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Teaching The Scarlet Letter: Engaging Students with the Text Ashley Shields SCED 419 Final Project Professor Adkins Spring 2010 Teaching The Scarlet Letter 1

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Teaching The Scarlet Letter: Engaging Students with the Text

Ashley Shields

SCED 419 Final ProjectProfessor Adkins

Spring 2010

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page 3: Introduction Page 4: Exploring Companion Texts

Page 6: Interactive Classroom Activities

Page 9: Independent Assignments

Page 10: Incorporating Other Media: Websites, Movies, and Music

Page 13: Conclusion

Page 14: Appendix A

Page 17: Appendix B

Page 19: Appendix C

Page 20: Appendix D

Page 22: Appendix E

Page 23: Appendix F

Page 24: Appendix G

Page 25: Annotation

Page 27: Bibliography

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 2

Teaching The Scarlet Letter: Engaging Students with the Text

INTRODUCTION

For decades Nathaniel Hawthorneʼs The Scarlet Letter has been a classic novel

most all young adults are required to read as part of their high school careers.

Unfortunately, students tend to remember the book with disdain—and for good reasons!

There are several obstacles for students when reading Hawthorne. The Scarlet

Letter was never intended for young adult readers; Hawthorneʼs audience was adults.

The writing style is dated; the setting and culture are unfamiliar; the themes of adultery,

revenge, and guilt are not ones to which students can readily relate. While The Scarlet

Letter is a classic text, when in the classroom the odds are stacked against it.

Despite this knowledge, a fundamental goal of reading The Scarlet Letter should

be that students have a positive reaction to and appreciation for the novel. As teachers,

it is not only our job to ensure students learn from the texts they read but that the texts

are approachable and engaging—The Scarlet Letter is no exception.

In todayʼs classroom, no medium is off limits when it comes to creating an

engaging and interactive reading experience. At our immediate disposal are literature,

films, songs, articles, and websites that assist in making The Scarlet Letter more

approachable, relatable, and engaging for students. Using a variety of tools and media

makes learning fun and interactive, while also leading to a host of activities geared

toward application and assessment.

The purpose of this chapter is to explore how to engage students with The

Scarlet Letter and ensure successful learning and reading experiences.

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 3

EXPLORING COMPANION TEXTS

One way to better engage students with The Scarlet Letter is to pair the novel

with companion texts. Incorporating young adult literature into a unit on The Scarlet

Letter can benefit students in two ways. Firstly, the companion novel can ehance a

studentʼs understanding of the text itself. Secondly, the companion text can bridge the

gap between students and the subject matter of The Scarlet Letter.

A companion novel that would benefit the studentʼs comprehension of

Hawthorneʼs classic is the graphic novel version, entitled Hawthorneʼs The Scarlet

Letter: The Manga Edition (Lin & Sexton, 2009). The graphic novel is a quick read,

comprised of comic-like drawings and dialogue bubbles that depict the classic novel in

true-to-text fashion. A great way to integrate the graphic novel with the classic text is to

assign corresponding sections of both readings. After completing an assigned reading

from Hawthorneʼs novel, students should turn to the graphic novel. The purpose of the

graphic novel in conjunction with the classic text is to supplement the gaps students

may have in comprehending Hawthorneʼs writing. The experience can be thought of as

reading a script before watching the film, because the graphic novel is simply a visually

appealing representation of the traditional text.

While the simultaneous reading of the traditional and graphic novels will help

students to increase their comprehension, it unfortunately will not enable students to

better relate to the characters and themes in The Scarlet Letter. Few student readers

can relate to Arthur Dimmesdaleʼs all-consuming guilt or the revenge Roger

Chillingsworth seeks. Furthermore, young adults are not experienced in the taboo

subject of adultery. Though some students may have experienced or know others living

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 4

through teen pregnancy, young adults are unlikely to relate to Hester Prynne as a

mother. Add to this the fact that the book is set in Puritan New England and students are

so far removed from the novel that it makes sense for students to dread reading The

Scarlet Letter!

