Native Son Lesson Plan

The Humor of "Playing White"

Kind of Activity:

Group Discussion

Objective:

To examine how Wright uses humor to communicate status

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.11-12.6

Structure:

Have students break up into groups and discuss in detail Bigger and Gus' game of "playing white." Have them break down each example, noting where the characters are shown to be laughing and what that communicates to the audience. Students should keep in mind the state of the world in 1940 and the limits of Bigger's life, which we know a little about already, which might require some imagination. Do they imagine that both black and white audiences would have laughed at this...