ENGL 112B
FALL 2004
Kelsey M. Sollitt
The
years of adolescence are a significant time for young adults, in which they are
exposed to and analyze discrimination, prejudice, and cultural
differences. Often during their
teenage years, young adults are still forming their perceptions, views, and
morals. Therefore, young adult
fiction authors that present in their books themes such as diversity in race
have the opportunity to open the minds and perceptions of their readers.
Despite
the attempts made by young adult literature, it may be difficult to influence
the attitudes of some youth by the text in the book alone. Coming from a very different generation
than the last, many young adults have been exposed to prejudices of their
elders. I myself have grown up
hearing the occasional racist comment slip from the mouths of my grandfathers
and even, in some cases, my parents.
In some situations, youth are exposed to prejudices from their elders so
often that they may inherit their racist views.
In
these cases, simply reading of experiences in literature may only influence the
attitudes of young adults on one level.
When literature is only read, and problems are discussed, the issues at
hand have a greater chance of becoming abstracted. If young adults read the text in a passive manner, there is
a smaller chance that they will connect the material to their own views.
By
using drama and role-play to act out a story of racism--in this case Karen
Hesse�s Witness--and following up with the discussion of ethic and/or
racial issues in that story, students are more likely to connect with the issue
at hand. By actually �being� the
characters in a story, students in a sense experience the thoughts, feelings,
and experiences of the people in the given circumstances. By using dramatics, teachers can help
their students become connected with sensitive and complicated issues with
understanding and compassion.
�Witness tells the story of the Klan's
attempt to recruit members in a small town in Vermont in 1924. Over the course
of many months, residents are affected in many ways by pressures that build in
the community, leading up to a climactic moment of violence. In the voices of
eleven residents of the town, we experience this series of events from many
different points of view, in the form of a poetic play in five acts. As the
characters speak directly to the reader and relate the juxtaposition of acts of
hate and love, violence and peace, terror and kindness, they illuminate the
full range of human strengths and weaknesses in one small town.�
-Connie
Rockman, children's literature consultant and adjunct professor of literature
for children and young adults
Witness
is an exceptional book to be read aloud in the classroom. There are eleven different roles for
students to act out, each character playing a significant part in the
story. Additionally, the book is a
quick-read, therefore leaving adequate time for discussion and reflection upon
its theme of racism.
Launching
The Unit:
Before reading aloud and discussing Witness,
use one or more of the following as an anticipatory activity.
�Somewhere in America:
Every hour ...
someone commits a hate crime.
Every day ...
at least eight blacks, three whites, three gays, three Jews and one Latino
become hate crime victims.
Every week ...
a cross is burned.
Open discussion
with students, asking them if they knew prejudice is still this evident
today. Ask if they have ever
witnessed or read about a recent hate crime.
Have students write about how the experience made
them feel.
Were they able to overcome the challenge? If so, how?
How did the adversary(s) behave; were specific
characteristics evident?
�A
noose representing the untold story of African Americans hung to death for the
"crime of being black"; a charred cross, made notorious by the KKK
and others to strike fear in Blacks in the name of religion; a yellow Star of David,
a symbol of anti-Semites' hatred of Jews and artificial legs and arms to depict
physically challenged persons.
Some will see the bar of soap and lampshade - symbols of the Holocaust
when bodies of Death Camp victims were turned into products for their Nazi
captors.�
-http://www.korrnet.org/knohate/trunk.html
Discuss with the
class the various items in the trunk.
Have open discussion with class (or an open writing) about their
reactions to seeing items in the trunk.
*Be aware that certain items in
trunk may not be appropriate for certain age levels. The trunk can be rented for free. Contact the Knoxville Project Change at 522-7111 or email at
prj.chg@korrnet.org.
Leanora Sutter- A young black girl who feels isolated by racial
prejudice and her mother's recent death.
Esther Hirsh- A younger Jewish girl, whose innocence and natural
optimism provides a sharp contrast to the other characters.
Merlin- A teenager helping to voice The Klan's hate-filled
message of white supremacy
Johnny Reeves- A minister in the town who also becomes a member of
the Klan.
Other characters- the town constable and newspaper editor � try to
walk a careful line of neutrality until they realize the importance of taking a
stand.
Viola and Harvey
Pettibone- Storekeepers representing
two opposing reactions to the Klan's methods as they discuss the issue in their
own home.
Iris Weaver- Character reflects a new freedom for women who had
just gained the right to vote.
Encourage
the students to get �into character�, whether through an accent, emphasis of
certain words, projection of voice, and/or facial expression.
During the in class
readers� theatre presentation of �Witness�, consider the following
activity/discussion questions:
Why did the author
choose to tell the story in many different voices? How would your experience of
this story be different if it were only told from the point of view of Leanora?
of Esther? of Merlin? of Sara Chickering?
The characters speak in a series of free verse poems,
each having his or her own distinctive voice. What makes this style effective?
How is this book similar to, or different from, Hesse's Newbery Award-winning Out
of the Dust?
Sara Chickering says of the Klan: "There's a
kind of power they wield, a deceptive authority." What does she mean by a
deceptive authority? Why does the Klan burn crosses and hide their identity
behind hoods and sheets?
Consider
the characters of Leanora and Esther. In what ways are they similar? In what
ways are they different?
What part
does Iris Weaver play in the story? What is the importance of her character?
Why do we
never hear the voices of Mr. Sutter, Mr. Hirsh, and Mr. Field, but only hear
about them from other people?
When does
Merlin begin to change his feelings about Leanora? What causes him to begin to
fear the Klan rather than be drawn to it?
What part
do Viola and Harvey Pettibone play in the story? Why do you think we hear their
two voices together, while all the other characters speak alone?
