The Curse of the Jade Scorpion: Hypnosis, Unusual Situations

This is Woody Allen's funniest movie, in my opinion. This scene is great and it is very nice to talk about unusual experiences and hypnosis.

I. Work in pairs Check the alternatives in which you believe is true about hypnosis.

1. It is a form of mind control

2. It is capable of taking over other people's free will.

3. It is brainwashing.

4. It is capable of controlling a person's behavior and judgment.

5. It is caused by the hypnotist's power.

6. Hypnosis is possible only upon weak-minded individuals.

7. Hypnosis is used to treat obesity, anxiety, depression, phobias, fears and habits, such as quitting smoking.

8. Hypnosis is used to alleviate the pain associated with cancer and other chronic illnesses.

9. Hypnosis is used to alleviate the pain associated with cancer and other chronic illnesses.

10. Hypnosis is also used in dentistry to decrease anxieties and make patients feel more comfortable with the dental experience.

11. Hypnosis is used to treat skin diseases.

12. Hypnosis is used in the educational field to increase memory and learning capacity as well as focus and energy.

13. Hypnosis is also used to improve self-esteem and confidence.

II. Divide the class in two big groups. Group 1 reads the text in blue and group 2 reads the text in red. taken from the amazing, resourceful site- Hypnosis Fact and Fiction - from Articles Base - The Free online Articles Directory

I will start by addressing the misconceptions of hypnosis and tell you WHAT HYPNOSIS IS NOT. Hypnosis is not a form of mind control despite its portrayal in movies as such… you know, the guy dressed in the black tuxedo with big, bushy eyebrows that can swing his pocket watch as a pendulum before people’s eyes to make them cluck like chickens upon the snap of his fingers… No, hypnosis is not capable of taking over another’s free will. Hypnosis is not brainwashing and is not capable of controlling a person’s behavior and judgment. Hypnosis is not caused by the hypnotist’s “power”, as this would allude to the possibility of “mind control” of which there is no hard scientific evidence. It is also a big misconception that hypnosis is possible only upon weak-minded individuals. In actuality the ability to enter a hypnotic state has nothing to do with one’s intelligence. The hypnotic state can be reached by any individual through self-hypnosis techniques however the ability to be hypnotized by an outside party (hypnotist) is dependent more upon genetic factors. Neither is hypnosis dependent upon individuals with vivid and overactive imaginations.

Now I will delve into what hypnosis is and real world applications of hypnosis. There is a plethora of ways in which hypnosis has been and still is used today in treating mental, physical and social problems. Hypnosis is used to treat obesity, anxiety, depression, phobias, fears and habits such as quitting smoking. Hypnosis is used to alleviate the pain associated with cancer and other chronic illnesses. Hypnosis is also used in dentistry (hypnodontia) to decrease anxieties and make patients feel more comfortable with the dental experience. Hypnosis is used to treat skin diseases through a practice known as hypnodermatology. Hypnosis is used in the educational field to increase memory and learning capacity as well as focus and energy. Hypnosis is also used to improve self-esteem and confidence. Altered states of consciousness such as relaxation, meditation and sleep have been achieved through hypnosis.

III. Each student from group 1 pairs up with one student from group 2. They tell each other what they read and check the answers to exercise I.

IV. Watch the movie segment from one of Woody Allen's funniest movies The Curse of the Jade Scorpion and answer the questions that follow.

1. Describe the scene.

2. Which items in exercise II apply to the segment?

3. According to the reading you have just done, do you think the hypnosis is real? Explain it.

4. Do you believe it is possible to hypnotize someone like it happened in the segment? Why (not)?

5. Would you like to be hypnotized? Why (not)?

6. If you could be hypnotized, what would you like to happen?

7. In your opinion, is hypnosis really possible? Why?

MOVIE SEGMENT DOWNLOAD - THE CURSE OF THE JADE SCORPION