Leadership: Yes We Can, by will.i.am

We have just begun to touch on the topic of leadership. Tom Sawyer was our first glimpse of it, both bad and good. Many times leaders are defined by their ability to encourage. Take a look at this music video. It was inspired by a speech made by Mr. Obama in New Hampshire while campaigning to be president in January of 2008. Will.i.am, a founder of the music group the Black Eyed Peas, was so moved by the speech that he created a song using Mr. Obama's words as lyrics, mixed with celebrities who supported his campaign. What I want you to think about is how leaders inspire people. Whether it's "I Have a Dream" or "Yes We Can", there is no question that leaders can move people, for good... or for bad. If you think about Voldemort from Harry Potter or Hitler in World War II, you realize that they moved people also. The message is that the ability to lead is a natural gift, laden heavily with responsibility...

As we begin to read Watership Down, let's take this theme and really apply it to the story, as it will be key in completely understanding the author's purpose in writing the novel. First, let's determine who the leaders are. Then, sort them into categories based on this theme of Good vs Bad, using the specific examples we find as we read. Record your opinions and examples here as we progress through the story. This will be an ongoing conversation throughout the novel. Pay attention to each other's thoughts... build on each other's ideas... Let's understand this complex topic TOGETHER!