Project Synopsis
Students work together, cross-culturally, to analyze and interpret a short story in which a non-conforming or “social outsider” protagonist forges an identity for him or herself as a means of survival. Students in groups introduce themselves, establish community agreements, and assign members roles and tasks. Together, they create projects that examine culturally-specific attitudes towards non-conforming individuals as they are reflected in the literary works. Depending on the chosen text, students will explore challenges relevant to dominant patriarchal views on mental health, motherhood, gender expression/conformity, or sex work. As each of the protagonists resists imposed social constructs of identity and the limits on their freedom of expression, he or she works, as do the texts they inhabit, towards social change. Student teams create power point, podcast, or alternate media projects in which they present their story’s protagonist as an artist of the self who rebels against social pressures and creates a new identity. Each project will reflect on contrasting perceptions relevant to their protagonist’s particular struggle.
When taught in a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) context or a culturally diverse class setting, this unit provides opportunities for rigorous cross-cultural comparison of attitudes and values around topics important and relevant to students’ lives.
Stage 1: Big Ideas & Essential Questions
Established Goals/Content Standards
What relevant goals will this design address?
- Literary analysis & interpretation
- English language literacy
- Written expression
- Collaborative work
- Intercultural competency
Understanding(s)
What are the big ideas?
- Cultural attitudes can shape the way individuals perceive and understand social systems and challenges.
- These systems can be examined through a critical sustainability lens of relative environmental / social / economic thriving or (dis) advantage.
- Literature read through a sustainability lens is a powerful way to hinge fictions to real-world counterparts.
What specific understandings are desired?
- Students will come to understand that their colleagues may hold contrasting attitudes towards the themes or character choices (plot points) in the stories. This orientation may or may not be linked to cultural norms in their family/nation, etc.
- Students will learn how works of literature can impact cultural norms and values (“social function of art”).
- Through character models, students will understand that non-conformity and self-definition can be creative and empowering.
- Students will recognize and connect their own capacities as potential change agents to the characters in the stories.
- Students will become familiar with SDGs #3, 5, 10 & 11 and be able to connect these concepts and targets with specific details from the stories.
- Different culturally-informed conceptions, norms and values around mental health, gender expression, transnational migration, and sex work. These differences may occur within or between nations or broader (i.e. Spanish or U.S.) cultures.
- Understanding another’s perspective takes time and effort.
- Organization and clarity of expression are key for communicating ideas in a final project.
What misunderstandings are predictable?
- Assumptions about what others will think or do within one’s home group or on the partner group.
- Assumptions about the author’s perspective on what she wrote.
- An expectation that others will come to the same interpretation when reading fiction.
- A misunderstanding that “any” literary interpretation is viable (without adequate textual evidence.)
- Critical sustainability lenses may come across as “layered on” rather than deeply integrated into the analysis and interpretation.
- Students may attempt to determine and imitate the instructor’s attitude towards the subject matter as a means to achieve “success.”
Essential Questions
What provocative questions will foster inquiry, understanding, and transfer the learning?
Do you know anyone from your own life who reminds you of one of the protagonists from these stories? How so?
Growing up, what were your assumptions about gender roles and expression, mental health treatment, sex work?
To what degree does an individual have the freedom and capability to change their identity?
How does environment (urban, natural or other) impact capacity for resiliency, agency, and growth?
Do your fellow students’ attitudes and values around these target topics coincide with or diverge from your own?
Student objectives (learning outcomes)
By the end of this Artist of the Self project, students will:
develop their skills in literary analysis and critical thinking by practicing close reading.
improve their understanding of character development and narrative modes.
investigate literature as a representation of reality and as an arbiter of culture that can make a difference.
consider cultural differences between the United States, Curacao, and the Netherlands (depending on the chosen story) and increase inter-cultural competency.
examine literary protagonists as “social outsiders” and artists of the self in order to reflect upon culturally-specific attitudes towards non-conforming individuals.
increase their technological competency and digital professionalism.
sharpen their interpersonal communication and teamwork skills as they collaborate on a project.
Students will demonstrate these UNESCO’s Earth Charter learning outcomes:
What should learners eventually be able to do as a result of such knowledge and skill?
Students will demonstrate desired understandings….
Students will introduce themselves by acknowledging audience and considering what details will be relevant to their partners.
Students will collaboratively create community agreements for both operational and relational aspects of partnership.
Students will work pro-actively towards their partners’ understanding and check for comprehension of concepts. (Interpersonal competency).
