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Ted Brady
Eng 475
7/14/05
Lesson Plan for Teaching Nadine
Gordimer's Town and Country Lovers
Overview:
The lesson is meant to familiarize a community college
level class with Nadine Gordimer's Town and Country Lovers in
the context of the acts of apartheid. The lesson will analyze
Gordimer's depiction of racist legislation at its most intimate
levels. The class will investigate the ability of the text to
weave a political agenda into the form of a romance story.
Student Goals:
1. Identifying the short story as a medium for political debate
- Ability to critically analyze how politics affect on Gordimer's
love story.
- Ability to critique depictions of power and compliance.
2. Identifying Gordimer's political themes
- Investigation of authoritarian systems versus human intimacy.
- Investigation of gender under strict social and political
rule.
- Race in terms of intimacy and domination (intimately and
socially).
Resources
Class Plan (1 hour)
1. Brief overview of apartheid history (15min)
- Examination of general law.
- Examination of Gordimer's experience with apartheid.
2. Textual discussion of theme (20-25 min)
- Analysis of apartheid as used in Gordimer's fiction as seen
through power versus intimacy. How do political agendas infect
all aspects of society? How does intimacy undermine political
regimes?
- Textual examples of apartheid's effect on race and gender.
The white male "colonial" versus the black "native".
- Analysis of the romance story as medium of political discussion.
How does a familiar medium serve to ease political ideas into
the reader's conscious? How does the story remain neutral
while emitting a scathing review of apartheid?
3. Open discussion (15 min)
- A discussion produced based on the personal relationship
students had with the story.
- Introduction to Extension assignment.
Extension
Outside activity: "Meet My Oppressed friend."
- Students will generate a 3-4 page introduction to a fictitious
friend. Introduction should incorporate the narrator or the
"friend" discussed as an oppressed individual. Student
should include the various activities the pair enjoy doing,
while incorporating this friendship in light of apartheid.
Research should be shown regarding the regulations of apartheid.
Furthermore, the introduction should show the ability of fiction
to relay political ideas. While the exercise easily exposes
the convoluted nature of the apartheid atrocity, students
will also be able to relate to Gordimer's depiction of such
an atrocity as a daily situation. Excepts from apartheid resources
will be available to class. (See resources below).
Assessment
- Students will be able to exemplify their understanding based
on the Extension activity and participation. Above average
responses should include a thoughtful use of historical detail,
mixed with carefully chosen uses of fiction in their Extension.
Both story and history should appear familiar to student.
Web and Print Resources
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