Discuss
the differences among these characters in the way they react to the Klan:
Johnny Reeves, Reynard Alexander, Percelle Johnson, Harvey Pettibone, Mr.
Field. What does the Klan represent to each of them? What does it represent to
you?
What is
the connection between Sara Chickering and Esther? Why is Sara so protective of
Esther? In what ways have Esther � and her father � made a difference in Sara's
life? What other characters are changed during the story because of their
connection to another person in the town?
c. Conflict and Resolution:
While there are
some residents of the town who respond to the Klan's hate message, there are
others who find themselves exhibiting new-found courage in resisting the Klan.
Which of the characters do you feel exhibits true courage? What would you do if
faced with the Klan's presence in your community?
What lessons do we learn from Witness about ways to counteract prejudice and mistrust of
people who are different from us? How did Sara overcome her prejudices? How did
Leanora overcome hers? Will Merlin overcome his? How do you overcome yours?
Source: Connie Rockman, Witness Discussion Guide
Extending
The Unit:
Young
Adult Literature Selections:
Circle of Fire, by William Hooks. Atheneum, 1992
In the tidewater country of North Carolina in 1936, three children try to
thwart the plans of the Ku Klux Klan to destroy an encampment of Irish tinkers.
Give a Boy a Gun, by Todd Strasser. Simon & Schuster, 2000
Peer pressure, cliques, bullying and teacher apathy all lead to a climax of
violence in one high school of today as told in the voices of many participants
and an outside reporter.
Summer Battles, by Ann R. Blakeslee. Marshall Cavendish, 2000
Eleven-year-old Kath and her sister are spending the summer with their
grandfather, a minister in Peaceable, Indiana, in 1926 when he is targeted by
the local Klan for preaching against their message and for employing a black
housekeeper.
Nothing But the Truth, by Avi. Orchard, 1991
Many points of view in this documentary novel indicate the various ways of
experiencing a conflict when a ninth-grader defies his homeroom teacher and
everyone suffers the consequences.
To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee. Harper Collins, 1999, copyright
1960.
Set in Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, and told by the young daughter of the
town's principled lawyer, Atticus Finch, this classic novel is an enduring
story of race, class, justice, and the terrible consequences of prejudice.
The Wave, by Todd Strasser. Dell Laurel Leaf, 1981
Based on a true incident that occurred in a high school history class in
California in 1969, a teacher demonstrates to his students the powerful forces
of group pressure and their devastating effect on individual rights.
Background Reading for Witness:
The Christmas Menorahs:
How a Town Fought Hate, by Janice
Cohn. Whitman, 1995
Based on a true incident
that occurred in Billings, Montana, this story begins when a rock is thrown
through Isaac's bedroom window in which a menorah is displayed. Frightened, he
removes it. Afterwards, the mother goes on television and to a meeting to talk
about hate crimes in the community, and inspired by stories of the Danish
people helping their Jewish neighbors during World War II, the whole town puts
menorahs in their windows to take a stand against bigotry. Reassured, Isaac
replaces the menorah in his window.
The Decade that Roared, by Linda Jacobs Altman. Twenty-first Century, 1997
Discusses the social conditions
of the decade during which prohibition was in effect, the results of the
legislation, and its failure to preserve traditional values.
Hate Crimes, by Laura D'Angelo. Chelsea House, 1999
Discusses the increasing
incidence of crimes that are motivated by bias against another person or group,
examining the causes and occurrences of such hate crimes and the psychology of
those who commit them.
Hoods: The Story of the Ku Klux Klan, by Robert Ingalls. Putnam, 1979
A history of the mysterious hooded organization from its
beginnings during Reconstruction after the Civil War.
The Ku Klux Klan: America's Recurring Nightmare, by Fred J. Cook. Messner, 1989
Explores the consistent pattern of racial bigotry, religious intolerance,
violence, and exploitation by the Klan since its founding in the post-Civil War
period.
Concluding Activities:
1.
Have
students choose one of the texts listed above, to compare and contrast to Karen
Hesse�s Witness. Assign
them a book report, in which they analyze the similarities and differences
between the two books, as well the difference between reading the book through
Reader�s Theatre as opposed to silently reading this second book on their own.
2.
Have
the class do another Reader�s Theatre, this time on the short story The Kind
of Light That Shines in Texas.
This story takes place in 1966 (around the time of the Civil Rights
Movement), thus providing a portrayal of racism existent later in history. Also, the story is set inside a
classroom, possibly making it easier for the students to relate to. Consider having five or six students
rotate the narrator�s role, while other students play other characters in the
story. Following the reading, ask
the students to form groups of 5.
Each group will be responsible for constructing a five-minute skit
relative to discrimination. In
terms of theme, the discrimination must be relative to either Witness or
The Kind of Light That Shines in Texas. With the boundaries of appropriate language and content, the
students will be able to express their creativity in their skits. Additionally, a discussion can follow
the skits, linking the racism shown in both the two stories and their
performances.
Bontempo, Barbara T. R.
Jerome. "Exploring Diversity in Adolescent Literature." Workshop
Presentation, National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention,
Baltimore, Maryland, November 19, 1989.
McKnight, Reginald. The Kind of Light that Shines on
Texas: Stories. Boston: Little
Brown and Co. 1992.
Rockman,
Connie. Witness Discussion Guide. New York: Scholastic, Inc. 2000.
Author Unknown. Knoxville Hate Crimes Working Group.
Knoxville, Tennessee.
2002. http://www.korrnet.org/knohate/index.html
Author Unknown. Tolerance.org: Fight Hate and Promote
Tolerance. Montgomery, AL.
2004. http://www.tolerance.org/index.jsp