Twilight. Harry Potter. Hunger Games. Nowadays it seems like fantasy and dystopia are all the rage. Why? They toss people out of the real world for a bit, and let's face it—math homework doesn't seem so bad when you're focused on figuring out who Voldemort will kill next. Sometimes life is hard, and temporarily jumping out of it gives us just the break we need to deal with reality. News flash: Steve can't snuggle up with Eragon while he's on trial, but he's got to find a way to deal with his reality… especially since he's living his worst nightmare.
Questions About Versions of Reality
- Is writing the screenplay a way of avoiding reality for Steve, or does it help him cope? Does it do a little bit of both?
- What do you use to escape reality—fantasy books, video games, fencing practice, a time machine? Are there ways in which your escape is like a screenplay?
- Do you feel Steve's screenplay provides an objective or overly biased perspective of the case?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
Writing a screenplay feeds Steve's brain-juices and helps him understand his life and motives.
If O'Brien read Steve's screenplay, she would believe in his innocence.