But it is possible to use young adult literature to bridge the gap between students

and Hawthorne. One of the themes of The Scarlet Letter most relatable to students is

that of alienation. Hester Prynne is alienated from her society for committing adultery

and mothering an illegitimate child, especially after refusing to name the father involved

in her sin. Similarly, her illegitimate daughter, Pearl, is alienated from society simply

because of the way she was conceived. While students will not readily relate to the

characters of Hester and Pearl, most students can relate to the experience of feeling

ostracized.

A way to build upon this faint connection between students and the text is to

introduce a companion novel that deepens the alienation connection. A strong example

is Laurie Halse Andersonʼs novel, Speak (1999). Melinda, the protagonist of Speak, is

alienated by her peers after “snitching” on a party. What her classmates do not

understand, however, is that Melinda never intended to bust the party; she sought the

police to help her after a traumatic event—which her peers are unaware of . Without a

doubt, students will readily relate to the teenage Melinda and trials she endures while

being outcast at school. It is through Melindaʼs character that students can bridge their

own experiences with the events in Hawthorneʼs The Scarlet Letter.

Using companion texts, like graphic novels and Speak, will assist students in

achieving successful reading experiences.

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 5

INTERACTIVE CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

Incorporating engaging and critical-thinking based activities is an integral part of

successfully teaching The Scarlet Letter. As students move through the novel it is

important to keep classroom activities interesting and thought-provoking.

When first introducing The Scarlet Letter to the class, there are many ways a

teacher can create a fun learning environment to counteract studentsʼ natural lack of

enthusiasm for the novel. One tool is to generate student thinking by asking the class

about their prior knowledge of the book and their present beliefs on subject matter

contained in The Scarlet Letter. A second tool is to show students that Hester Prynneʼs

scarlet letter has become a symbol outside the novel and remains symbolic to this day.

In other words, when introducing The Scarlet Letter, the teacher should aim to make the

novel both relatable and relevant for the students. At the same time, classroom activities

should inspire creativity and be fun.

Making the book Relatable

In her article “Reading the Complex World: Students Approach The Scarlet Letter

from Multiple Perspectives,” Lorraine Cella (2002) offers excellent introductory activities

for the classroom. One introductory activity consists of questioning students about their

current beliefs.1 As Cella points out, it is important to connect students to the text and to

raise conscious awareness to the fact that “we bring to a text sets of notions and

assumptions based on our experiences” (p. 78).

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 6

1 Refer to Appendix A for an adapted version of the questionnaire and lesson plan.

Identifying peopleʼs beliefs before starting the novel not only forces students to

think about the important subject matter of the novel but gets students thinking about

what they are about to read and how they relate to the book.

Making the book Relevant

Students often wonder “Why do I have to read this book?” and question how a

given text fits into their world. In the case of The Scarlet Letter, the symbol of the scarlet

A remains a casual reference in our society, representing shame and the breaking of

moral codes. Readers can parallel The Scarlet Letter to todayʼs world by identifying

modern public figures shunned from society or ostracized from the community, much

like Hester Prynne in Hawthorneʼs novel.

The article “The New Scarlet Letter: Student Perceptions of the Accounting

Profession After Enrom” by Coleman, Kreuse, and Langsam (2004) examines how

college accounting students feel about the accounting profession after the scandal of

Enron.2 Since the scandal, the accounting profession in general has suffered and strives

to piece together its shattered reputation. Enron, and the accounting profession, can be

seen much like Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter—and both tote a scarlet “A.”

An excellent classroom activity,3 after reading the Enron article, is to have

students think about public figures today that have suffered from scandal, like adultery,

and pay the price by being ostracized from the community. After researching and

sharing modern public figures relatable to Hester Prynne, students should consider

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 7

2 Detailed in the article for students, Enronʼs reputation was forever ruined after the company filed for bankruptcy and admitted to overstating “profits by $600 million” (Coleman, Kreuze, Langsam, 2004).

3 Refer to Appendix B for the full-length lesson plan.

questions such as “What common moral codes are being broken?” and “What happens

to people who do not meet societyʼs expectations?” Tying The Scarlet Letter into

present day life, students can enhance their appreciation of the burdens felt by Hester

Prynne and Arthur Dimmesdale in Hawthornʼe novel.

