Lisa M.
Barker, Column Editor
Stormy Hope with
aSide of Feathers:
Embodied Talk and
Emily Dickinson
Beth Murray
The University of North Carolina
at Charlotte
emurra17@uncc.edu
Spencer Salas
The University of North Carolina
at Charlotte
ssalas@uncc.edu
In an era of multimodality where
research says literacies are richly
plural and stretch far beyond
the linguistic and auditory to
include the visual, gestural, and
spatial, the Socratic dialogue
circle, with all its advantages,
frames intellect as exclusively in
our heads and mouths. Valuable
discussionm eaning-m aking
between people emerges from
all sorts of physical and social
classroom interactions. One such
interaction is a performed, choral
interpretation, when a group of
students enliven a text orally with
movement. For English language
arts (ELA) classrooms working
on text- based talk, an in- class,
choral interpretation of a liter-
ary text requires deep individ-
ual and social meaning- making
and can serve as a scaffold toward
whole- class discussion. Catalyz-
Copyright 2017 by the National Council of Teachers of English. All rights reserved
EJ_May_2017_C.indd 101
Under Discussion:
Teaching Speaking
and Listening
ing spoken words with embodied
commerce widens the circle of
participation and deepens class-
room discussion. This dynamic is
especially true in classrooms that
marginalize English language
learners not by cognitive ability,
but by discussion formats reliant
exclusively on spoken, academic
language.
Correlations exist between arts
experience and academic achieve-
ment (Catterall and National
Endowment for the Arts 24), as
well as between arts-based learn-
ing and enhanced brain function
(Jensen 71; Sousa 222). Theater
has long proven a productive
scaffold for traditional (Clements
and Fiorentino 182; Walker et
al. 11; Wilhelm 61) and multi-
ple (Schneider et al. 14) literacies.
With these colleagues, we forward
embodied arts-based text explora-
tion as a tool for meaning negotia-
tion in ELA classrooms.
Applied theater structures can
be used to deepen thought and
speech about texts and include
reluctant participants by taking
on texts physically. Such embod-
ied engagement emerged when a
class of high school juniors cho-
rally interpreted an Emily Dick-
inson poem, Hope is the thing
with feathers - . Choral inter-
pretation, used alongside other
applied theater strategies, becomes
a discussion tool in conversation
with school- privileged literacies.
In the sections that follow, we out-
line three improvisational theater-
based explorations of Hope.
Three Improvisations
In taking up Hope is the thing
with feathers - as an embod-
ied discussion catalyst, we inter-
twined talk with process- based
improvisation strategies. Our goal
was for students to converse with
the poem and each other bodily
and verbally. What sort of talk
might gesture and movement
generate before, during, and after
the activity?
Floating Hope
Looking at the poem and in par-
ticular the evocative first and
title line Hope is the thing
with feathers -that perches in the
soulwe divided the class into
groups of five, giving each group
an inflated balloon. Groups col-
laboratively floated the balloon as
long as possible using only their
bodies fingers and foreheads
mostly, some using knees, toes,
and even breath. This challenge
framed students to focus physi-
cally on the verb float, together,
without words. They played with
metaphor, literally.
English Journal 106.5 (2017): 101103 101
5/4/17 1:52 PM
 Stormy Hope with aSide of Feathers: Embodied Talk and Emily Dickinson
The groups discussed and strat-
egized over the challenge. We
added other balloons, if the group
was able. Each group assigned one
member as observer to write
specific verbs, particular sounds,
and vivid images describing the
hope- floating challenge. After a
few minutes, observers shared and
compared. We continued, sans
balloons, with students panto-
miming the floating- motions as
specifically as possible. Students
selected a three-second movement
sequence from their pantomime
exploration and repeated it in a
loop. They continued their move-
ment, adjusting intensity based
on a number calledone being
subtle and ten being larger-than-
life. We repeated the process from
the beginning againfirst with
a ping-pong ball, then a feather,
rotating new observers in each
round.
The observers and then par-
ticipants shared. The discussion
over three rounds evolved from
rudimentary how- tos to layered
synthesis and abstraction. Nina
explained early on, for example,
When we tried to keep that
feather in the air, it only stayed up
when we dropped it at a certain
angle and fanned it with a folder.
Later, linking to the poems title,
Micky explained, It was harder
than I thought . . . more difficult
than the balloon. Kinda frag-
ile and high maintenance, but
strong, too. It surprised me, but
if I think about life, hope is like
that. Not easy. Micky made text-
to-self and text-to-world connec-
tions, rooted in metaphor and
action. In Dickinsons poem, met-
aphor figures centrally. Rather
than emulate metaphors in writ-
ing, we concretized metaphor
102 May 2017
EJ_May_2017_C.indd 102
exploration in play with embed- Dickinsons words, encouraging
ded discussion. both vocal (repetition, volume,
echo, rate, silence, etc.) and physi-
cal (space, gesture, tableau, levels,
Choral Texts
gaze, etc.) strategies. While gen-
Following physical explorations, erating these lists, we revisited
we read Dickinsons poem aloud observer notes from the feather
in whole group. Students reread exercise as an idea source.
alone and annotated, underlin- Each group planned, rehearsed,
ing three important words or and shared a choral interpretation
ideas, placing a ? by two parts of assigned poem lines. Figure 1
for collaborative interrogation. In includes an example of one groups
small groups, students compared devising and rehearsal process,
words and answered each others based on the adjacent poem.
