Classic tales in a modern setting

1. Choose a title character from a classic story. (eg. Dracula, Spiderman, King Arthur).

2. Search and explore the different ways the story has been told (eg film, stage, book, tv, comic, etc)

3. Spend some time considering what the central struggle or quality of that character is (eg. wanting to be accepted, living up to the responsibility of being a hero, searching for glory and legacy etc)

4. Brainstorm all the ways in which you relate to that central struggle in your day-to-day life. This might be easiest done in a conversation with friends? (eg. I want to be accepted, so I sometimes put filters on my selfies to get more likes).

5. Write a short story where your chosen character acts in the same way as you, in a modern setting, to overcome their central struggle or embody their main quality. (eg. Dracula joins Instagram to become more relatable and accepted).

Collage and assemblage

Designer Meg Rollandi is inspired by works of collage and post-modern assemblage in her work. Have a go at creating your own collage or assemblage that relates to the themes in Don Juan (or the short story you wrote in the previous activity).

1. Brainstorm the central themes or ideas of the story.
   

2. Find images and everyday objects to use in your creation. These could include (printed imagery from online, magazine clippings, photos and posters, or objects from home or the classroom)
   

3. Consider what objects and images represent the central themes of your story.
   

4. Deconstruct these objects, and put them back together to change their initial meaning or purpose to align with your central theme.