Objective: Act 1 The play is set in a small Kansas town in the 1950s. The objective of this lesson is to explore local color and its impact on the story.
1) Lead the class in a discussion about local color. Begin with a definition and ask the class to validate their understanding by offering examples from the book. What do the students project about notions of Kansas in the 1950s? How accurate are they based on those notions? How is regionalism exhibited in language? Interpersonal dynamics? Clothing? What other elements can the students define that help them determine the setting?
Divide the class into small groups and have them discuss the author's authenticity with the novel. Could this story take place anywhere else but somewhere in the United States in the mid twentieth century? Why or why not? What is it about the elements of this story that...
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