From Han to Hamlet, the Force fuels a new way to master learning skills

Danny Andrews

Danny Andrews

I, like many of the students here at SDSU, have taken Mastering Lifetime Learning Skills. The intelligent and friendly Angie Rime taught my section, and my classmates and I learned many new and interesting ways to help us through this treacherous section of life called college. I owe much of what I have accomplished in class to the lovely Ms. Rime.

However, I have recently stumbled on a ridiculously easy method that no one seems to be using. I have taken it upon myself to inform the masses of my miraculous discovery. I bestow unto you the “Star Wars” Guide to Learning.

I may have let it slip in the past that a certain galaxy far away holds a special and dear place in my heart. With that love comes a fascination with the movies and characters. Now I can harness that fascination and supposed “wasted time” for the pursuit of higher education.

We all know that learning anything can be easier if we have a reference to work from. With math, you build up your skills in algebra and geometry to solve physics. In mechanics, previous work on single-stroke engines may give you a platform to view a four-cylinder. What I propose to do is relate everything to Star Wars.

Earlier in the year, I noticed similarities between these trilogies with another trilogy of pirate-themed adventures. “Star Wars” is a classic tale, told in a futuristic setting. Using the archetype of all the characters, it is so simple to find correlations in any piece of literature or history report.

Let’s begin with an example of Hamlet. Easy. Hamlet is the tale of a young prince whose father dies and he must defeat the intruding Uncle Claudius to reclaim his kingdom. Hamlet is Luke, who must avenge the death of his father, Anakin Skywalker. The intruding uncle is Darth Vader, but in the sense that Obi-Wan said Vader killed Anakin, not in the literal sense of Anakin being Vader. Right.

Queen Gertrude is Leia, who is being pursued by Vader (Claudius) for the stolen plans (the kingdom of Denmark). Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are C-3P0 and R2-D2. The threat of invasion of the Norwegian army led by Fortinbras is the danger that the Empire and their leader, the Emperor, will capture and destroy the Rebellion should the plans (kingdom of Denmark) be lost.

That’s just the start. I can honestly go anywhere. I haven’t even mentioned Lando, Han or Chewie. If pressed, I bet I could find a parallel to Yoda, Boba Fett and even Jar Jar Binks. And the beauty is, with all the Expanded Universe materials that “Star Wars” has to offer, I bet I could even find the schematics of a lightsaber and relate it to the electric dynamo.

Give me a year or two and some federal grant money, and I guarantee that I can make an intuitive and simple process out of learning with “Star Wars.” I could hawk my wares at high schools, secondary schools and universities around the nation. Who knows, maybe someday, I could compete with Angie Rime for her job.