The Andrea Dialect Experience Test Study:
How To Train Your Dragon Part 1 & 2
I’ve always been the kind of gal that when watching a movie or before the opening credits roll by, I want to know how things are gonna end up. I also love to chop the movie apart and figure out the plot and ending. So, I spend a few precise moments, in the beginning, trying to figure it out. Here in this space, you’ll get the rundown before it goes down, so beware….
I don’t recall exactly how I stumbled into this movie, making it a project. But I think I just stumbled across the movie and made it project because none of my go-to’s are fessing up to it. Let’s just say that I saw it somehow, someway, and found it to be beyond intriguing and quite informative.
As watching “How To Train Your Dragon Part 1,” I immediately began seeing things that could be quite beneficial for the male psyche as life hacks and base motivation. Sort of like the ultimate utility knife & survival gear to chuck into those backpacks on that journey to progression. It has been tried and truly known that most of our learning has always been quite simple in nature. Movies such as these can support us in our lives, which makes advancing in this world a lot easier and more satisfying.
That is why as part of the “Andrea Dialect Experience,” I have always fostered The Kid in me Series into my work. Thus, this project was born. But I also wanted to be certain that my assumptions were on point before presenting it out there in those streets, so I handed it over to the Research Squad. Surprisingly I have to say that many of my only male participants insisted upon watching the movie twice, and they were quite adamant about that. Most were bent on just wanting to make sure they hadn’t missed anything; how cool is that?
Today’s Page Jacker, who happens to be my Granny Son, was already familiar with the movie. I asked Phenom to look at the movie from the assessment stance of an adult male. Gearing towards the hunt to find gems that could be utilized in his life. He was also to critique it as if it were any other film and not an animated child’s film script.
Check out the findings of this week’s Page Jacking participant Mr. Phenom. If you’re interested in participating in a test study or partaking in a project or an experience, send all inquiries to: localtalkandrea@gmail.com.
The Child In Me Series
Participant: Phenom (Age 17)
“About a year or two, I was at one of my friends’ houses, and they had it on, and I watched it. I’ve seen both Part one and two. I saw Part two first but, in Part one, the main character, Hiccup, wants to be like the rest of the tribe. He wants to be accepted. Now, that’s very common today. The movie also showed how your choices could affect the people around you. If I were to summarize it, I’d say that everyone meaning the charters in the movie being everyone told him that He should be a warrior and be more like his father. They wanted him to be like everyone else.
“What I got from it was He was a great craftsman, and the character was able to create something out of nothing pretty much. But that was the thing; he had so many quality skills and smarts. When everybody else was dead, set on the dragons being the enemy. Once again, he took his own path, realizing that they could be a friend or a partner. Sometimes taking your own path can also inspire others, so don’t be scared to walk your own. Even though it can be lonely as it was for him. And it was hard, you know, always being by himself because everyone else considered him weak. They thought that he couldn’t do anything. Sometimes taking your own path, being a leader, not a follower, can have a big impact on your life pretty much.
“The takeaway for me as a 17-year-old man is when considering my joining the Army, for instance, all my friends, when asked what they’re going to do, their goals are college, starting their own business, or saying something like that. They always asked me why do you want to join the Army? I tell them that I want the experience and to travel the world. Sometimes ya know, people may feel that’s kinda odd. Some people join because they have ulterior motives about what they think they’re gonna get. I’m thinking like you’re going for the benefits, not for who you’ll become? You may have a horrible time.
“That’s me shooting for another path, making my own way. I mean, my Mom may rather I go to college, I guess. They say college is a safer route. I don’t know; I don’t think college is the path for me, and just like the main character, Hiccup chooses his path, which led to his success. I’m hoping for the same thing (I, as his granny mom opting out of being the journalist, insisted that He rephrased that statement. No it’s going to be, ain’t no hope in it. I replied!)
