Thomas Comma

Gr 6 Up—Originally written by poet Martha Baird as a radio play, The Comma That Didn't Belong Anywhere, this animated video about a comma looking for the right sentence is a literary example of aesthetic realism, the philosophy of the fight going on in every person. A person desires to like the world but also holds contempt toward it. Thomas, a comma, has ambition but doesn't feel that he belongs anywhere. That makes him sad. Because he is somebody, he won't become part of a sentence until it's the right one. He looks inside himself and realizes that if he wants to find a place, he needs an organized approach to finding it. He shuns modern literature and turns his nose down at newspapers and magazines. One day he awakens and realizes that his ordeal has made him a better comma. The hand drawn animation is simple but appropriate for the story line. Thomas, a plain black comma with an adult voice, shows his many emotions through facial expressions and body movements. Colorful scenes of different locations add interest level as Thomas searches for his proper place in life. This film, directed by Ken Kimmelman, offers a mature, metaphoric look at an individual's search for his proper place in life and the philosophy of aesthetic realism.—Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL