Response to Jen Widrig's Truth-Telling
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Jen Widrig, my friend from college (and fellow teacher, and a writer, and a parent) has just posted a good piece about telling kids the truth on her blog here. I thought I'd share a similar (but less fraught) incidence of some truth-telling tonight.
Tonight, while we re-watched an episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender (great show, by the way), Noah asked why the camera cut away from a fight scene right in the middle just because the protagonist flew away.
"Well," I said, "because this is third person limited narration."
Paige burst out laughing. "Noah, your dad is such an English teacher."
"What I mean," I explained, "is that this episode is Appa's story, so when Appa leaves we follow him."
"Oh."
"Can you say 'Third person limited narration'?" I asked.
"'Third person limited narration'," he said.
"There. Now you know something that I teach to 9th graders, and you're only five. Not bad, eh?"
He nodded. "Not bad."
Tonight, while we re-watched an episode of Avatar: The Last Airbender (great show, by the way), Noah asked why the camera cut away from a fight scene right in the middle just because the protagonist flew away.
"Well," I said, "because this is third person limited narration."
Paige burst out laughing. "Noah, your dad is such an English teacher."
"What I mean," I explained, "is that this episode is Appa's story, so when Appa leaves we follow him."
"Oh."
"Can you say 'Third person limited narration'?" I asked.
"'Third person limited narration'," he said.
"There. Now you know something that I teach to 9th graders, and you're only five. Not bad, eh?"
He nodded. "Not bad."