Thinking like Writers and Critics

Boys’ interests, values, and motivations are increasingly at odds with those of traditional classrooms. Video games, which have become an integral part of boy culture (Watkins, 2009), have the capacity to cultivate and develop literacy skills (Steinkuehler, 2010). This qualitative study thus investigates how adolescent boys play and learn within commercial-off-the-shelf game spaces. In particular, this paper reports on the study’s third phase and focuses on how narrative-driven games provide boys with safe platforms to think about and discuss literary moments. Findings suggest that players naturally analyze and critique the games’ narrative structures both during and after regular gameplay.