Students in Dr. Nicole Pfannenstiel’s summer Games and Writing class crafted blog posts exploring play theory. Over the next several weeks, we will share their theory posts in this space to offer a variety of perspectives on play, games, and writing, written by current graduate students in the MA and M.Ed. English programs.
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What Is Play
by: Quinn Haldeman
Play theory is grounded in Johan Huizinga’s Homo Ludens, in which he writes, “But in acknowledging play you acknowledge mind, for whatever else play is, it is not matter” (3). The mind creates and responds to play in whatever form it takes. With this, there is a reflective aspect of play in which the mind considers, explores, and adapts to its surroundings and how they impact the self. Play is synthesizing the cultural ideologies within the world to better understand yourself, having the freedom to explore creativity and step outside the conventional world.
On a large scale, play is used to understand how different cultural views function within society. Play asks us to think about the systems influencing our world and reflect on our space within them. For example, students reenacting scenes from Romeo and Juliet must understand the world that Shakespeare was living in when writing the play. They escape their world of a ninth-grade English class to explore the beliefs, ideas, values, and behaviors of the fourteenth century through play. They can then begin to comprehend how this cultural ideology influences and connects to their world in the present, answering questions such as: “Why has Shakespeare stood the test of time?” or “Why does Romeo sound like a desperate high-schooler?”
When you learn what impacts the large-scale world, you can then begin to reflect on and understand the ideologies within your personal life. People take the experiences and ideas learned through play to reflect on who they are. The simple act of immersing yourself in a book can be viewed through the lens of play. Once the book is put down and you leave the play experience, you can take this inspiration to adapt your thinking regarding their values. Through play, an individual can leave the bounds of the real world to explore who they are and what is possible for them.
To experience personal growth, you need to have the freedom and creativity to experiment through play. Play allows people to find creative solutions to reach what is possible, which breaks the idea of simply following expectations given to strive for perfection. “Breaking the mold” is a common phrase used to highlight the need to challenge the norm and break barriers in order to be innovative. The television show Chopped requires chefs to disrupt their typical cooking routine by giving them random, unconventional items to include in a recipe. The most successful contestants are the ones who use the ingredients in creative ways that do not follow their typical use. The whole show uses play to highlight the unseriousness and innovation possible in cooking.
Play does not have a simple definition because it is fully intertwined within every aspect of life, on a personal and societal scale. Through the context of play, we can be experimental and explore possibilities that impact the real world, reflecting on who we are. The mind creates, propels, and reflects on play to create meaning within the world.