The House of Edith Wharton

Literature Lesson Plans - Sykalo Eugen 2024

The House of Edith Wharton

Subject: English Literature, Social Studies (can be adapted)

Grade Level: 11-12 (due to mature themes and complexity)

Time Allotment: 3-4 weeks

Learning Objectives:

  • Students will be able to analyze the social structure and expectations of New York City's upper class in the late 19th century.
  • Students will be able to identify and interpret key literary devices used by Wharton, such as symbolism and social satire.
  • Students will be able to analyze Lily Bart's motivations, desires, and the societal constraints that limit her choices.
  • Students will be able to evaluate the themes of social mobility, materialism, and the role of women in Gilded Age America.
  • Students will be able to discuss the novel's ending and its critique of social Darwinism.

Materials:

  • Copies of "The House of Mirth" by Edith Wharton
  • Whiteboard/Projector
  • Markers/Pens
  • Chart paper or handout for note-taking
  • Images depicting Gilded Age fashion and social gatherings (optional)

Lesson Procedures:

Week 1: Introduction and Setting

  1. Brainstorming: Begin by asking students what they know about the Gilded Age in American history. Elicit responses and discuss key characteristics (e.g., rapid industrialization, vast wealth disparity, conspicuous consumption).
  2. Setting the Scene: Introduce Edith Wharton and "The House of Mirth" as a novel that critiques the social structure and values of New York's upper class during the Gilded Age. Show images depicting Gilded Age fashion and social gatherings (optional).

Weeks 2-3: Social Climbing and Constraints

  1. Reading and Analyzing: Divide the novel into manageable sections. After each section, students engage in close reading activities, focusing on character development, plot progression, and social interactions.
  2. Lily Bart's Plight: Analyze Lily Bart's character. What are her desires and motivations? Discuss the societal constraints she faces as an unmarried woman dependent on the charity of wealthy relatives.
  3. Social Commentary: Guide students to identify Wharton's use of social satire to critique the materialism, hypocrisy, and obsession with social status prevalent among the upper class.

Week 4: Choices and Consequences

  1. Character Analysis: In small groups, students analyze Lily Bart's choices throughout the novel. How do her decisions regarding marriage, money, and social mobility contribute to her downfall?
  2. Symbolism: Discuss the use of symbolism in the novel. Consider objects like Lily's jewels, the weather, and the image of the house of mirth itself. How do these symbols contribute to the story's meaning?

Week 5: Themes and Legacy

  1. Thematic Exploration: Analyze the central themes of the novel: social mobility, materialism, the role of women, and the consequences of social Darwinism (survival of the fittest) in a society obsessed with wealth and status.
  2. The Tragic Ending: Discuss the novel's ending and its critique of societal values. Is Lily Bart a victim or a character flawed by her own choices?
  3. Enduring Relevance: Explore the enduring relevance of the novel's themes. Can students identify parallels between the social issues explored in "The House of Mirth" and contemporary society?

Optional Week (if time permits):

  1. Creative Response: Students can choose a creative response activity, such as writing a diary entry from a character's perspective, designing a social media post satirizing contemporary social climbing, or creating a collage representing Lily Bart's world.
  2. Essay Writing: Students write an essay analyzing a specific theme or character in the novel and its significance. The essay should consider the social context, symbolism, and Lily Bart's motivations to support their analysis.

Differentiation:

  • Provide pre-reading activities, chapter summaries, or audiobooks for struggling readers.
  • Offer extension activities for advanced readers, such as researching the lives of prominent women in the Gilded Age or comparing "The House of Mirth" with other novels that critique social class.
  • Modify assignments to cater to different learning styles (e.g., visual learners can create a timeline of key events or a social hierarchy chart)

Assessment:

  • Participation in class discussions and group activities
  • Quality of notes, presentations, and creative responses (if applicable)
  • Completion of character analysis charts and symbol identification
  • Essay writing (if applicable)

Extension Activities:

  • Students can research the concept of naturalism in literature and how it relates to "The House of Mirth."