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Chance Carmichael
Mrs. Perkins
English IV Enhanced
10 March 2008
Teaching Lessons Throughout the Ages
Thesis: Modern teen dramas nearly mirror Geoffrey Chaucer’s affectation to convey moralistic lessons and realistic characters.

I. The morals and lessons found in The Canterbury Tales and teen dramas.
A. Morals that are discussed in The Canterbury Tales.
1. “The Pardoner’s Tale” denounces avarice and reckless rebellious living.
2. “The Wife’s Tale” introduces an early idea of equal rights; politics.
3. Other topics that are conveyed by The Canterbury Tales.
B. Morals that are discussed in teen dramas: Degrassi: TNG, The OC, and My So-Called Life.
1. Rape, greed, cheating, homosexuality, etc. The topics covered.
2. Used as educational devices for today’s teens.
3. Morals that mirror those taught in The Canterbury Tales.
C. Although times have changed, morals are generally the same.
1. Degrassi and MSCL are used to help teens cope with problems.
2. The Canterbury Tales was written to educate on morals and denounce hypocrisy and immoral behavior.
3. Both offer lessons and have the potential to affect those who read it.
II. The characters of The Canterbury Tales and teen dramas.
A. The Canterbury Tales’ realistic characters are described in a way that makes them realistic.
1. Their introductions in the prologue. Cite examples: The Wife of Bath, Squire, and Pardoner.
2. The variance of classes and types of people in the work.
3. Their different outlooks on society in the age.
B. Teen dramas’ characters are made to remind viewers of themselves and to invoke affection from the audience.
1. The stock characters that inhabit teen dramas and their sometimes hypocritical actions and thoughts.
2. The opening credits are kind of like the prologue to The Canterbury Tales.
3. The character-centric episodes of teen dramas focus on one character to develop and follow.
4. There are various viewpoints and thoughts on subjects discussed. Cite examples: pregnancy, adultery, etc.
C. The characters are meant to symbolize the viewers and readers.
1. Chaucer was said to have been inspired by his own tribulations and encounters in life.
2. Teen dramas’ characters are meant to act, talk, and make decisions like real people.

III. Literature was the popular culture of the middle ages.
A. The Canterbury Tales’ amount of readers over the years.
B. How many people view television.