1
FOR TEACHERS
T
he student matinee performance of The North Pool will be held on March 30th, 2011 beginning at 11:00 am at the
Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. The play is approximately 75 minutes long. The play will be followed by a discussion with
actors from the show.
Student audiences are often the most rewarding and demanding audiences that an acting ensemble can face. Since we
hope every show at TheatreWorks will be a positive experience for both audience and cast, we ask you to familiarize
your students with the theatre etiquette described on the “For Students” pages.
HOW TO USE THIS STUDY GUIDE
This guide is arranged in worksheets. Each worksheet or reading may be used independently or in conjunction
with others to serve your educational goals. Together, the worksheets prepare students for the workshops, as
well as seeing the student matinee of The North Pool produced by TheatreWorks, and for discussing the
performance afterwards.
Throughout the guide you will see several symbols:
Means “Photocopy Me!” Pages with this symbol are meant to be photocopied and handed directly
to students.
Means “English Language Arts.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered to California
State English Language Arts standards.
Means “Theatre Arts.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered to California State
Theatre Arts standards.
Means “Social Studies.” Pages with this symbol feature lessons that are catered to California State
Social Studies standards.
2
FOR STUDENTS
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
A
s an audience member, you mostly see the actors on stage. However, it takes many people to make a
production possible. From the director to the designers to the stage managers to the carpenters, there are
dozens of people working behind the scenes to make the performance run as smoothly as possible.
Here are several people at TheatreWorks who make our productions run smoothly.
MEET...THE DIRECTOR
Giovanna Sardelli. It is the director’s job to help guide the
actors through the story, blocking the show and working
with the actors to figure out where they should be and
what moods or tones are appropriate at what times. They
also coordinate the lights, costumes, sets, props, and sound
with the designers. Giovanna directed The North Pool in
TheatreWorks' New Works Festival and the world premieres
of Rajiv Joseph's Animals Out of Paper (Joe A Callaway
Award, Outstanding Director), All This Intimacy (Second
Stage Theatre), The Leopard and The Fox (Alter Ego), and
Huck & Holden (Cherry Lane Theatre). She received her
MFA from the Graduate Acting Program at NYU and
graduated from their Director's Lab. She is on the faculty of
the Graduate Acting Program and the Department of
Dance at NYU.
“
One of the things I find so interesting about Rajiv
is that he writes imperfect people. Their humanity
is revealed in their flaws. He doesn't always make
it easy for us to find salvation or resolution and I
like that about his writing.
”
Theatreworks costume shop before beginning a “build.”
“
~Giovanna Sardelli
MEET...THE STAGE MANAGER
Rebecca Muench. It is the stage manager’s job to make
sure that everything runs smoothly during both rehearsals
and performances. Once the show opens, the stage
manager maintains the artistic vision of the director
throughout the run, and calls all thelights sound and
scenery changes in the show from the light booth.
I’m so excited about working on
this new play. It is set in such a
bleak, cinder block environment
but at the end there must be a ray
of hope, so there will be a ray of
light that comes in at the end.
~York Kennedy,
”
The North Pool Lighting Designer
MEET...THE LIGHTING DESIGNER
York Kennedy. It is the lighting designer’s job to set the
mood of the play and help create the world of the play
using lights.
MEET...THE DRAMATURG
Vickie Rozell. It is the dramaturg’s job to research anything
and everything about a play. Is a character based on a real
person? Do characters reference a specific event in the
play? The dramaturg collects information that answers
these questions and then shares this information with the
actors, director, and designers.
Joshua Rose, TheatreWorks Assistant Stage Manager and
carpenter, building a set.
3
FOR STUDENTS
THE ROLE OF THE AUDIENCE
A
ll the work that goes into a production would mean nothing if there wasn’t an audience for whom to perform.
As the audience, you are also a part of the production, helping the actors onstage tell the story.
When the performance is about to begin, the lights will dim. This is a signal for the actors and the audience to put
aside concerns and conversation and settle into the world of the play.
The performers expect the audience’s full attention and focus. Performance is a time to think inwardly, not a time to
share your thoughts aloud. Talking to neighbors (even in whispers) carries easily to others in the audience and to the
actors on stage. It is disruptive and distracting.
There is no food in the theatre: soda, candy, and other snacks are noisy and, therefore, distracting. Please keep these
items on the bus or throw them away before you enter the audience area. There are no backpacks in the theatre.
Walking through the aisles during the performance is extremely disruptive. Actors occasionally use aisles and stairways
as exits and entrances. The actors will notice any movement in the performance space. Please use the restroom and
take care of all other concerns outside before the show.
Pagers, watch alarms, and other electronic devices should be turned off before the performance begins. When watch
alarms, cell phones, and pagers go off it is very distracting for the actors and the audience. Please do not text during
the performance, as it is distracting to the audience members around you.
What to bring with you:
Introspection
Curiosity
Questions
Respect
An open mind
What to leave behind:
Judgements
Cell phones, etc.
Backpacks
Food
Attitude
On the left, Blythe Foster, on the right, Cathleen Ridley speak to students after a student matinee performance of To Kill a Mockingbird.
4
PLOT SUMMARY
Please be advised that this play features mature language and discusses adult themes.
T
he North Pool is a world premeire play by Pulitzer Prize nominated playwright Rajiv Joesph. The play depicts a
real-time conversation between Vice Principal Dr. Danielson and Syrian transfer student Khadim Asmaan. Never
leaving Danielson’s office at Sheffield High School, the two get to know each other and uncover the truth about
how their lives are interconnected.
During the meeting, Dr. Danielson’s first concern is that Khadim, a recent transfer to the high school, has been cutting
class. With both of his parents working in the shipping industry on a trip to Saudi Arabia, no one is home to monitor
Khadim but, because he is 18 years old, he is legally allowed to live alone. After a string of pranks and vandalism
culminating in a bomb threat, Dr. Danielson is looking for the culprit and Khadim’s suspicious behavior puts him on
Danielson’s radar. Dr. Danielson’s next concern is with what he discovered in Khadim’s locker down in an area by the
North Pool—clothing, PVC pipe, and bird antibiotics. Khadim has been selling the contraband out of his locker.
Deflecting the blame, Khadim focuses on repeating rumors about Dr. Danielson, saying that his fiancé , a former
teacher at the school, left him because she caught him watching a DVD showing Lia Winston, Khadim’s classmate and
friend, having sex with four students from Sheffield. Khadim continues to accuse Dr. Danielson of having an
inappropriate relationship with Lia. In turn, Dr. Danielson produces Lia’s cell phone, which she left in his office on the
day she took her own life. The phone is a catalyst, pushing Khadim to divulge the details of the day Lia died.
Khadim explains that, in an effort to help Lia get the money she and her family needed, he set her up with a chance to
make $5,000 by attending a party. At the party, Lia is violently and sexually assaulted and the incident pushes the
already fragile girl to take her own life. With the secret finally out in the open, Khadim lets his guard down for the first
time and he and Dr. Danielson find themsleves on a level playing field—both mourning Lia’s death but able to begin to
forgive each other for their role in the event.
MEET THE ACTORS
Adam Poss
as
Khadim Asmaan
Remi Sandri
as
Dr. Danielson
“
I guess I hope an
audience comes away
from the play thinking
about it and talking
about it. The plays that
touch me and move me
and disturb me always
stay with me for a long
time. That would be my
biggest hope, to have an
audience member
thinking about what they
saw and heard a day or a
week or a month later.
~Rajiv Joseph
”
5
PRODUCING NEW WORKS
TALKING TO MEREDITH McDONOUGH
W
e asked TheatreWorks’ Director of New Works, Meredith
McDonough, about what it is like to work with new
playwrights and bring new pieces of theatre to life.
As the Director of New Works, what draws you to a new piece of
theatre? What do you like most about producing new plays and
musicals?
“
As the Director of New Works, I'm drawn to plays where the unique
voice of the playwright shines through. Whether it's their wacky sense
of humor, or their vivid imagination, or their use of poetic language, it
is that one-of-a-kind sparkle that stays with me long after I've read the
play. In the case of The North Pool, it was the intensity of the
situation, and the constant surprises and broken expectations that
litter the play that kept me on the edge of my seat, even from that
first reading. Any piece of theatre that can keep me that viscerally
engaged is one I must produce! When we saw how dynamic the play
was as only a staged reading with very little rehearsal in our festival,
we knew we wanted to bring it to the mainstage and let everyone in
the TheatreWorks audience experience the intensity of the cat and
mouse game between Khadim and Dr. Danielson.
What is your favorite part of working with new pieces of theatre?
It is that moment when you realize you've found something truly
special—that moment of discovering the voice of a writer or a
composer that I love most about producing new works. I love being
able to work with a writer to hone that story and give them the
opportunity to explore new paths to deepen the story they want to
tell. Engagement with artists on that level is the best part of my job.
In the case of The North
Pool, it was the intensity of
the situation, and the
constant surprises and broken
expectations that litter the
play that kept me on the
edge of my seat, even from
that first reading.
