American Literature Reading and Writing Workshop

Workshop Title: Exploring Themes of Trauma, Identity, and Meaning in Literature

Key Public Domain Texts:

• Excerpts from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
• Excerpts from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
• Excerpts from The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (Note: The Great Gatsby is not in the public domain, but older, public domain texts by authors like Whitman are commonly used as alternatives for comparison)
• Excerpts from Bartleby, the Scrivener by Herman Melville

Workshop Overview:
​In this workshop, students will read selected excerpts from public domain works that address themes of identity, trauma, and the search for meaning. They will engage in close reading, textual analysis, and group discussion, culminating in an essay that compares the treatment of these themes across the texts.

Workshop Objectives:

1. Students will analyze themes of trauma, identity, and meaning in the selected public domain texts.
2. Students will identify literary techniques used to convey these themes.
3. Students will write an analytical essay comparing how trauma, identity, and meaning are explored in these texts.
4. Students will engage in peer review and group discussion to improve their writing and deepen their understanding.

Week 1: Reading and AnalysisDay 1: Introduction and Overview

• Activity:
  • Introduce the key themes of trauma, identity, and meaning in literature. Explain how these themes are explored in postmodern and contemporary works.
  • Discuss the value of reading public domain works and how they connect to the unit's themes.
• Homework:
  • Read selected excerpts from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass (focus on identity, slavery, and freedom) and Bartleby, the Scrivener (focus on alienation, identity, and individualism).

Day 2: Close Reading and Group Discussion

• Activity:
  • Students will work in small groups to analyze the selected texts. They will focus on passages that address themes of identity, trauma, and meaning.
  • Each group will identify key quotes and moments that reflect the themes. They will discuss how the author uses literary techniques like symbolism, imagery, and character development to explore these themes.
• Homework:
  • Read selected excerpts from Leaves of Grass (focus on the self and transcendence) and The Great Gatsby (focus on the American Dream and identity).

Day 3: Textual Comparison

• Activity:
  • In a whole-class discussion, compare and contrast the themes and techniques in the four texts.
  • How do Douglass’s experiences of slavery compare to the alienation felt by Bartleby? How does Whitman’s transcendentalism relate to the individualism explored in Bartleby and The Great Gatsby?
• Homework:
  • Prepare for a writing workshop by jotting down ideas and quotes for your upcoming comparative essay.

Week 2: Writing Workshop
Day 4: Writing Introduction and Thesis Development

• Activity:
  • Students will draft their thesis statements for a comparative essay that explores the treatment of trauma, identity, and meaning in the selected texts.
  • The teacher will provide a mini-lesson on crafting a strong thesis and writing an introduction that sets up the focus of the essay.
  • Peer brainstorming sessions: Students will pair up to share ideas for their essays and give feedback to each other.
• Homework:
  • Draft the first paragraph of the essay, including the thesis statement.

Day 5: Organizing the Essay and Evidence Selection

• Activity:
  • Students will learn how to organize a literary analysis essay, focusing on thematic analysis and textual evidence.
  • In small groups, students will share their outline and discuss how they will integrate specific quotes and evidence from the texts into their essays.
• Homework:
  • Continue drafting the essay, focusing on analyzing the key themes in depth with evidence from the texts.

Day 6: Peer Review

• Activity:
  • Students will exchange their drafts with a peer and provide constructive feedback, focusing on the clarity of the argument, the use of evidence, and the depth of analysis.
  • After receiving feedback, students will revise their essays.
• Homework:
  • Revise the essay based on peer feedback and prepare the final draft for submission.

Week 3: Finalizing and Reflecting
Day 7: Final Draft and Reflection

• Activity:
  • Students will submit their final drafts of the comparative essay.
  • In class, students will write a brief reflection on the writing process, discussing how their understanding of the themes in the texts evolved through reading, discussion, and writing.
• Homework:
  • No homework; students are encouraged to reflect on the unit and how the public domain works helped deepen their understanding of trauma, identity, and meaning in literature.

Day 8: Wrap-Up Discussion

• Activity:
  • Hold a class discussion about the students’ final essays and their key takeaways from the unit.
  • Discuss how the themes of trauma, identity, and meaning are explored in both the public domain works and contemporary postmodern literature.

Assessment:

• Formative Assessment:
  • Participation in group discussions and class activities.
  • In-class writing assignments, including the development of the thesis and essay structure.
  • Peer review feedback and revision.
• Summative Assessment:
  • Final comparative essay on how trauma, identity, and meaning are explored in the selected public domain texts.

Extensions and Further Exploration:

• Students can read more works from the public domain that explore similar themes, such as works by Emily Dickinson (identity and self-expression) or Herman Melville's Moby-Dick (identity and obsession).
• Encourage students to explore the influence of these classic texts on postmodern and contemporary writers like Toni Morrison, Kurt Vonnegut, and Tim O’Brien, making connections between classic and modern literature.

This workshop structure focuses on deepening students' engagement with key themes through active reading, analysis, and writing, with an emphasis on close reading and thoughtful reflection.