The "I Wish" Song....

This morning I was listening to one of my favorite NPR podcasts, This American Life and today's episode gave me an idea for a great writing lesson. 

 NPR: This American Life: Episode  #259 : Promised Land

In the prologue, Ira Glass explains to the listeners about when he told his sister, a film executive at Disney, that he thought the movie Snow White was old fashioned and seemed like an opera.  She corrected him and said no that what Ira was hearing was the "I Wish"song. The first song that defines the characters purpose, passion, and motivation. I had never thought of this before! He referenced quite a few examples of the first songs.

Snow White -  I'm wishing-- I'm wishing-- for the one I love--Today. I'm hoping-- I'm hoping-- and I'm dreaming of, the nice thing-- the nice thing-- you say-- you say.

Little Mermaid - I want to be where the people are. I wanna see, wanna see them dancin'. Walking around on those-- what do call 'em? Oh-- feet!

Quasimodo

Safe behind these windows and these parapets of stone. Gazing at the people down below me. All my life I watch them as I hide up here alone. Hungry for the histories they show me. All my life I wonder how it feels to pass a day. Not above them, but part of them. And out there--

Dorothy

- Somewhere over the rainbow, way up-- There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby.

These songs sung by the main character could be an excellent mentor text. It made me think about using this same idea when writing a story. Why not have your students start with the idea of a song or an event that defines their character. Or if they are working on a memoir why not start in the same way. Critically analyzing the "I wish" songs of movies that your students are most likely very familiar with would be helpful in tying the same ideas to their own writing.