”
Past New Works include:
Memphis,
winner of the 2010
Tony Award for Best Musical
Daddy Long Legs,
Emma,
toured the Midwest last fall
with the TheatreWorks cast
currently playing at
the Old Globe in San Diego
6
NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR
TALKING TO GIOVANNA SARDELLI
N
ew works present a unique challenge for a director, especially when the playwright continues to make changes
to the script during rehearsal. We asked the director, Giovanna Sardelli, about this play and the difficult themes
it explores.
In the current version of the play there is a third character we never meet, Lia Winston. What happens to her is
shocking and touches on the use of contemporary electronic media to sexualize young females. Why is it important to
create such high stakes?
We've actually spent the past week of rehearsal discussing what happens to her and adjusting the specifics of the
event. What happens to her needs to be shocking on some level to penetrate Khadim and it also needed to be
plausible. There are several famous people right now whose careers began or were greatly enhanced by sexually
explicit material. Reality TV is having an effect on our value system. Just look at The Jersey Shore.
If people leave the theater discussing the issues that are raised in the play, then I think we've accomplished something.
One of the things I find so interesting about Rajiv is that he writes imperfect people. Their humanity is revealed in their
flaws. He doesn't always make it easy for us to find salvation or resolution and I like that about his writing.
As a female director, what do you feel about what happens to the young student?
Though I am the only woman in the creative team, I don't think I felt any differently than the 3 men at the table. We
are all in agreement that what happens to her is a tragedy. We are all also aware that young women are sexualized in a
way that young men aren't. Though that is changing, it makes me angry that the signals we as a society send about
sexuality are so incredibly mixed and confusing that very few people stand a chance of getting out of their first
encounters unscathed. I am not only a female director but also a teacher at a University and, though what happens in
the play is extreme, when my students share with me some of their experiences in high school I am often shocked.
Is there any metaphorical or symbolic value to the character of the girl and the fact that we never see her, only hear
about her?
I actually don't look at plays that way and I don't think Rajiv does either. These three characters aren't symbolic or
metaphorical to us. They are three human beings. When I read a play I ask myself a series of questions: Do I believe
these people? Do I believe this could happen? Do I care? Do I learn something at the end of this journey? While Lia is
never seen, she is central to the action and I learn enough about her to care about what happened and to ask
questions about how and why.
Do you think that the type of violence that is spoken about in the play has something important to say about high
schools today or does it say something more political, or both?
I think the issue is much larger than high school. I feel our entire value system is need of an overhaul. The average
salary of a teacher in the US is less than $50k. Everyone on a reality TV show makes more than that. It is almost
impossible to have an honest discussion about sexuality in any organized system in the US. You only have to look at
how successful its use is in the advertising industry. Until we can honestly answer the questions that teenagers are
asking about sex and violence, without fear of repercussions, then we are leaving students to their own devices to
come up with the answers. Or at least those students like Khadim and Lia who don't have parents involved and
invested in their lives.
connections:
In pairs or small groups, discuss the following questions:
If your best friend posted a nude photo of herself or himself, what would you say or do?
Why? Share your answers with the class. How many would council her/him to take it
down? How many would not? Do a quick write on your thoughts about the electronic
universe and its impact on self-esteem.
7
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
RAJIV JOSEPH
R
ajiv Joseph is an American playwright and finalist for the
2010 Pulitzer Prize. Born June 16, 1974 in Cleveland,
Ohio, to an Indian father and an American mother, Joseph
spent his childhood in Cleveland before heading to Miami
University in Oxford, Ohio to earn a B.A. in Creative Writing.
After college, he spent 3 years in the Peace Corps, living in
Senegal, Africa, just north of the Gambian border. “Being in
Senegal, more than anything else in my life,” Joseph said in the
LA Examiner, “made me into a writer. It was my primary form of
therapy.” Upon completing his Peace Corps service, Joseph
moved to New York to pursue his writing career. He received his
MFA in Dramatic Writing from New York University in 2004. His
first play, Huck & Holden, premiered at the Cherry Lane Theatre
in New York City in 2005. His Pulitzer Prize nominated play,
Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo, opens on Broadway in March
2011 staring Robin Williams. In addition to playwriting, Joseph
also teaches in the Expository Writing program at NYU.
“
Being of mixed race and of Indian
descent has influenced my writing,
but just as any part of one’s identity
can influence their creative work.
”
“
Being in Senegal, more than
anything else in my life, made
me into a writer. It was my
primary form of therapy.