Making Classwork Fun

To enhance a young readerʼs appreciation of The Scarlet Letter, teachers should

strive to assign classroom activities that inspire creativity in addition to developing

reading and writing skills. A great interactive in-class project for students, to complete in

small groups, is translating a section of The Scarlet Letter into a screenplay.

A creative group project, adapted from Angie Beumer Johnson and Melinda

Spiveyʼs article “If I were the Director: Critical Literacy, The Scarlet Letter, and a Drama

Framework,” (2009) is to have students translate a scene of Hawthorneʼs novel into film

scripts. The project requires students to consider the importance of events within the

text and problem-solve how to capture the important details of the novel in the context

of film.4

The basic prompt for the activity is to have students suppose they were

approached by a film producer looking to make a movie of Hawthorneʼs The Scarlet

Letter. But unlike films made in the past, the producer wants his film to be as true to the

text as possible. The students, in small groups, would select a scene from the novel and

translate it into a screenplay. In addition to considering costumes, stage directions, and

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 8

4 Please refer to Appendix C for the full-length lesson plan.

set design, students could be offered the option of actually filming their scene before

sharing their project with the class.

Classwork activities need not forfeit learning in order to be fun for students.

INDEPENDENT ASSIGNMENTS

Independent writing activities serve as evaluations of the individual studentʼs

understanding and retention of the novel. But such assignments should also inspire

students to think creatively and critically, as well as encourage them to develop and

express their own opinions about what they have read.

For example, one such individual assignment is for students to create a diary

from Pearlʼs perspective.5 A way to introduce the assignment is to discuss the point of

view Hawthorne uses in The Scarlet Letter—third person omniscient. While Hawthorne

reveals the thoughts and feelings of Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale, and Roger

Chillingsworth, the reader knows very little from Pearlʼs point of view. But even as

Hawthorne does not reveal Pearlʼs thoughts or feelings in The Scarlet Letter, it is not

difficult to imagine how the young girl must feel. Creating a diary from Pearlʼs first

person point of view requires students to use textual evidence and their imaginations in

order to create textually accurate fictional writing.

A second individual writing assignment that forces students to think critically is a

persuasive essay in which students compare the protagonists from Speak and The

Scarlet Letter.6 When teaching either the novel or film version of Andersonʼs Speak, an

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 9

5 Refer to Appendix D for the lesson plan.

6 Refer to Appendix E for the lesson plan.

effective way to culminate the unit is to discuss the similarities between the female

protagonists. For this particular essay, students consider Melinda Sordino and Hester

Prynneʼs respective punishments for their “crimes.” Melinda Sordino is completely

shunned by her peers at school, suffering from cold and disapproving glares as well as

“silent treatment” from people she used to consider friends. She feels alone and refuses

to speak about the night of the party. Hester Prynne, while also shunned from the

community, carries the bulk of her burden across her bosom in the form of the scarlet

letter—which keeps her “sin” and shame of adultery a constant weight in her everyday

life. Students can respond to questions such as “Whose punishment is easier to bare?”

and “Do you think the protagonistsʼ punishments fit their ʻcrimesʼ?” when preparing their

essay.

The essayʼs purpose is for students persuade the reader to share their opinion

on the protagonistsʼ punishments. Encouraging students to think critically about what

they have read, and thus develop their own opinions about the text, ensures a positive

writing experience.

Ultimately, the goal of any individual assignment is to to have students

successfully engage with and utilize the text when crafting effective writing. In the case

of The Scarlet Letter, making the writing assignments fun, creative, and an outlet for

personal expression will help to interest students.

INCORPORATING OTHER MEDIA: WEBSITES, MOVIES, AND MUSIC

Thanks to todayʼs technology, a wealth of information is within an English

teacherʼs reach. Information is not, however, limited to print articles and literature. Part

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 10

of facilitating a successful learning experience for students involves incorporating non-

mainstream learning materials into the classroom environment. Students are likely to

respond positively to on-line learning, film, and music because young adults are

genuinely interested in these outlets outside of the classroom.

