Literature Lesson Plans - Sykalo Eugen 2024
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock by T.S. Eliot
Grade Level: This lesson plan is intended for High School English, ideally 11th or 12th grade.
Subject: Literature
Time Allotment: Two class periods (approximately 1.5 hours)
Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to analyze the poem's use of free verse, imagery, and symbolism.
- Students will be able to identify the character traits and internal struggles of J. Alfred Prufrock.
- Students will be able to discuss the poem's themes of alienation, isolation, and the search for meaning in a fragmented world.
- Students will be able to consider the poem's place within the Modernist movement.
Materials:
- Copies of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" by T.S. Eliot
- Whiteboard or projector
- Markers or pens
- Literary analysis worksheet focusing on imagery and symbolism (optional)
- Background information on Modernism (optional)
Lesson Procedure:
Day 1: Introduction and Close Reading
- Introduction (10 minutes):
- Briefly introduce T.S. Eliot and his role in the Modernist movement.
- Discuss the characteristics of Modernist poetry, including fragmentation, disillusionment, and experimentation with form.
- Mention the poem's title and the concept of a "love song" as potentially ironic.
- Active Reading and Annotation (20 minutes):
- Distribute copies of "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock."
- Guide students through a close reading activity, focusing on:
✵ Structure and form: Identify the use of free verse and its impact on the poem's rhythm and flow.
✵ Imagery: How does Eliot use vivid descriptions to create a specific atmosphere?
✵ Symbolism: What are some recurring symbols (e.g., fog, mermaids, evenings) and what might they represent?
- Imagery and Symbolism Analysis (20 minutes):
- Distribute a literary analysis worksheet focusing on imagery and symbolism (optional).
- Individually or in small groups, students analyze specific examples and their significance:
✵ How does the imagery contribute to the speaker's sense of alienation and isolation?
✵ What emotions are evoked by specific symbols? (e.g., fear, regret, longing)
✵ How do the fragmented images reflect the speaker's fragmented inner world?
Day 2: Character and Themes
- Review (5 minutes):
- Briefly review the previous day's discussion on imagery and symbolism.
- Character Analysis (20 minutes):
- Lead a class discussion focused on the character of J. Alfred Prufrock:
✵ What are Prufrock's defining personality traits? Consider self-doubt, social anxiety, and a sense of inadequacy.
✵ How does the poem portray his internal struggles, particularly in expressing his love?
✵ Is Prufrock a sympathetic or frustrating character? Encourage different interpretations.
- Theme Discussion (20 minutes):
- Discuss the poem's central themes based on character analysis:
✵ Alienation and isolation: How does Prufrock feel disconnected from the world around him?
✵ The search for meaning in a fragmented world: How does the poem capture the anxieties and disillusionment of the Modernist era?
✵ The nature of love: How does Prufrock's fear and self-consciousness prevent him from expressing his feelings?
- Modernist Context (15 minutes):
- Briefly discuss the historical and cultural context of Modernism (optional, based on available resources).
- How does "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" reflect the broader concerns of the Modernist movement?
Differentiation:
- Provide scaffolding for reading comprehension by offering a glossary of unfamiliar words or explanatory notes on Modernist references.
- Offer different options for the analysis worksheet (e.g., creating a mood board depicting the poem's imagery, tracing the development of a specific symbol throughout the poem).
- Allow students to choose a specific image or symbol to focus on and analyze its psychological and thematic significance.
Extension Activities:
- Students can research the concept of the "waste land" in Modernist literature.
- Have students write a diary entry from the perspective of a character who observes Prufrock at a social gathering.
- Compare and contrast "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" with another Modernist poem that explores themes of alienation and disillusionment.