”
From the Los Angeles production of Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo
Photo: Ringo H.W. Chiu / Los Angeles Times
8
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
THREE QUESTIONS WITH RAJIV JOSEPH
T
heatreWorks Dramaturg Vickie Rozell sat down
with playwright Rajiv Joseph to talk about the
process a play goes through, from the first idea
to the first workshop to the world premiere.
Where did you get the idea for the show?
I attended Cleveland Heights High School in
Cleveland, Ohio. That high school was and is
enormous. There are a series of underground tunnels
that stretch throughout the high school and, rumor has
it, out into surrounding blocks. Many of these were
blocked off with gates. Additionally, after over a year
at that school, while walking up a back stairwell that I
had never been in before, I peered through a window
in a door and saw a pool. We had another huge pool—the
South Pool—on the other side of the building, but I was
astounded that after being at the school that long, I had never
known there was another pool, on the second floor. I asked
someone about it, and they told me it was The North Pool.
The point being, my high school has always owned a mythic
quality in my eyes. I still dream about it, being lost in it, and
being surprised that it's bigger than I thought. Places that
change you, that stay in your dreams—those places are always
bigger than you thought.
When did you start writing the play?
I started writing this play five years ago. The story has changed
dramatically with each rewriting. It began as a two person play
(the same two people as are now in the play). It expanded to a
6 person play. Then went back to two. Then it went to 3
characters. And now, finally it is back to two again. But the story
now, and the story 5 years ago, are utterly different.
How much changed during TheatreWorks' New Works Festival
last summer? Any examples? (cut sections? Added sections or
speeches?)
I used the festival to make the play one scene. It was several
scenes in the prior draft. I suddenly felt that this was necessary,
and it was.
“
My high school has always
owned a mythic quality in my
eyes. I still dream about it,
being lost in it, and being
surprised that it's bigger than I
thought. Places that change
you, that stay in your dreams—
those places are always bigger
than you thought.
”
Any other major changes that have occurred any time in the
process? (additional characters cut? Other locations? etc.)
We are two weeks from going into rehearsals, and there are
several changes I still want to make. I love using the rehearsal
process—the interactions with actors and the director—as a
time to continually learn more about what I have written, and
who these people are. I like writing. I love rewriting.
9
AMERICA, POST 9-11
THE ROOTS OF STEREOTYPES
A
merica's relationship with the Middle East has long been a
complicated one, even before the terrorist attacks in New
York City on September 11th, 2001. In the 1990s, the
United States, along with a United Nations collation of 34 other
countries, fought against Iraq in the Gulf War. After the terrorist
attacks on 9-11 the relationship became even more complex and
the United States went to war with Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq
in 2003. During this time there was a shift in America and around
the globe. Security everywhere, in America and abroad, became
paramount and identifying threats and those we consider to be
the "other" became the focus. It is in a world of heightened
security that Rajiv Joseph set his play The North Pool. In a New
York Times interview, Joseph said that, "after 9-11, [he] saw such
sweeping anti-Islamic sentiment here…Being American, at home
and out in the world, became something to write about."
“
In 2001, the enemy was not a single
country but a shadowy group of
terrorists who came from many
nations. Because all of the suspected
terrorists were identified as Arabs or
Muslims, many people viewed every
Arab, every Muslim, and sometimes
every foreigner with suspicion.
”
~Facing History and Ourselves
Because there was no one person to blame, many people simply applied the negative attributes of a select few Arabs
and Muslims to the entire population of the Middle East. This sort of stereotyping (placing a label on an individual or
judgement about him or her based on the characteristics of the group) is called racial profiling. Like all stereotypes,
racial profiling identifies that which is considered "other,” often assigning negative attributes to anyone we deem
“different."
Martha Minow, a law professor from Cornell University, says, "when we identify one thing as unlike the others we are
dividing the world; we use our language to exclude, to distinguish—to discriminate." Not only since 2001 but nearly
every time in the past 100 years we have sought to increase the protection of Americans on American soil, some
people have looked to racial profiling as a means to bring about increased safety:
l
l
l
During World War II, 110,000 Japanese immigrants and Japanese-American citizens were interned in
California, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington.
In the 1940s and 50s, suspected American communists were "blacklisted" and unable to get work.
After the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995, the Immigration and Naturalizaiton Service was
authorized to deport immigrants based on secret evidence.
David Cole, a Georgetown law professor, points out, "guilt by association and ethnic profiling encourage sloppy
intelligence gathering and impede security efforts."
10
AMERICA, POST 9-11
ACTIVITY: THE ROOTS OF STEREOTYPES
An ethnic group is a distinctive group of people within a country and who share a cultural heritage. Ethnicity can be
the basis for feelings of pride and solidarity. But, like race, it can also be the basis for prejudice and discrimination.
