Textual Poaching: Sisters

Artist/Teacher Statement:

One of my favorite parts of my identity is my identity as a sister. My sense of what it means to be a sister has evolved as I've gotten older. I remember watching movies like White Christmas and singing, "Sisters, sisters. There were never such devoted sisters..." with my own sisters. We'd dress up and act out different songs and scenes and argue about who got to be whom. I remember watching Parent Trap and being able to relate a little when Susan and Sharon would argue and do things on purpose to bother each as well as when they finally started to like each other and made plans together and conspired together. At this point, my definition of "sister" depended on biology. Although we were good friends, my sisters were my sisters because we had the same parents and that's what it meant to be a sister.

As I got older, I've realized that being a "sister" doesn't depend on biology and DNA. Being a sister means being a friend no matter what, "in all kinds of weather" as Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen sang, whenever, wherever, whatever, always and forever. It means late night chats, borrowing and lending clothes, Snapchat streaks, confidantes, and anything else we need it to mean. This has helped me broaden my definition of "sister" and I consider my closest friends to be my sisters as well. To be a sister is to share a connection with another woman that strengthens, comforts, encourages, and supports. I love being a sister.

I really like the idea of using an assignment like this in the classroom to help students think about their identity and how that identity has evolved and been shaped by media and other influences in their lives. I think it would also be interesting to use this as a way to study characterization and examine how characters' identities form, what they're influenced by, and how they evolve and progress through a play or a novel.