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11-12
Analyzing Margaret Laurence's Work
Project type: Web Quest
Related topic:
Margaret Laurence: Canada's Divine Writer
Margaret Laurence: Canada's Divine Writer
Subjects
English Language Arts
Summary
Using a variety of Web-based resources, students research and write a scholarly essay on Margaret Laurence's works.
Duration
2 lessons
Purpose
To analyze the work of a Canadian author
Before Exploring
Margaret Laurence recreated her home town of Neepawa as the fictional town of Manawaka in five classic works of Canadian literature. These books are her most famous: The Stone Angel, A Jest of God, The Fire Dwellers, The Diviners, and A Bird in the House.
Outline the Opportunity
Have students write a scholarly essay that analyzes Margaret Laurence's books. Topics might include: Social injustice, pride, fear, survival, alienation, isolation, freedom, duty, independence, journey/quest, relationships, male-female relations, relation of the past to the present, love, conflict, history and myth, childhood and adolescent experiences, and regional tradition.
To gather information about Laurence and her works, students will need to conduct a Web search the CBC Radio and Television Archives Web site and other online resources. They should read at least one of her Manawaka novels (Stone Angel, A Jest of God, The Fire Dwellers, and The Diviners) or her book of short stories, A Bird in the House. The essay should be unified, well-organized, and free of slang, clichés, and sentence fragments.
Revisit and Reflect
Have students hand in their essays. You may want to have students summarize their analysis for the class, then follow these summaries with a class discussion that compares students' views about Margaret Laurence.
Print
Laurence, Margaret. A Bird in the House. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1989.
---. Christmas Birthday Story. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart,1980.
---.Dance on the Earth. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart,1998.
---.The Diviners. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1988.
---.The Fire Dwellers . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1988.
---.Heart of the Stranger. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1976.
---.A Jest of God. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart,1988.
---.The Olden Days Coat. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1991.
---.The Prophet's Camel Bell. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1988.
---.The Stone Angel. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1998.
---.This Side Jordan. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1989.
---.The Tomorrow-Tamer. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1993.
Laurence, Margaret. A Bird in the House. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1989.
---. Christmas Birthday Story. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart,1980.
---.Dance on the Earth. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart,1998.
---.The Diviners. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1988.
---.The Fire Dwellers . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1988.
---.Heart of the Stranger. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1976.
---.A Jest of God. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart,1988.
---.The Olden Days Coat. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1991.
---.The Prophet's Camel Bell. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1988.
---.The Stone Angel. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1998.
---.This Side Jordan. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1989.
---.The Tomorrow-Tamer. . Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1993.
External sites
- Canadian Encyclopedia: Margaret Laurence
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