A prejudice has the following characteristics:
l
l
l
It is based on real or imagined differences between groups.
It attaches values to those differences in ways that benefit the dominant group at the expense of minorities.
It is generalized to all members of a target group.
Discrimination occurs when prejudices are translated into action. For example, a person who says that all Mexicans are
lazy is guilty of prejudice, but one who refuses to hire a Mexican is guilty of discrimination. Not all prejudices result in
discrimination and some are positive, such as all Asian’s are good with math. But, whether positive or negative,
prejudices have a similar effect—they reduce individuals to categories or stereotypes. A stereotype is a judgment
about an individual based on the real or imagined characteristics of a group.
Read the essay on the following page. Then, discuss the following questions with a partner or small group. Record
your answers below:
Jeanne claims that even stereotypes that say good things about a community can be harmful. How did they
affect the way she felt about herself? How did they affect the way she felt about other people, especially her
fellow students?
What are some of the stereotypes about a group (ethnic, religious, or other) that you belong to? How do they
affect the way you view yourself and other people?
Is social segregation a problem at your school? If so, what could you do about it?
from Facing History and Ourselves
11
AMERICA, POST 9-11
ACTIVITY: THE ROOTS OF STEREOTYPES
Jeanne Park is an Asian-American student at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. In this essay, she reflects on how
stereotypes have affected her own life, and those of the people in her community.
Who Am I?
F
or Asian-American students, the answer is a diligent, hardworking and intelligent young
person. But living up to this reputation has secretly haunted me. The labeling starts in
elementary school. It's not uncommon for a teacher to remark, "You're Asian, you're
supposed to do well in math." The underlying message is, "You're Asian and you're supposed to be smarter."
Not to say being labeled Intelligent isn't flattering, because it is, or not to deny that basking
in the limelight of being top of my class isn't ego boosting, because frankly it is. But at a
certain point, the pressure became crushing. I felt as if doing poorly on my next spelling
quiz would stain the exalted reputation of all Asian students forever. So I continued to be an
academic overachiever, as were my friends. By junior high school I started to believe I was
indeed smarter. I became condescending toward non-Asians. I was a bigot; all my friends
were Asians. The thought of intermingling occurred rarely if ever.
My elitist opinion of Asian students changed, however, in high school. As a student at what
is considered one of the nation's most competitive science and math schools, I found that
being on top is no longer an easy feat. I quickly learned that Asian students were not
smarter. How could I ever have believed such a thing? All around me are intelligent,
ambitious people who are not only Asian but white, black, and Hispanic.
Superiority complexes aside, the problem of social segregation still exists in the schools.
With few exceptions, each race socializes only with its "own kind." Students see one another
in the classroom, but outside the classroom there remains distinct segregation. Racist lingo
abounds, leaving many confused, and leaving many more fearful than ever of social
experimentation. Because the stereotypes are accepted almost unanimously, they are rarely
challenged. Many develop harmful stereotypes of entire races. We label people before we
even know them.
Labels learned at a young age later metamorphose into more visible acts of racism. We all
hold misleading stereotypes of people that limit us as individuals in that we cheat ourselves
out of the benefits different cultures can contribute. We can grow and learn from each
culture whether it be Chinese, Korean, or African-American.
from Facing History and Ourselves
12
THE MIDDLE EAST
UNDERSTANDING THE REGION
T
he North Pool is the story of a high school student from
the Middle East living in America. In his conversation with
Vice Principal Dr. Danielson, Khadim Asmaan's ethnic
background becomes an important topic of discussion. Born in
Damascus, Syria, Khadim spent an extended period living in the
Saudi Arabian city of Riyadh. Riyadh is the capital of Saudi
Arabia and is the largest city, with a population of 7 million
people. In the city, as in all of Saudi Arabia, Islam is the most
widely practiced religion. In fact, in Saudi Arabia, non-Muslims
are prohibited by law from practicing their religion in public.
Saudi Arabia shares a border with both Jordan and Iraq and is
the largest Arab country in the region. It also has the largest oil
reserves in the world and is the world's largest exporter of oil.
Saudi Arabia is also considered the birth place of Islam and
home to its two holiest sites—the Masjid Al-Haram mosque in
Mecca and and the Masjid Al-Nabawi mosque in Medina.
Although Khadim spent a large amount of his childhood in Saudi
Arabia, he considers himself Syrian. Syria is also a country in the
Middle East, bordering Turkey, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan, and Iraq.
