The Heart of the Matter Lesson Plan

Understanding Race in Heart of the Matter

Kind of Activity:

Classwide Discussion

Objective:

Setting up difficult discussion parameters.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.3

Structure:

As a class, make a list of the "types" of people in these first chapters of the novel. What roles are open to white people? Black people? People of other races? Is there a gender role breakdown, and what is it? Does language indicate power, and why?

The first chapter of Heart of the Matter contains words that we consider racist -- the N-word being the most obvious. Do you think Greene meant for this word to be cruel and racist? Which characters use it and why?

Allow...