“In the movie they kinda hated on him. But my friends never antagonize me about my decision. Even though my Mom wants me to stay. She’s been very supportive of my decision. I have to make my own choices in life; this right here is my first big step. I guess I’m taking it earlier than others. No one has tried to discourage me. Everyone has been pretty supportive, even though some see it as a little odd; why not go to college, why not go to trade school?
“A few ask about that, but at the end of the day, this is something that I want to do. Something I feel that I can get some much-needed tools for life from. But nobody’s too judgy about it. I do have support. My takeaways from these movies are more like relatable things. To be honest, I kinda already had that idea for myself, knowing what I wanted to do and how I picture myself. So I didn’t need the film to tell me that, but it was pretty cool to watch it in Hiccups experiences.
“Basically, I watched more as a critique than for lessons I’d learn or pick ‘up. Pick-ups were the relatable characters’ events and observing their lessons. If I were sitting with my little cousin Sincere, as you mentioned, I don’t think that I would forcefully guide him through the movie. But at the end, I would ask him if there were any lessons that he learned from it or any that he wanted to talk about.
“At the end of the day, I don’t know. I feel like guiding someone through something is a little cliché. No one really guided me through I had to pick up these lessons for myself. I learned from my mistakes. At the end of the day, me and Sincere are totally different people. To him, a lot could be totally relatable, but for me, not so much. Everyone’s different, and I feel that’s a problem that we have, people forcing ideas on you.
“Grandma, I get what you’re saying, too; it is good to point out stuff. But, usually, especially with adults, their issue is to point out stuff, and guiding is like you see that right there, learn from that. At the end of the day, these are children, and you should allow them to be open and keep their creativity. That’s why I never really had a huge interest in school because I felt that they were killing my creativity. But If I were to say something about school that I liked I’d say that my English class is my favorite thing.
“My teacher is one of those people I’ll respect my entire life. I have the highest respect for him, because he doesn’t force learning on you. He doesn’t just open up a book and tell you to read it and test you. We’re engaging in conversation, Like in class, everybody’s sitting and listening, and we’re talking about life and life lessons it’s like healthy for the soul, and it keeps you engaged. It’s not like he’s giving you useless information and opening up a textbook strong-arming you by saying, “You sit in a straight line, and shut up, and you read this book, and then you write an essay. But you have a choice; you’re an adult.
“You get to take the information and use it, and it’s not forced on you. He says that the people who sit and listen will get something they can use out of class. I like him because he’s a realist. He talks about the most uncomfortable and realistic things like racism and how people’s voices are being censored now. He’s not treating us like children. He’s treating us like young adults. It’s just like one big conversation. He says you can forget about the class if you want. If you don’t want to forget about it, he just wants us to engage and be open. He says that that’s the one thing people don’t do anymore. So he wants us to talk usually.
“Most teachers just want you to shut up, don’t talk, and just sit there. He wants us to learn communication skills and trade ideas, and challenge ourselves. Everybody likes him; I never met a teacher like him in my entire lifetime. I never really like reading books as part of the curriculum. It always felt impersonal and forced on me. His approach is you have an option. Don’t read the book because you have to but read the book if you want to. If you don’t want to read, put the book down. But if something catches you in that book, go ahead take it with you into the rest of your life. He doesn’t assign homework, but I really learn a lot from his class.
“You ask how I would conquer the dragon in my life. One dragon that I do want to conquer. It is when I know that I need to do something, and I don’t want to do it all. I want to conquer the dragon of lack of motivation. I’d also like to have a little more self-discipline. That is my other dragon – mastering self-discipline. I’m sure I will be able to Train my dragons. Perhaps I will be able to use some of the things I saw in “How To Train Your Dragon” to train those in my own life. Who knows? But as far as the movie goes, it’s a must-see that I’d recommend to anybody!”
Check out ‘The 50 greatest animated movies to watch as a family’ on that search bar (Google that), and be sure to submit your selections for the best-animated movies for the kids in us!