It has a long history, dating back to the second century BC when
the Romans controlled the area.
The capital of Syria is Damascus, also known as the “City of
Jasmine.” According to archeologists, people have been living in the area since between 8,000 and 10,000 BC. The
city is designated as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site
for being “an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a
culture, or human interaction with the environment.” Present day Syria has been the focus of controversy, as they are
part of a 50 year old dispute over land with Israel. In 2006, Syria and Israel engaged in a 34-day military conflict over
the land, resulting in many deaths and injuries.
Kingdom Tower in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
The Great Mosque of Damascus, Syria
13
AMERICA, POST 9-11
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Take this short quiz about Arab Americans. Afterwards, discuss your answers with your classmates. Did everyone have
similar answers? Did everyone have different answers?
SHORT ANSWER
1. When you hear the term “Arab,” what words or images come to mind?
2. List three countries from which Arab Americans have immigrated.
1.
2.
3.
3. Name a prominent person of Arab descent for each of the following fields:
POLITICS
ENTERTAINMENT
SCIENCE
SPORTS
4. List 3 words with Arabic origins.
1.
2.
3.
TRUE OR FALSE
1.______________Most Muslims in the U.S. are Arab Americans
2.______________Arab Americans live most in urban areas.
3.______________Most Arab Americans speak a language other than English in their
homes.
from the Southern Poverty Law Center at teachingtolerance.org
14
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
“THE TWO AMERICAS”
A letter from Ashleigh Hill, TheatreWorks for Schools Programs Manager.
I
was 14 when I first went to public school. Coming from a school of just 300 students total, I found myself in a school
where the freshman class alone was 400 people. It was immediate culture shock. It felt like my universe, the world I
knew about, had expanded over night. The first week was rough and confusing but it was nothing compared to the
second week. The year was 2001 and September 11th was the second Tuesday of the school year. Before then, my
understanding of the world around me was limited to the happenings of my small home town. The attacks on
September 11th brought the scariest part of the world slamming into my consciousness. America, the seemingly safest
place in the world, was now vulnerable and all of us living there became vulnerable as well. There were 3000 miles
between my house and New York City, but that day everything suddenly felt much closer. I felt small. Before 9-11,
tragedies like this always happened somewhere else. They were "over there" and since I was "right here" I wasn't in
danger. The attacks on September 11th proved that wasn't true. Now, nearly 10 years later, I find it hard to remember
what life was like before 9-11. I remember it in bits and pieces and things always seemed much simpler than they are
now. After 9-11, things became infinitely more complex and complicated. I often feel like I live in 2 Americas,
separated by a huge, dark chasm.
Here are the beginnings of my collage of the two time periods.
Create your own collages in the activity on the next page.
19861996
POST
9-11
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COMPARE AND CONTRAST
ACTIVITY: COLLAGE
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Do research on two recent decades: 1986-1996 and September 2001-2011.
Create collages that encompass each time. These collages might include clips from newspaper articles, images
of sports teams, quotes from people who were born or died during the period, movie posters, images of
politicians, album covers, etc.
Once you’ve have created a collection of images from each time period, chose one of the two decades and,
based on the images and quotes you researched, do a quick write about the material you’ve chosen.
1) list ideas about a person that might live in or with this material.
2) write down some of the thoughts that this person might be thinking.
3) think of a situation that this person might be in because of the material.
Create a monologue from your quick write. A monologue is a speech given by one person.
Share your monologue with a partner and do some rewriting if necessary.
Present your monologue to the class. Once you are done, pass around the collage that inspired your
monologue.
As a class, compare and contrast collages. What is similar in each collage? What is different? Does each
time period have a certain focus? What can we learn about the time period just from these collages?
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BULLYING & PEER PRESSURE
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
T
he North Pool tells the story of a young Syrian boy navigating his way
through high school in America. At the center of this story is a secret
about a female classmate, Lia Winston. Pushed into a corner through
peer pressure and bullying, Lia feels there is no way to escape the situation in
which she finds herself. Sadly, this sort of story is not uncommon in American
high schools. Many teens feel pressure from their parents about how they
should do in school, pressure from their friends and peers about how they
should behave, and even pressure from the media about how they should act
and look. This sort of pressure is called peer pressure and it is a form of bullying. Dan Olweus, creator of the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, defines
bullying as "being exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on
the part of one or more other persons….He or she has difficulty defending
himself or herself [from these negative actions]."
There are many types of bullying:
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Verbal bullying including derogatory comments and bad names.
Bullying through social exclusion or isolation.
