Q You refer to the idea of a “group mind”. Can you expand on that?
A. It’s the collective unconscious mind of the class, and is perhaps the most unifying tool in building community. We enjoy our community by envisaging the same happy and interesting things together. I remember that last year Pringle Man had become a kind of actual occupant, a logo or brand, of that particular class. He was almost a student!
Q. Why do you think that happened?
A. I could see that the students saw and identified with every detail of Pringle Man’s face, his limbs, the expression, and the dominant orange of his Pringle body and his little stick arms and little bowler hat and trimmed mustache. The kids knew who was in his family and what foods he liked and didn’t like. Some knew his catch phrase. Pringle Man’s wife had even made cameos in certain stories.
Q. Why is the group mind idea so powerful?
A. I suppose it has to do with the idea that they are making something greater than themselves as individuals. Small details that we consider minor can be matters of supreme importance to the students. The body of the lion just has to be blue and the head yellow. The character just has to live in Texas. It is absurd to even think that the character might live in New York. It just has to be that way in their story. Who knows why?