š§ #188 - "I remember when I was your age and I was coming of age."
An Inneresting X Weekend Read collaboration.
Letās start with a deep dive into the coming-of-age genre: Mark Kermode looks at the conventions, but also points out the way that even with the specificity of time, place, and soundtrack, the framework of a coming-of-age story helps to make it widely relatable.
Greta Gerwigās no stranger to a Bildungsroman. Claire Diston looks at the conversation between Gerwig and Louisa May Alcott in adapting Little Women, and the way Gerwigās choices reflect the different expectations audiences have for the March sisters. Anna Hundert breaks down what makes the protagonist of Lady Bird unique, and how the film explores the in-between spaces of a coming of age story:
Christine instead grows independently from both Danny and Kyle, her two love interests in the movie; she isnāt a āmanic pixie dream girlā because no one is dreaming her into existence but herself.
Carpe diem with some perspectives on Dead Poets Society: Screenwriter Tom Schulman talks about the value of having the writer on set, and anecdotes about finding ways to bring out a performance from Robin Williams balancing his comedic and dramatic sensibilities. YouTube channel Moral of the Story looks at the use of ceremony in the film, contrasting the schoolās traditions with Keatingās attempts to get students practicing new rituals. Safaa Ali shares how including a screening of Dead Poets Society for high school students transformed an English class poetry unit into a lasting school phenomenon.
Spending some time with Moonlight, Marjorie H. Morgan considers the protagonistās shifting identities, and how the transitions from Little to Chiron to Black relate to the coming-of-age genreās search for identity. AndrĆ© Wheeler suggests the film has a ripple effect, increasing the visibility of Black queer stories in film and television. Jason Parham, Anupa Mistry, Cord Jefferson, and Patrick D. McDermott hold a roundtable on the impact of Moonlight both as a coming-of-age story and as a film that foregrounds Black characters:
[T]his is a black story that has nothing to do with the influence of white people ā [ā¦.] there aren't even any white characters. I really like the movieĀ 12 Years a Slave. I loveĀ Do the Right ThingĀ andĀ Malcolm X. But it always feels like a small victory to watch a dramatic film about black people that isn't about how black characters are responding to racism. I think those kinds of films are important ā anti-black racism is one of America's most protracted and intractable issues ā but I also think it's important that people of color be allowed to share all of our narratives, not just the ones in which white people serve as the catalyst for black people's reactions.
ā Cord Jefferson
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š Weekend Read X Inneresting
Want to spend some more time with great coming-of-age stories? In collaboration with Inneresting, this weekās Featured Friday in Weekend Read 2 has you covered.
Not only are the screenplays for the films mentioned in this weekās newsletter collected in the app, but youāll also see scripts for:
Aftersun
Booksmart
Dope
Juno
Superbad
The Fablemans
The Florida Project
And many more!
You can download Weekend Read 2 from the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and yes, you can now use the app with the Vision Pro.
ā±ļø Build your own Bildungsroman
Each week we post a comment thread for writers to meet up, cheer each other on, and put some words on the page with a Write Sprint.
Whatās a Write Sprint?
John wrote up an explanation, but hereās the short version: Set a timer for 60 minutes, close down all distractions, and do nothing but write until that timer goes off.
Sometimes thatās all it takes to get some momentum going with your writing: You set aside this time for writing and nothing else, so youād better use it!
Shout out to Aimee Link, Leslie, Brian Matusz, Mark Leiren-Young, and Elyse Moretti Forbes for sprinting with us last week!
Previously on Innerestingā¦
In case you missed it, in last issueās most clicked link Kate Berlin and John Early share the most uncomfortable eye contact ever in Samy Burch and Alex Mechanikās Family Dinner.
What else is inneresting?
Franklin Leonard on why itās important to see Luke Combs in awe of Tracy Chapman and sharing the audienceās joy of being in her presence.
David Moldawer talks about blockages, and when avoiding your āshouldsā keeps you from your āwant tos.ā
Adam Mastroianni suggests scientific and academic institutions need a new, transparent and open strategy to restore public trust.
And thatās whatās inneresting this week!
Inneresting is edited by Chris Csont, with contributions from readers like you and the entire Quote-Unquote team. Special nod to Drew Marquardt for this weekās coming-of-age collaboration!
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š£ Have ideas for future topics (or just want to say hello)? Reach out to Chris via email at inneresting@johnaugust.com, Mastodon @ccsont@mastodon.art, or Bluesky @ccsont.bsky.social
Post-Credits Scene
A reminder that while one character is out there coming-of-age, thereās other characters in their orbit that may not have the same freedom for self discovery.