Physical bullying such as hitting, kicking, shoving, and spitting.
Having money or other things taken or damaged.
Being threatened or forced to do things.
Racial bullying.
Sexual bullying.
Cyber bullying (via cell phone or internet).
People who are bullied often experience depression, low self-esteem, health problems, poor grades, or suicidal
thoughts and these effects can last long into their future. If you have ever been bullied, you aren't alone. A study done
by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation showed that 83% of girls and 79% of boys
report having experienced some form of harassment in their schools and 58% of students indicated that this
harassment was physical. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that, in a study of 16,000
American 6th-10th graders, nearly 60% indicated that they'd been subjected to rumors and almost 56% reported
that they'd been hit, slapped, or pushed.
connections: after the show
Lia Winston goes to extremes to be accepted by her peers. She cavalierly gives
up her body, having sex with multiple students, to gain acceptance among her
peers. Unfortunately, she ends up simply being used by the other students at
the school. Knowing how her story unfolds, what things would you want her to
know? In 2 pages or less, write a letter to Lia, giving her any information you
think she should have had before going to the ravine. Be specific in your
advice."
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BULLYING & PEER PRESSURE
RESOURCES
B
ullying and peer pressure exist everywhere, no where is immune. If you ever find yourself a victim of bullying
know that you aren't alone. There are places to get help, even if all you need is someone to talk to. Below is
more information on where you can seek help and advice.
Stop Bullying Now!
The US Department of Health and Human Services offers movies, games, and information about bullying and how to
prevent it.
More at http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/
PACER Center's Teens Against Bullying
The National Bullying Prevention Center at the PACER Center has resources on how to spot bullying, how to spot it,
and what you can do.
More at http://www.pacerteensagainstbullying.org/
Youth Frontiers
Youth Frontiers is a non-profit organization that works with schools to make more positive school communities.
More at http://www.youthfrontiers.org/
Eyes on Bullying
Eyes on Bullying is a tool kit to help parents and caregivers of school age children address bullying.
More at http://www.eyesonbullying.org/
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
Dan Olweus is one of the leading experts in bullying prevention. He designed a program for schools to address and
prevent bullying.
More at http://www.olweus.org/public/index.page
The Ophelia Project
The Ophelia Project serves youth and adults who are affected by relational and other non-physical forms of aggression,
giving them tools, strategies, and solutions.
More at http://www.opheliaproject.org
i-SAFE
I-SAFE is a non-profit foundation dedicated to educating and empowering youth to make their internet experience
safe and responsible.
More at http://www.isafe.org/
Ryan Patrick Halligan Memorial
A memorial website for Ryan Patrick Halligan, a 13 year old boy who committed suicide after being the victim of cyber
bullying. Information on cyberbullying, laws, and additional resources are available.
More at http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.org
Hopeline
The Kristin Brooks Hope Center runs the National Hopeline Network, a 24/7 crisis hotline, 1-800-SUICIDE. Information
and resources for veterans, college, students, spanish speakers, and more is available.
More at http://www.hopeline.com/
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REDEMPTION & FORGIVENESS
ACTIVITY
T
he North Pool ends on a note of forgiveness. But what exactly does
that mean? The dictionary defines forgiveness as:
1a: to give up resentment of or claim to requital for
b: to grant relief from payment of
2: to cease to feel resentment against (an offender)
In pairs, talk about the act of forgiveness:
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When have you seen an act of forgiveness in your life?
Have you ever said, "I'm sorry" to someone? Was it hard
or easy?
Have you ever received an apology?
How did accepting an apology feel?
Take a poll:
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How many students felt forgiving was easy? How many hard?
How many students felt receiving forgiveness was hard?
How many felt it was easy?
Tally the results and then discuss them. What do we know about forgiveness
based on the class’s responses?
connections:
Read the lyrics to Redemption Song by Bob Marley. As a class,
discuss the idea that forgiveness could mean freedom. Why?
What other ideas do you think are contained in this song?
Hand out Post-It notes. Write one or two sentences or phrases
about a moment in your life where you saw or experienced
forgiveness or unforgiveness. Write an impression, a sound,
some words that you heard or said.
Put these Post-Its in a hat and have each student pick a note
and, in popcorn style (at random), have the students read out
their Post-It note creating a poem as a class. Discuss the poem.
What words or phrases stood out during the reading? Did the
poem evoke any emotions or images?
If there is time, split the class into small groups and have them
create spoken word pieces or raps using the lines they pulled
from the hat. Present these to the class.
Redemption Song
by Bob Marley
Old pirates, yes, they rob I;
Sold I to the merchant ships,
Minutes after they took I
From the bottomless pit.