Incorporating On-Line Learning

The internet serves as an excellent aid in assisting the teacher to prepare

classroom activities as well as an interactive tool for students. In teaching The Scarlet

Letter alongside the young adult novel Speak, for instance, teachers would benefit from

visiting http://www.writerlady.com/Deceitdespair.html , a web-site that explores one

instructorʼs thoughts on teaching the texts as companions. The web-site provides

interactive ideas for group activities and explores how to use the novel Speak in order to

enhance a studentʼs appreciation of the classic novel, The Scarlet Letter. On the other

hand, teachers could find a website on Puritan history useful when preparing students

for the setting and culture described in Hawthorneʼs novel. An excellent internet site

students can view to gain background knowledge is http://www.ushistory.org/us/3d.asp ,

a website created for the purpose of teaching puritan history to students.

Incorporating Film

Another resource teachers can draw upon when teaching The Scarlet Letter is

film. Movies captivate students, and tend to make them feel like the class period is more

leisure and less “learning” intensive. Teachers should use this to their advantage and

build upon the studentsʼ excitement and interest in film.

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 11

An excellent movie to show students is the 2004 film version of Andersonʼs novel,

Speak. First and foremost, the movie is true to the text; the integrity of the novel is not

compromised. Showing the film to students would be an especially great alternative for

those classes that can not afford Andersonʼs novel or do not have adequate time to read

both Speak as a companion text in addition to The Scarlet Letter. Furthermore, Speak is

an age appropriate film featuring the presently-popular Kristen Stewart in the lead role

of Melinda. While watching the movie, students should take notes regarding the

similarities between Melinda and Hester Prynne.

It is important to note, however, that incorporating film into the classroom does

not limit the teacher to full-length movies. Short films or video clips have just as powerful

an effect as a full-length film; the visual appeal of movies is still captured.

An excellent short video teachers can use when teaching The Scarlet Letter is

from the rock opera “shAme.” The musical is an adaption from Hawthorneʼs novel and

provides students with a visual representation of the story. One song in particular,

“Sticks and Stones” may be especially helpful. In the video, Pearl is singing about being

ostracized and her mother, Hester, tries to comfort her with the well-known wisdom of

“sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” Not only does

the film provide visual appeal to students, depicting the novelʼs characters in traditional

puritan attire, but the lyrics to the song help students to better understand Pearlʼs

perspective—something Hawthorne does not provide the reader outright in the

traditional text. Videos from “shAme” can be found when searching through YouTube,

an invaluable tool for teachers looking to take a unique approach to teaching the

classics.

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 12

Incorporating Music

Songs are poetry put to music, and the lyrics can be especially useful in drawing

studentsʼ attention to what they are learning. In the case of The Scarlet Letter, music

can be a great way to tie the novel into modern life or to encourage students to consider

what life would be like in someoneʼs elseʼs shoes.

The band Mudvayne, for example, has produced a song called “Scarlet

Letters” (2008) in which the lyrics describe a person grappling to live with the burden of

their letters.7 Having students listen to the song, and then asking them to explain how

the song makes Hawthorneʼs novel relevant in todayʼs world, can serve as a warm-up or

closing activity for the day.

Similarly, Depeche Modeʼs “Walking In My Shoes” facilitates considering life from

another personʼs point of view.8 When listening to the song, students should consider

how it feels to be Hester Prynne—ostracized from her community.

CONCLUSION

Teaching any novel to students is hard work, but in the case of Hawthorneʼs The

Scarlet Letter, the challenge is three-fold. Teachers must plan and create activities that

capture studentsʼ interest and engage them with not only the novel but the learning

process associated with the unit. Young adults need assistance in overcoming the

obstacles of The Scarlet Letter—the setting, the lack of connection to characters, the

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 13

7 See Appendix F for song lyrics and details for obtaining the music.

8 See Appendix G for song lyrics and details for obtaining the music.

dated writing, etc. By utilizing a vast array of teaching strategies and medium, bridging

the gap between students and Hawthorne can be successfully accomplished.

