reconstruction

Reconstruction: The Times and Literature

Introduction:

Your parents and you, former slaves, find yourselves free but living in a country torn by war, and it is you who bear the brunt of everyone’s anger. How do you live like that?

You are a veteran of a civil war, scared by the sights of Americans killing Americans, and return to a home that has decayed in your absence. How do you rebuild a life for you and your family?

You have built a life that you think is normal, only to be told that your way of life must change. Is it so easy to change?

Let’s explore these questions as we study a particularly painful part of our history and a particularly rich time for literature.

Task:

Your final project will be to write a compare or contrast essay on a topic connected to reconstruction or the literature of that era. You will also do some research and some reading during this unit, and enter into discussions about your reading and writing.

Process:

1. We will read some non-fiction accounts of the reconstruction era. These readings will take place in both your history and English classes. We will read some poetry, most notably that of Walt Whitman. This will give us a sense of what people were feeling in this time period. We will also read some of the works of American storyteller, Mark Twain. These stories give us a glimpse of what life must have been like during this time period.

2. We will discuss some of these stories and issues brought up by the stories. These discussions will take place both in class and on a discussion board at Think.com.

3. We go through the process of writing an essay. This is your opportunity to express your opinion, and do it artfully.