questions. Each group posed one Through this exchange, students
question to the whole group and use solo and shared voice, gesture,
solicited responses. We intro- and space to interpret Dickin-
duced choral reading and brain- sons poem. For instance, when
stormed interpretation tools for Nina reads and never stopsat
FIGURE 1. Embodied Dialogue-Poetry Text Comparison Chart
Students Small-Group Interactions Dickinsons Poem
LOU: Hope is trapped in the storm. (Enfolds Hope is the thing with
arms, drops head.) feathers -
MICKY: Closed in kinda. Like this? (Mirrors That perches in the soul -
LOU.) And sings the tune without
(LOU peeks. Pause.) the words -
LOU: But its fierce. Hope is fierce. Er . . . at And never stops -at all -
least I think it is? Do youor maybe I . . . And sweetest -in the Gale
MICKY: (Looks at poem.) Yeah, OK. I see it -is heard -
BEN: No. And sore must be the storm
(LOU and MICKY drop gestures, and turn to That could abash the little
BEN.) Bird
LOU: Oh, sorry. Seemed like that to me. That kept so many warm -
Hope is gentle, but strong, too. Ive heard it in the chillest
MICKY: Both. It is. Second stanza. land -
NINA: (Reading) Sore must be the storm. And on the strangest Sea -
Feisty bird. Yet -never -in Extremity,
(LOU, MICKY, NINA face BEN.) It asked a crumb -of me.
BEN: I meant yeah. To that. I get that. We
were still on the transition.
RENAE: Say it again. Please. The never
part.
NINA: (Reading) and never stops -at all -
(BEN and RENAE sweep arm gestures,
echoing NINAs cadence.)
RENAE: and never stops (flicks fingers on
raised arm) at all
NINA: I like that.
BEN: (Practicing finger flick) Lets do it all
together and see.
5/4/17 1:52 PM

all, Ben and Renae gesture and
speak in response, echoing audio
cues from Ninas vocal moods and
rhythms, as they cyclically discuss
and revise their interpretation.
The communication and meaning
making happens across modes of
expressionarts-based differenti-
ation with multiple access points
and scaffolds embedded.
After each performance, stu-
dents responded to questions
(e.g., What did you see? What
did you hear? What else did you
sense? What impression did this
leave? What was vivid? What
was confusing? Why?). When
performers intentions and audi-
ence members perceptions mis-
matched (e.g., You were trying
to be a bird?), we reframed the
work as a multimodal conver-
sation between artistic creation
and observing respondents, rather
than a game of charades honing in
on a right answer. This whole-
class discussion analyzed several
texts: the poem, the choral inter-
pretations, and audience feedback.
Following this debrief, all groups
re-performed their excerpts con-
secutively, bringing to life the
whole poem and incorporating
feedback.
iStock.com/Boonchuay Promjiam
Beth Murrays current work as an assistant professor of theater education at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte
rests on years as a literacy-based classroom drama specialist, teaching artist, arts-program development manager, and play-
wright/deviser. She teaches courses in applied drama/theater pedagogy, theater for young audiences, and arts integration.
Spencer Salas is an associate professor of education at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He was a 200810
Cultivating New Voices among Scholars of Color fellow and is a lifetime member of NCTE.
EJ_May_2017_C.indd 103
Under Discussion: Teaching Speaking and Listening
Circle Up by whole- group reflection; and
(5) consecutive small- group re-
In a circle, each student shared
performances incorporating feed-
one word crystallizing something
back and revision.
important about this explora-
This sequence maps easily onto
tion. Instead of a pre- specified
other poetic texts. If a teacher chose
order, students spoke as they were
Edgar Allan Poes The Raven, for
moved to do so.
instance, the opening activity could
Lou: Fragile. center on movement inspired by a
Nina: Strength. haunting music clip to suggest set-
Ben: Hope. ting and mood, and activities two
Renae: Cooperate. through five could flow similarly.
Micky: Playful.
However teachers adapt this lesson
to suit their own texts and goals,
Other contributions included
we encourage them to trust that
feather, listen, float, revise, invisible,
the unexpected is to be expected in
dance, vulnerable, fun, scary, endure,
art and discussion. This work is at
and moving. After the last student
once fragile and vital, much like a
spoke, we asked: What patterns
thing with feathers.
did you hear? Did anybody take
your word? Any contradictions or Works Cited
surprises? How does this poem
Catterall, James S., and National
matter after 150 years? The ensu- Endowment for the Arts. The Arts
ing discussion referenced the poem and Achievement in at- Risk Youth:
Findings from Four Longitudinal Stud-
and other knowledge sources.
ies. National Endowment for the
Students addressed and ques- Arts, 2012.
tioned one another, exhibiting the Clements, Rhonda L., and Leah Fioren-
tino, editors. The Childs Right to Play:
talking to learn teachers imagine
A Global Approach. Praeger, 2004.
when discuss appears in a lesson. Dickinson, Emily. 254 Hope is the
thing with feathers -. Original Text,
the Manuscript Books of Emily Dickin-
Possibilities son in Volumes. Belknap Press, 1981.
Jensen, Eric. Arts with the Brain in
In sum, this lesson included the Mind. ASCD, 2001.
following segments: (1) a play- Schneider, Jenifer Jasinski, et al. Pro-
cess Drama and Multiple Literacies:
based activity physically explor-
Addressing Social, Cultural, and Eth-
ing a big idea, imbued with safe ical Issues. Heinemann, 2006.
risk and reflective talk; (2) inde- Sousa, David A. How the Brain Learns.
pendent reading and annotation Corwin Press, 2011.
of a complex text; (3) small-group Walker, Elaine M., et al. Contribution
of Drama- Based Strategies. Youth
devising and rehearsal of cho- Theatre Journal, vol. 25, no. 1, 2011,
ral interpretation, using voice, pp. 315.
movement, and text; (4) small- Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. You Gotta BE the
Book: Teaching Engaged and Reflective
group performances of choral Reading with Adolescents. Teachers
interpretations, each followed College Press, 2008.
English Journal 103
5/4/17 1:52 PM
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