APPENDIX A

Lesson Plan: Introducing The Scarlet Letter

NCTE Standard(s): Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Learning Objective: This lesson, adapted from Cellaʼs “Reading the Complex World: Students Approach “The Scarlet Letter” from Multiple Perspectives” (2002) is designed to facilitate student thinking about topics relevant to the text. The students will also gain awareness that each reader brings a set “of notions and assumptions based on our experiences” (p. 78) to the text.

Materials:

1.) Questionnaire (two pages)

2.) Pens/pencils to complete the handout

Procedures:

1.) Tell students that they will be reading Nathaniel Hawthorneʼs The Scarlet Letter. As a pre-reading activity, they will complete a questionnaire and discuss their answers with the class.

2.)Distribute the handouts and give students 10-15 minutes to read the questions and write brief responses to each.

3.) As a class, share student responses to the questionnaire. Be sure to pay attention to significant similarities and differences among students answers.

4.) Lead students in a brief discussion of our societyʼs moral code system, as defined by their answers. What conclusions can we draw?

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 14

Name:________________________________________ Date:___________________

The Scarlet Letter Pre-Reading Questionnaire

Directions: The following questionnaire is a pre-reading tool that will help us to think about the subject matter of the novel. Read each question and write a brief answer to each. Be prepared to share your answers with the class.

1.) What, if anything, have you heard about the novel The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne?

2.) How would you react if someone you knew had a child without being married to the father? Is it okay? Not okay? Acceptable at a certain age or under certain conditions? Why? What about your background, upbringing, or family values leads you to believe as you do?

3.) Rank the following actions in terms of their degree of wrongfulness or sinfulness. Write them in the order from most wrong to least wrong:*committing adultery*allowing another person to accept blame for a crime you committed*obsessively seeking revenge for wrongs committed against you*condemning among others the wrongs that you yourself have committed

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 15

BOYS:

Imagine you have a child and are not married to the mother. What do you feel is your responsibility? What would your family, friends, and members of the community think about you? What about your background makes you think as you do?

GIRLS:

Imagine you have a child and are not married to the father. What would your family, friends, and the members of your community think about you? What about your background makes you think as you do?

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 16

APPENDIX B

Lesson Plan: Modern-day Shunning of Public Figures

NCTE Standard(s): Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.

Learning Objective: Students will identify parallels between The Scarlet Letter and modern public figures. The goal of the activity is to make the dated classic text more relevant to students.

Materials:

1.) Copy of the article “The New Scarlet Letter: Student Perceptions of the Accounting Profession After Enron” by Coleman, Kreuze, and Langsam.

2.) Pen and paper to take notes

3.) Access to the internet

Procedures:

1.) Distribute the article and have the class read it either aloud as a group or individually.

2.) Afterwards, briefly discuss how the concept of Hester Prynneʼs letter “A” is still relevant today—and like the accounting profession, modern day public figures suffer from public disapproval and shunning.

3.) Have students break into small groups and explain that each group must research a recent (within two years) example of a public figure that was alienated or ostracized by the community.

4.) Instruct students to record the following information: Who was shunned? Briefly identify the individualʼs role within the public eye, in case classmates are not familiar with the figure. Why was the person shunned? What moral code did the individual break or taboo did the individual commit?

Students should have ample time to complete this activity: approximately 20-30 minutes

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 17

5.) After researching, have the small groups take turns sharing their example with the class. The teacher should make a chart of the individual, the “crime” committed, and the moral code broken.

6.) Common themes will likely emerge. Encourage students to make statements about similarities and differences between the examples cited by the class. Ask questions like “What common moral codes are being broken?” and “What happens to people who do not meet societyʼs expectations?”

7.) To conclude the activities, how can students relate Hester Prynne to the modern figures they discussed in class?

The chart below outlines some possible “scandals” students cite in class:

Public Figure Scandal? Moral Code?

