The Road Lesson Plan

Cormac McCarthy's Language

Kind of Activity:

Classwide Discussion

Objective:

To recognize McCarthy's unique stylistic choices and analyze their significance in the narrative.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.4; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.5

Structure:

Discuss McCarthy's language choices with the class. Ask what they have noticed about his dialogue and his descriptions. Draw students' attention to the way the narrative changes between flowery, poetic description (especially of dreams or landscapes) and terse, practical action and dialogue.

Some questions to guide discussion include:

- Is the contrast in writing styles jarring?

- Why do you think...