World Literature Reading and Writing Workshop

Reading and Writing Workshop for Unit 7
Global Voices: Contemporary World Literature
Workshop Focus: This workshop will use public domain works to complement the themes of globalization, migration, and identity explored in The Kite Runner, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, and Persepolis. Students will engage with diverse literary voices to deepen their understanding of conflict, displacement, and cultural identity while honing their reading and writing skills.
Public Domain Works:

• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass (identity and displacement)
  
• The Souls of Black Folk by W. E. B. Du Bois (double consciousness and cultural identity)
  
• Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman (celebration of the self and multiculturalism)
  
• The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka (alienation and transformation)
  
• Selected poetry from Pablo Neruda (exile and belonging)
  

Workshop Objectives:

• Analyze themes of migration, identity, and cultural conflict in public domain works.
  
• Connect these themes to contemporary global literature.
  
• Develop reflective and analytical writing skills.
  
• Use primary sources to support interpretations.
  

Week-by-Week Breakdown:
Week 1: Introduction to Global Identity in Literature

• Read excerpts from The Souls of Black Folk on double consciousness.
  
• Discussion: How do individuals navigate multiple cultural identities?
  
• Writing Activity: Personal reflection on balancing multiple cultural influences.
  

Week 2: Displacement and Alienation

• Read The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka.
  
• Discussion: How does Gregor Samsa’s transformation reflect feelings of alienation?
  
• Comparative Analysis: Connect Gregor’s experience to characters in Persepolis or The Kite Runner.
  
• Writing Activity: Analytical response on alienation and transformation.
  

Week 3: The Power of Narrative and Personal History

• Read excerpts from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass.
  
• Discussion: How does storytelling shape identity and resistance?
  
• Writing Workshop: Crafting a personal narrative about overcoming challenges.
  

Week 4: Poetry and Exile

• Read selected poems from Pablo Neruda on exile and belonging.
  
• Discussion: How does poetry convey themes of displacement?
  
• Writing Activity: Compose a poem reflecting personal or historical displacement.
  

Week 5: Self and Multiculturalism

• Read selections from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman.
  
• Discussion: How does Whitman celebrate diverse identities?
  
• Writing Activity: Create a piece that celebrates personal or cultural heritage.
  

Week 6: Final Project and Synthesis

• Students choose one theme (migration, identity, or displacement) and develop an essay or multimedia presentation connecting a public domain work to one of the contemporary texts.
  
• Peer review and revision workshops.
  
• Presentations and reflections on learning.
  

Assessments:

• Weekly reading responses.
  
• Thematic comparison essays.
  
• Poetry and personal narrative assignments.
  
• Final synthesis project.
  

This workshop bridges historical and contemporary perspectives, helping students critically engage with world literature while improving their reading and writing skills.