But my hand was made strong
By the hand of the Almighty.
We forward in this generation triumphantly.
[Chorus:]
Won't you help to sing these songs of
freedom?
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery,
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look? Ooh!
Some say it's just a part of it;
We've got to fulfill the book.
[Chorus:]
Won't you help to sing these songs of
freedom?
'Cause all I ever have:
Redemption songs,
Redemption songs.
Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery,
None but ourselves can free our minds.
Have no fear for atomic energy,
'Cause none of them can stop the time.
How long shall they kill our prophets
While we stand aside and look?
Yes, some say it's just a part of it,
We've got to fulfill the book.
Won't you help to sing these songs of
freedom?
'Cause all I ever had:
Redemption songs.
All I ever had:
Redemption songs.
These songs of freedom,
Songs of freedom.
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UNDERSTANDING THEME
WORKSHEET: REDEMPTION & FORGIVENESS
A
t the end of The North Pool, both Khadim and Dr. Danielson face an
important choice—do they continue to blame themselves for Lia
Winston’s death or do they begin forgive themselves? The ability to
forgive, especially in times of grief, is often difficult.
Read the following excerpt from the Project Happiness Handbook. Here,
Aaron, a student from the U.S. reflects on the book Man's Search for
Meaning by Vicktor Frankl. Then, write a response to Aaron’s paragraph.
Do you think you could do what Vicktor Frankl did? Why or Why not?
What can Khadim and Dr. Danielson learn from Vicktor’s example?
Even in the incredibly inhumane and horrific situations there is always some
potential for self-realization and unbelievable good. That thought always
surprises me, no matter how many times I hear it. Viktor Frankl was a Nazi
death camp survivor, yet after this horror, Frankl was not a broken man of
lost faith. He somehow realized a new human potential in the midst of such
despair. He makes me consider the possibility that even in the most
devastating conditions, there is great opportunity for the human spirit.
In his book, Man's Search for Meaning, he brings forth the notion that even
though we cannot choose our circumstances, as conscious humans we have
the ultimate power to decide our reactions to those circumstances. Granted, it takes a remarkable person to realize
this when staring at hopelessness in the face, but the thought that it is possible can give hope and sustain one's faith in
humanity. In reading his story I saw that even in the bleakest circumstances, with the right response, we can still find
our humanity and ultimately happiness.
from www.projecthappiness.com
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RESOURCES
AND ADDITIONAL READING
Baghdadi, George. "New Era in U.S.-Syria Relations?" Breaking News Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World
News - CBS News. 15 Jan. 2001. Web. 21 Jan. 2011.
Cole, David. "Liberties in a Time of Fear." The New York Times 25 Sept. 2001. Print.
Gorov, Lynda. "Afghan Community in Fremont Angry, Uneasy." The Boston Globe 24 Sept. 2001. Print.
Green, Andrew. "Why Syria Is America's New Target." Latest News, The Guardian. 17 Apr. 2003. Web. 02 Feb. 2011.
"Harassment Free Hallways: How to Stop Sexual Harassment in Schools." American Association of University Women.
2002. Web. 20 Jan. 2011.
"Identity, Religion and Violence: Us and Them | Facing History and Ourselves." Facing History and Ourselves. Web. 19
Jan. 2011. <http://www.facinghistory.org/node/269>.
Inskeep, Steve. "Young Muslim Americans Struggle with Identity." NPR News: Morning Edition. NPR. 14 Sept. 2006.
NPR : National Public Radio. Sept. 2006. Web. 20 Jan. 2011.
Lineger, Maria, and Randy Taran. Project Happiness Handbook. 2009. Print.
Minow, Martha. Making All the Difference: Inclusion, Exclusion, and American Law. Ithaca: Cornell UP, 1990. Print.
Monji, Jana. "Talking to the Man Behind the Tiger: Rajiv Joseph - Los Angeles Theater Reviews | Examiner.com."
Examiner.com. 13 June 2009. Web. 10 Jan. 2011.
Nasel, PhD, Tonya R., Mary Overpeck, DrPhD, Ramani S. Pilla, PhD, W. June Ruan, MA, Bruce Simons-Morton, EdD,
MPH, and Peter Scheidt, MD, MPH. "Bullying Behaviors Among US Youth." The Journal of the American
Medical Association 285.16 (2001). The Journal of the American Medical Association. Web. 20 Jan. 2011.
Tan, Safa Suling. "The Muslim News." The Muslim News. 24 Nov. 2006. Web. 20 Jan. 2011.
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