Jesse James Cheated on wife, Sandra Bullock

Adultery

Tiger Woods Repeated affairs while married to wife, Elin Nordegren

Adultery

LeAnne Rimes Had an affair while married.\

Adultery

Kourtney Kardashian Became pregnant while unmarried

Single and pregnant

Birstol Palin Pregnant at 17 and while unmarried, while her mother, Sarah Plain, campaigned for VP of the country

Teen Pregnancy

Michael Jackson Accused to molesting children

Child Molestation

Chris Brown Assaulted then girlfriend, Rihanna

Domestic Violence

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 18

APPENDIX C

Lesson Plan: Text to Script, with The Scarlet Letter9

NCTE Standard(s):

Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.

Learning Objective: By translating scenes of their choice from The Scarlet Letter into scripts, students will consider the importance of events within the text and problem-solve how to capture the important details of the text in the medium of film.

Materials:

1.) Project assignment

2.) Pen/paper to write draft of script/computer to type script

3.) Creativity!!

Procedures:

1.) Distribute assignment handout to students and review the project requirements.

2.) Ask students to divide into small groups, pairs or groups of three would likely work best.

3.) Have students select a section of the text theyʼd like to convert to script. Upon doing so, have them discuss how the passage would convert to script form.

4.) Students should begin converting the text to script. Remind them that descriptive details of the text can be incorporated in film through the set design, costumes, stage direction, etc.

5.) Have students prepare to share their script with the class. They could choose to perform the scene they wrote or make a colorful poster highlighting some important points of their project.

6.) Have the students share their projects!!

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 19

9 Activity adapted from Johnson&Spivey (2009).

APPENDIX D

Lesson Plan: Pearlʼs Diary

NCTE Standard(s): Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

Learning Objective: Students will consider what Pearl is thinking and feeling throughout the novel, The Scarlet Letter, as Hawthorne provides the reader with only limited information about Pearlʼs experience in the story. From Pearlʼs point of view, students will independently construct a diary in which the characterʼs thoughts and feelings are expressed. Students will use creativity and support from the text in order to complete this assignment.

Materials:

1.) Writing prompt

2.) Pen, paper, and access to a computer with printer

Procedures:

1.) Distribute the writing assignment to the class.

2.)Review the directions and prompt.

3.) Students will have one week to complete a draft of the diary.

4.) The following week, students will have the opportunity to peer review their classmatesʼ diaries and improve their own.

5.) Two weeks from the date the project is assigned, Pearlʼs Diary should be collected for grading.

6.) As an exit ticket for the day the project is assigned, play “Sticks and Stones” from the musical shAme for students. The music video will provide inspiration to students. After listening to and watching the video, have them write on a slip of paper one word that they feel expresses how Pearl feels.

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 20

Name:____________________________________________Date:________________

Pearlʼs Diary: Independent Writing Assignment

Directions: In Hawthorneʼs The Scarlet Letter, Pearl is subjected to alienation and

shunning from her community because she was conceived through adultery. While the

author provides a third person omniscient point of view for the main characters of the

novel, Pearlʼs inner most thoughts and feelings are not revealed to the reader. Even

without this information, however, it is not difficult to imagine how Pearl must feel.

Despite a lack of Pearlʼs thoughts, the reader can imagine what the little girl must

feel when being ostracized from her community. Gather evidence from The Scarlet

Letter to support how Pearl might feel as a result of being alienated. You may also

reference the song and video “Sticks and Stones” from the rock musical shAme to

shape your answers. Organize your evidence by page number in a list, not to exceed

two pages.

Then, create a diary from Pearlʼs perspective (in first person) that reflects

how she feels about being shunned. There must be at least three journal entries, each

between 1 and 2 pages in length. Be creative, and stay true to the Puritan culture (refer

to http://www.ushistory.org/us/3d.asp for guidance on Puritan history).

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 21

APPENDIX E

Lesson Plan: Does the Punishment Fit the Crime? Essay

NCTE Standard(s):

Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).

Learning Objective: Students will write persuasively to support their opinion of whether or not Melinda Sordino in Speak and Hester Prynne in The Scarlet Letter have punishments befitting of their “crimes.” Students will also establish a stance on which characterʼs punishment is easier to bare.

Materials:

1.) Pen, paper, and access to a computer with printer

2.) Writing assignment questions

Procedures:

1.) After watching the film/reading the novel Speak and reading The Scarlet Letter, have students compare and contrast the female protagonists, Melinda Sordino and Hester Prynne.

