Lit Think Podcast

In this special holiday episode, Alicia and Sarah return to their love of the Muppets and classic literature in their discussion of A Muppet Christmas Carol . In a nostalgic conversation about watching the movie as children and now as adults, they look at the enduring nature of the classic tale and the surprisingly accurate and effective version presented by the Muppets. At the end of the discussi...

Alicia and Sarah return to their love of all things Marvel with their analysis of the movie Black Widow . They look at the history of women in the war narrative, the importance of family-like relationships, and the growing role of women in the comic book world. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up f...

Alicia and Sarah step outside of their literary comfort zone to talk about all things video games and the film Free Guy . They look at science, AI, free will, and discuss their new understanding of non-player characters. In the end, they prove that even a movie about a fictional video game can be full of analysis-rich layers. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been re...

Alicia and Sarah return to Stoneybrook for the second season of The Baby-sitters Club on Netflix. They reminisce about their own babysitting experiences, talk about young adolescence and the challenges of middle school, and highlight the importance of relationships through all of the episodes. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing ou...

Alicia and Sarah focus on their role as educators in the world of adolescence and the glorious angst that teens bring with them as they discuss the movie version of the Broadway hit Dear Evan Hansen . They discuss mental health, social media, and the changes that have occurred during both of their careers in regards to society's awareness and the way we talk about the issue of mental health. At th...

Alicia and Sarah celebrate Halloween by having fun with the 90s classic, Hocus Pocus . They discuss scary movies, the history of witches, and the power of family while looking at a film that has become an October tradition in many households, including Alicia's. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up...

Once again, Alicia and Sarah take on the Cinderella myth, this time with the new Amazon Prime release of Cinderella . They discuss the different Cinderella archetypes, gender roles, story adaptation, and the power of music in making an old story new again. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for th...

In an unapologetic love letter to Broadway, Alicia and Sarah gush about their newfound admiration for the hit musical Hadestown . They discuss Greek mythology, love stories old and new, and the power of music to make old stories come alive for a new age. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the...

Alicia and Sarah dive into music through their discussion of Taylor Swift as a singer/songwriter as portrayed in the Netflix documentary Miss Americana . They look at the development of her poetry and music and all the ways that she has grown into adulthood, taking on more complex themes in her music and challenging expectations in her public life. They also discuss the writing process as it is po...

Sarah gets back to her comfort zone as Sarah and Alicia dive into the world of verse novels, particularly focusing on Elizabeth Acevedo's Clap When You Land. They discuss air travel, family relationships, coming of age, gender, cultural differences, and how one work of YA fiction perfectly encompasses it all. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching,...

Alicia nudges Sarah out of her comfort zone as they tackle Maggie Smith's poetry collection, Goldenrod. They discuss the role of nature, family, self-discovery, and the various ways they approach the teaching of poetry in their classrooms. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the newsletter and...

In this back-to-school episode, Alicia and Sarah talk about the Netflix series The Baby-Sitters Club, based on the best-selling YA series by Ann M. Martin. They discuss the role of nostalgia, the importance of female relationships, and the Bechdel test. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the n...

Alicia and Sarah talk about the film Crazy Rich Asians , based on the novel with the same name. They discuss the importance of representation, the role of colonialism in literature, Jane Austin, and continue a previous discussion about Cinderella stories. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the...

Alicia and Sarah talk about the Disney film, Cruella. They discuss their love of dogs, the role of villains and complicating their narrative, and the nature of evil. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Editor's note: There were te...

Alicia and Sarah talk about the fourth season of The Handmaid's Tale , the first season of which is based on the book by the same title. They discuss gender, feminism, anti-heroes, revenge, and everything in-between. Praise be. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the newsletter and follow us on...

Alicia and Sarah talk through the young adult novel Cinder, a dystopian sci-fi retelling of the Cinderella fairy tale. They discuss the Cinderella trope, dystopias, pandemics, sci-fi, and post-apocalyptic literature in the 21st century. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the newsletter and fol...

Alicia and Sarah express their love for the NBC drama This Is Us and the complicated family narrative that it has always presented. They discuss the role of family and how it shapes us, the potential power of a delineated storyline, and the way the series has reshaped the concept of love story to show that love is ultimately a choice. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they'v...

Alicia and Sarah talk through the first season of HBO's Lovecraft Country , based on the book by the same title. They discuss the role of problematic literature and H.P. Lovecraft's undeniable influence on 20th-century sci-fi and horror fiction, racism in literature and the complicated history underneath, the effort to reclaim that history and the way the narrative is told, and the symbolism of ma...

Alicia and Sarah talk about the new film The News of the World , based on the book by the same title. They discuss the importance of truth versus sensationalism, the role of language and communication, the messiness of westward expansion and the complicated nature of that part of America's story, and redemption and healing. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been read...

Alicia and Sarah talk about one of their favorite classic films from the 1980s: The Princess Bride . They discuss the characters, the relationships, the role of the frame story, and the themes of revenge, identity, and love. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the newsletter and follow us on In...

Alicia and Sarah discuss their love for musical theatre and the joy that two seasons of Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist has brought into their lives. In addition to taking a position on the "Team Simon" or "Team Max" debate, they also discuss the themes of grief, healing, and imagination.  At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside...

Alicia and Sarah discuss their love for all things Marvel and the Disney Plus television show, WandaVision , discussing the role of storytelling and character development to explore the theme of grief throughout the nine-episode long first season. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the newslet...

Alicia and Sarah talk about one of their favorite English teacher movies: Dead Poets Society . They discuss the reasons for that love, the ways they have used it in the classroom, and the unrealistic expectations that the movie sets for English teachers. At the end of the discussion, they talk about the things they've been reading, watching, and analyzing outside of the classroom. Sign up for the...

In their first podcast episode, Alicia Drier and Sarah Styf talk about their teaching careers, their friendship, and their hopes for the podcast. Listen in to learn more about the women behind the mics and the way their English brains see everything they read, watch, and listen to. Bonus? They reveal the things that they should love as English teachers, but honestly don't. Sign up for the newslett...

Alicia and Sarah meet to talk about the core beliefs of Lit Think and relate them back to the hero's journey. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit litthinkpodcast.substack.com