The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
| Reading Sections |
| Section 1: Chapter 1-5 |
| Section 2: Chapters 6-10 |
| Section 3: Chapters 11-15 |
| Section 4: Chapters 16-18 |
| Section 5: Chapters 19-22 |
| Section 6: Chapters 23-27 |
| Section 7: Chapter 28-31 |
| Section 8: Chapter 32-42 |
In our exploration of this legendary, multi-layered satire, we will conduct graded group discussions for every reading section. Each class is divided into four groups, and each group will discuss two of the reading sections. Students will be responsible to have read the section and the supporting materials. They will then hold a 25 to 30-minute graded discussion of the prompts. An example of the reading section and supporting materials is below.
Section One- Chapters 1-5:
- Moral codes: religion, adventure stories, superstition
- What/how is Twain satirizing about people’s belief systems?
- Hypocrisy: family, slavery, personal habits
- What/how is Twain satirizing about hypocritical behavior?
- Portrayal of Jim: racist minstrel stereotypes
- Discuss the similarity and/or differences of Jim’s character to the racist stereotypes of minstrelsy.
Supplemental Materials:
- “We Wear the Mask” by Paul Lawrence Dunbar
- “Blackface Minstrelsy in Modern America” from the Digital Public Library of America
- “Virginians Are Split on Governor’s Fate Amid Blackface Scandal” by Peter Jamison and Scott Clement
- “In Praise of ‘Spike Lee’s Huckleberry Finn’ by Ralph Wiley” by Shelley Fisher Fishkin
“Just because you’re taught that something’s right and everyone believes it’s right, it don’t make it right.”
Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass
Fish Bowl Socratic Seminar in Ms. Cho’s ClassroomSocratic Seminar Criteria:
- Participant offers enough solid analysis, without prompting, to move the conversation forward.
- Participant, through his or her comments, demonstrates a deep knowledge of the text and the question.
- Participant has come to the seminar prepared, with notes and a marked/annotated text.
- Participant, through his or her comments, shows that s/he is actively listening to other participants.
- S/he offers clarification and/or follow-up that extends the conversation.
- Participant’s remarks often refer back to specific parts of the text.
Discussion Preparation Notes:
- Write your notes about your group’s discussion questions. Include page numbers or quotes to reference the text. Make sure you address all of the questions, and have at least 2-3 questions or comments to share during discussion.
Discussion Question Examples:
- What American values and ideals does Douglass embrace or reject? Give specific examples. How does he view the relationship between individual transformation and society? How does he gain self-determination and intellectual self-reliance?
- Trace how Douglass transformed from a “brute” to a free man. Describe how Douglass uses education as a tool for transformation. How does education serve as a way to empower himself and his community? What is the connection between physical freedom and mental or spiritual freedom? Give evidence from the narrative.