2.) Supply students with the following questions to consider: In your opinion, is Melindaʼs punishment worse or easier than Hester Prynneʼs? Do you think Melindaʼs punishment is easier or harder to bare than Hesterʼs? Do you think the punishments fit the womenʼs respective “crimes”?

3.) Ask students to brainstorm their preliminary answers to the questions.

4.) Tell students that they must now write a 2-3 page essay based on the questions they answered. The goal of the essay is to persuade the reader of their opinion on the following topics: Which protagonist has a harsher punishment, and do the womenʼs punishments fits their respective crimes?

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 22

5.) Students will have one week to complete the assignment out of class.

APPENDIX F

Song Lyrics to “Scarlet Letters” by Mudvayne:

The heart is beating but the soul has diedThe body's breathing beneath catatonic eyesThe blood is flowing, set it free for demiseI've lost my balance, but god knows I've triedI don't wanna be here anymore in scarlet lettersCarved into what once was meOnce was yours no more (no more)

An uphill battle I failed to climbI left it all now and I don't mindBetrayed and broken consumed by the liesFarewell to you all, I'll be fine. Goodbye.

I don't wanna be here anymore in scarlet lettersCarved into what once was me Once was yours no moreI don't wanna be here anymore the scarlet letterTorn in two, a piece of me, the peace in you no more

Do you believe in loss?Do you believe in faith?Do you believe in death?Now that I'm goneForsaken me, ashes to dust just let me lieLay me to rest, I've done my best but lost my sightTurning my back, leave me alone let spirit riseKnives in my back, all hope is lostSay goodbye

I don't wanna be here anymore in Scarlet LettersGot to do, what once was me, once was yours, no moreI donʼt want to be here anymore, I donʼt wanna behere anymore the scarlet lettersCarved into what once was me, once was yours no more.

To access the music, search for the artist and song title at either YouTube.com or lala.com

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 23

APPENDIX G

Lyrics for “Walking in My Shoes” by Depeche Mode:

I would tell you about the thingsThey put me through.The pain I've been subjected to.But the Lord himself would blush.The countless feasts laid at my feet,Forbidden fruits for me to eat.But I think your pulse would start to rush.

Now I'm not looking for absolution,Forgiveness for the things I do.But before you come to any conclusions -Try walking in my shoes,Try walking in my shoes.

You'll stumble in my footsteps,Keep the same appointments I kept.If you try walking in my shoes.If you try walking in my shoes.

Morality would frown upon,Decency look down upon.The scapegoat fate's made of me.But I promise now, my judge and jurors,My intentions couldn't have been purer.My case is easy to see.

I'm not looking for a clearer conscience,Peace of mind after what I've been through.And before we talk of any repentance -Try walking in my shoes.Try walking in my shoes.

You'll stumble in my footsteps,Keep the same appointments I kept.If you try walking in my shoes.If you try walking in my shoes.Try walking in my shoes.

Now I'm not looking for absolution,Forgiveness for the things I do.

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But before you come to any conclusions -Try walking in my shoes.Try walking in my shoes.

You'll stumble in my footsteps,Keep the same appointments I kept.If you try walking in my shoes.Try walking in my shoes.If you try walking in my shoes.Try walking in my shoes.

To access the music, search for the artist and song title at either YouTube.com or lala.com

ANNOTATION

Websites

1.) http://www.writerlady.com/Deceitdespair.html : The website explains how to teach the

young adult novel Speak alongside The Scarlet Letter. The site is useful for teachers

looking for inspiration when creating classroom activities for the companion texts.

2.) http://www.ushistory.org/us/3d.asp : The website provides background information

students will find useful prior to reading The Scarlet Letter. The website is designed for

students and reviews the history of Puritans and reveals their culture. Background

knowledge on Puritan life will help students when reading Hawthorneʼs novel.

Movies

1.) Speak : The film version of Andersonʼs novel is an excellent visual tool for the

classroom. Because protagonist Melinda Sordinoʼs experience with alienation so closely

ties to that of Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter, students could find the film useful

in bridging the gap between Puritan life and modern day.