Students will explore, interpret and present their culture’s attitudes towards key themes carry out a comparative analysis.
Students will perform close reading of textual passages.
Students will create a meaningful project that demonstrates social dynamics and value systems with respect to challenges in their story. (Systems-thinking & values-thinking competencies)
Students will reflect on their own participation and contribution in the group learning dynamic. (Intrapersonal competency)
Students will reflect on what they have learned about sustainability approaches, cultural norms surrounding the target topics, and their partners’ attitudes toward the shared activities.
Stage 2: Learning Activities
What activities, experiences, and instruction will lead to learning?
Learning Activities
- W= Where the unit is going?
- H= Hook and hold interest
- E= Equip all students
- R= Rethink and Revise their understanding
- E= Evaluate their work
- T= Tailored learning (personalization to needs)
- O= Organized to maximize engagement
W: This project increases skills in close reading, developing empathy, thinking from another's perspective
H: Themes relevant to students' interests and lives increase interest and motivate students. These include mental health treatment, gender (non) conformity, sexuality, resistance to social norms, and social / environmental / economic sustainability challenges
E: Students will have an introduction to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, a review of rhetorical terminology for analysis and interpretation, and a rubric for the assignment evaluation.
R: Reflection assignments at the beginning and end provide opportunities to build awareness about their own values competencies and determine any shifts in understanding.
E: Projects will be evaluated according to a rubric (see below) that assesses thesis, organization, presentation, analysis & interpretation, incorporation of (international) perspectives, collaborative participation in group effort.
T: Students will select and perform their role (from a list) in the group. Materials will be delivered in multiple modalities when possible (text, visual, auditory, etc.) according to Universal Design for Learning (UDL) protocols.
O: All class meetings will begin and end the projects. Students will post brief self-introduction videos on learning platform. During the project, students will frequently report on progress on Padlet or similar platform.
Texts (short stories)
- "The Yellow Wall-paper," Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892) "Why I Wrote the Yellow Wall-paper"
- "Paul"s Case: A Study in Temperament," Willa Cather (1905)
- "In a Window," Dionne Brand (1999)
Project Elements
- Pre-project survey
- Icebreaker self-introduction (on padlet)
- Create community agreements
- International team conversations and planning based on worksheet
- Group meeting with professors
- Creation of project, posted on padlet
- Reflection on project experience and others" projects
- Post-project survey
Project Assignment
Create a group project in which you present the protagonist (main character) of your story as an artist of the self who constructs a new, non-conforming identity for themself in order to survive and thrive (if only temporarily). Consider cultural differences in perceptions of your character's challenges as he or she rebels against society's norms and values with respect to mental health, motherhood, gender expression/conformity, or sex work, as relevant to your group's selected story/text. Conduct research and interviews to learn and share about how your culture represents non-conforming individuals who diverge from "normal" ways of being. In a narrated power point presentation of 10-15 slides, a podcast, a video (5-10 minutes), written essay or other medium (confirmed with your professor), present a thesis on how your main character becomes an artist of the self as a necessary act of rebellion. How would your character do in today's world or in an alternate culture? Be sure that each member of your group takes on a role and contributes to the final project. Read the project rubric carefully in order to understand expectations. Contact your professor right away, if questions or problems arise.
Steps in the creation of your project
- Initial characterization: describe your main character (Jane, Paul or Maya) in as much detail as possible. Follow the suggestions on the worksheet.
- Define your protagonist’s challenges as a “social outsider” or non-conformist within his or her own time and cultural setting.
- Using the Lee Anne Bell storytelling for social justice (2008) worksheet and your interview questions, discuss the concealed stories, resistance stories, and emerging / transforming stories embedded within your text.
- Research and discuss cultural representations of social phenomena, relevant to your short story: mental health, motherhood, gender expression/conformity, sex work. What aspects are celebrated and what aspects are condemned or stigmatized in dominant cultural representations? You may use popular media (advertisements, film) as well as scholarly sources, but there is no requirement to carry out extensive research.
- Consider the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals categories #3 Good Health & Well-Being, #5 Gender Equality & #10 Reduced Inequalities as they pertain to your short story.
- Explain what the protagonist does to create a new identity as an artist of the self and describe the consequences.
- Imagine the protagonist in different circumstances (e.g. year 2040 / in Tarragona, Spain / in an imagined future world, etc.) or with an alternate outcome so that you highlight the importance of cultural context.