Mr. Wolfgang Allen: A Superhero Who Does What’s [Write]
Written by Don Allen as an exemplar for 7th grade English and the unit: The Marvel and DC Universe through the Lens of Postmodernism. Students took the following steps to complete their superhero origin stories.
Beginning (Describe how your character started as a normal person.)Before he ever picked up a pen, Wolfgang Allen was a quiet boy growing up in a small flat above a bookstore in London. He loved words but didn’t realize they could be powerful. He read everything, from comics to cookbooks, because reading made the world feel less confusing. Teachers noticed he was a thinker, but his writing was always rushed and full of errors. He often asked himself, “Why does writing matter?”
Then one day, something changed.
Middle (Describe the event that changed them.)
On a rainy afternoon, while cleaning out the bookstore’s attic, Wolfgang found an old journal that belonged to his grandfather, a teacher and writer during World War II. Inside was a message scribbled in ink:
“If you can write it clearly, you can understand it. If others can read it clearly, they can change the world.”
That message hit him like lightning. That night, Wolfgang wrote his first full story, start to finish, in complete sentences. As he wrote, he noticed something unusual: the words on the page began to glow. The clearer he wrote, the brighter they got.
He discovered that writing was his power.
On a rainy afternoon, while cleaning out the bookstore’s attic, Wolfgang found an old journal that belonged to his grandfather, a teacher and writer during World War II. Inside was a message scribbled in ink:
“If you can write it clearly, you can understand it. If others can read it clearly, they can change the world.”
That message hit him like lightning. That night, Wolfgang wrote his first full story, start to finish, in complete sentences. As he wrote, he noticed something unusual: the words on the page began to glow. The clearer he wrote, the brighter they got.
He discovered that writing was his power.
Climax (Describe how they decided to use their powers.)
Years passed. Wolfgang traveled from London to the United States, teaching students and adults how to write with purpose and power. He used writing not just to teach, but to unlock confidence in others. In classrooms, prisons, and refugee camps, his pen became a tool of transformation.
He wore no cape. Instead, he carried a leather-bound journal and a pen called The Clarifier. With it, he helped others turn their messy thoughts into strong paragraphs. Mr. Wolfgang Allen realized that if he taught people how to write clearly, they could find their voice, and voices could change systems.
Years passed. Wolfgang traveled from London to the United States, teaching students and adults how to write with purpose and power. He used writing not just to teach, but to unlock confidence in others. In classrooms, prisons, and refugee camps, his pen became a tool of transformation.
He wore no cape. Instead, he carried a leather-bound journal and a pen called The Clarifier. With it, he helped others turn their messy thoughts into strong paragraphs. Mr. Wolfgang Allen realized that if he taught people how to write clearly, they could find their voice, and voices could change systems.
Resolution (How does the world see them now?)
Now known as Mr. Wolfgang Allen: A superhero who does what’s ‘write,’ he’s admired across the globe. People say he doesn’t just fight injustice with words, he teaches others how to do it too. Hundreds of his students have gone on to college, become journalists, activists, and teachers themselves. His greatest victory? Showing the world that writing is a superpower.
Wherever someone struggles to find the right words, Mr. Wolfgang Allen appears, with a notebook, a listening ear, and the power to help them believe in their own story.
Exit Ticket Question:
How did you use science, your creativity, and your identity to design a superhero that breaks traditional rules and represents modern ideas about power, justice, or society?
"I used science by imagining how the brain lights up when writing clearly, how clarity activates understanding. I utilized creativity to transform writing, often overlooked, into a global superpower. I used identity by portraying Mr. Wolfgang Allen as someone who, like many students, once struggled but became powerful through learning and teaching. This superhero breaks traditional rules by showing that power isn’t about punching, it’s about thinking, expressing, and inspiring change through writing."
Now known as Mr. Wolfgang Allen: A superhero who does what’s ‘write,’ he’s admired across the globe. People say he doesn’t just fight injustice with words, he teaches others how to do it too. Hundreds of his students have gone on to college, become journalists, activists, and teachers themselves. His greatest victory? Showing the world that writing is a superpower.
Wherever someone struggles to find the right words, Mr. Wolfgang Allen appears, with a notebook, a listening ear, and the power to help them believe in their own story.
Exit Ticket Question:
How did you use science, your creativity, and your identity to design a superhero that breaks traditional rules and represents modern ideas about power, justice, or society?
"I used science by imagining how the brain lights up when writing clearly, how clarity activates understanding. I utilized creativity to transform writing, often overlooked, into a global superpower. I used identity by portraying Mr. Wolfgang Allen as someone who, like many students, once struggled but became powerful through learning and teaching. This superhero breaks traditional rules by showing that power isn’t about punching, it’s about thinking, expressing, and inspiring change through writing."
Comments
Post a Comment