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2.) “Sticks and Stones” from shAme : The short video of the song “Sticks and Stones”

relates directly to Hawthorneʼs novel. The video is short and can be easily incorporated

into the classroom as a way of displaying Pearlʼs experience in The Scarlet Letter.

Furthermore, it is interesting to show students how even in recent years The Scarlet

Letter has inspired a musical—and a rock musical at that!

Song

1.) Mudvayneʼs “Scarlet Letters” : The song directly references the scarlet letter, a

symbol that remains powerful to this day. The song is a great way to make the novel

more relevant to a young adult audience because even a current and successful rock

band references Hawthorneʼs classic.

2.) Depeche Modeʼs “Walking in My Shoes” : The song asks the listener to consider

walking in some one elseʼs shoes. It could be interesting to have students listen to the

song and read the lyrics when considering how it might feel to be in Hester Prynne,

Arthur Dimmesdale, or Pearlʼs respective positions.

Articles

1.) “Reading the Complex World: Students Approach “The Scarlet Letter” from Multiple

Perspectives” by Cella: The article could be a useful tool for teachers looking for unique

ways to introduce The Scarlet Letter to their students. I found the questionnaire

surveying student beliefs particularly useful and inspirational, and from it adapted a

lesson plan to introduce the novel to students.

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2.) “If I Were the Director: Crticial Literacy, The Scarlet Letter, and a Drama Framework”

by Johnson and Spivey: This article provides an in-depth experiment that engages

students with The Scarlet Novel by means of creating a film version of the text. As I

found inspiration in the article that shaped my classwork assignment to translate a

scene from the novel into a screenplay, I think the article could be inspiration to other

teachers.

3.) “The New Scarlet Leter: Student Perceptions of the Accounting Profession After

Enron” by Coleman, Kreuze, and Langsam: The article could be a useful tool for

students in the classroom because it makes The Scarlet Letter relevant in todayʼs world

by comparing the accounting profession to Hester Prynneʼs character. The article could

be a useful lead in when discussing modern public figures that have broken moral

codes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Anderson, L. (1999). Speak. New York: Penguin Group.

Coleman, M., Kreuze, J., Langsam, S. (2004). The New Scarlet Letter: Student

Perceptions of the Accounting Profession After Enron. Journal of Education for

Business, 79(3), 134-141.

Cella, L. (2002). Reading the Complex World: Students Approach “The Scarlet Letter”

from Multiple Perspectives. The English Journal, 91(6), 77-82.

Depeche Mode. (1993). Walking in My Shoes. Songs of Faith and Devotion [CD]. Mute

Records.

Teaching The Scarlet Letter 27

Govenor, M. “Sticks and Stones.” shAme: A Rock Opera. Retrieved April 2010, from

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwEGHEn-ViU

Hawthorne, N. (1850). The Scarlet Letter. New York, NY: Barnes & Noble Books.

Hayn, J. & Schultz, B. (n.d.). Deceit, Despair, and Dejection: Connecting Speak and The

Scarlet Letter. Retrieved April 2010 from http://www.writerlady.com/

Deceitdespair.html

Johnson, A., & Spivey, M. (2009). If I Were the Director: Critical Literacy, The Scarlet

Letter, and a Drama Framework. Ohio Journal of English Language Arts, 49(2),

45-53.

Lin, Y. & Sexton, A. (2009). Hawthorneʼs The Scarlet Letter: The Manga Edition. New

Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Publishing, Inc.

Mudvayne (2008). Scarlet Letters. The New Game [CD]. Epic Records.

Poe, E. (1993). Alienation from Society in The Scarlet Letter and The Chocolate War.

Adolescent Literature as a Compliment to the Classics (Volume 1). Norwood,

MA: Christopher-Cteuder Publishing, Inc.

Puritan Life. (2008). US History Pre-Columbian to the New Millennium. Retrieved April

2010, from http://www.ushistory.org/us/3d.asp

Sharzer, J. (Director). (2004). Speak [Motion Picture]. United States.

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