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OCR
FIRST CYCLE Being loyal to your friends was clearly a central issue for the participants as it connects with the possibility of losing friends. One of the participants explained that “I never tell on my friends because I know ifI would tell on them they would not be my friends anymore and I don’t want to lose them”.°05 While the burning house triggered the participants’ imagination, opened questions and created motivation for exploring the story further, it was their connection to the extreme that tested their values. This is also visible from the fact that 50% of responses to the questions concerning the most important moment for them in the full series‘ was the situation where their promise to Joe was tested the most, i. e. the discussion with his Mother. It was a discussion with the class teacher about Joe and his Mother’s relationship that brought attention to another aspect of the extreme. The class teacher who observed the lesson raised the question in her reflections following the drama whether a story in which a mother asks her child to burn down a house is appropriate for 9-11 year old children.” When the participants were asked in the focus groups they clearly articulated that the story is right for their age-group. One of the girls said “when we are in the story we feel that it is completely fine for us. But if you are an adult watching it from the outside you might think it is too heavy”.°°® Another participant’s explanation also refers to the difference between fiction and reality, saying that “if it happened in reality then it would be too much, but if we are playing it and imagining ourselves into it then it is not a problem”.°° When asked specifically about the boy in the story setting fire to the house one participant said “that was good. It was needed”. Another interviewee explained: “because otherwise it would be boring.” And a third student summarised their point of view: “exciting things need to happen”.*° Among other things extremeness defines the story as fiction for the participants, and surprisingly offers safety as they clearly separate it from ‘real life’ and handle it as a created narrative. The participant saying “that was needed” marks the burning house as a dramaturgical device that makes the story exciting. When asked about what they think the boy in the story should do one of the participants said he should “go to the police station and explain what he’s done”, but another interviewee argued, saying “That’s not 605 Ibid. 6°6 Out of the 22 who filled in the questionnaire only 14 specified a moment, 7 wrote the situation with the Mother, 7 wrote 4 different moments. From those who did not specify a moment 5 wrote “everything” or “all of it” and 3 did not write anything. 607 CTR G3. 608 F G3. 609 Tbid. 60 F Gl. + 181 +
