Maggie Clemens
The Moderns—The American
Voice in Fiction
1900-1940
The lesson plans included here cover only the first week of the unit and uses the works of
James Thurber and Eudora Welty.
This unit will be the seventh unit of the semester. It falls after the Civil War and postwar period and before the poetry unit. It is the last unit based on a historical time period.
This unit will work with works of fiction from the early 1900’s until the start of World
War II. Some of the authors covered are James Thurber, Eudora Welty, Sinclair Lewis,
Willa Cather, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Zora Neale Hurston,. Students
will recognize different themes in these pieces. Some include but are not limited to:
satire, illusions and visions, clash of generations, the anti-hero, and rogues versus
conventional types.
Unit Objectives:
 Students will gain exposure to notable authors and their works.
 Students will identify and define major elements in fiction.
 Students will learn to express and explain responses to fiction.
Unit Materials:
 Elements of Literature
 Timeline worksheet
 Vocabulary worksheets for each story
 “The Roaring Twenties” at http://wwalephnull.net/20s/index.html
 Computer with mp3 playing capabilities.
 Overhead projector
Unit Activities:
 Completing a timeline of family events from 1900 to 1940.
 Writing a satirical autobiography.
 Learning vocabulary used in the different stories.
 Comparing contemporary married television characters to Walter Mitty and his
wife.
 Re-writing the ending to “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty
Teacher’s Name: Maggie Clemens
Date: Day 1
Title of Unit: The Moderns—The American Voice in Fiction
Title of Lesson: Introduction to the Unit
Previous Assignment: None
Objectives:
 Students will be able to identify historical events from the 1900 to 1940 time
period.
 Students will learn to recognize music from the period.
 Students will learn to work in cooperatively in small groups.
Materials:
 The introduction written by John Leggett from Elements of Literature
 “The Roaring Twenties” at http://alephnull.net/20s/index.html
o Artwork from that time period
 Pablo Picasso’s The Three Dancers
 Georges Braque’s Fruit on a Tablecloth with a Fruitdish
 Edward Hopper’s House by the Railroad
o Music from that time period
 Waring's Pennsylvanians’ Glorianna
 Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra’s Happy Feet
 Freddy Martin and his Orchestra’s My Future Star
 Blank copy of the timeline for each student and one on a transparency
 Computer with mp3 playing capabilities
 Over head projector
Activities:
 In small groups, students will receive a blank copy of the timeline and a list of
historical events. They will place the events on the timeline. Although this is a
group exercise, each student will have his or her own copy of the timeline and
will write down their group’s answers. (5 minutes)

We will then discuss the timeline as a group. Another copy of the timeline will be
placed on the overhead and each group will submit their answers. The students
will be given a chance to explain why they chose to place the events in their
order. (15 minutes)

We will then read the introduction out loud (pages 494-500). When we come to
the timeline, students will compare their timeline to the one provided and we will
compare the one on the overhead. We will also discuss the questions following
this lesson. (25 minutes)

We will then listen to music from the era (playing on the computer) and pass
around paintings of the era. We will discuss fashions from the pictures in the
textbook. (10 minutes)
Evaluation: Students will be asked to respond to discussion questions towards the end
of the class period. Some questions will be taken from the list on pages 496 and 500.
The timeline with family events will also be used for evaluation. It will aid the student
by giving them a context for the time period.
Assignment: Students will take their copy of the timeline and add family events to it
(birth of grandparents, weddings, a war veteran, etc.)
Artwork from the Roaring Twenties
Pablo Picasso’s The Three Dancers
Georges Braque’s Fruit on a Tablecloth with a Fruitdish
Edward Hopper’s House by the Railroad
Discussion Questions for the Introduction
1. Discussing the quotation: “I had a world, and it slipped away from me. The War
blew up more than the bodies of men. . . It blew ideas away—.” Sherwood
Anderson, in a letter to his son, November 1929
Anderson was in his early 30’s when WWI ended. What ideas may Anderson be
referring to?
a. America similar to an Eden, innocent and promising, lots of opportunities
b. Willa Cather, another American author a few years older than Anderson,
expressed the same sense of irreversible change saying, “The world broke
in two in 1922 or thereabout.”
2. What are the other two elements of the American dream? (Optimism about the
future and a belief in the individual). How important do you think these beliefs
are to Americans today?
a. Answers will vary. Some students may not express optimism about the
future due to recessionary economic times in the post-Cold War era and
the fierce competition we face in the international marketplace with such
industrialized nations as Japan. Most students, however, will say that
Americans still hold fast to their belief in the triumph of the individual.
3. Why do you suppose Marxism and psychoanalysis were so unsettling to
Americans?
a. Both movements were directly opposed to American beliefs and values.
An avowed purpose of Marxism was spreading the revolution.
Psychoanalysis seemed to do away with “free will.”
Teacher’s Name: Maggie Clemens
Date: Day 2
Title of Unit: The Moderns—The American Voice in Fiction
Title of Lesson: Introduction to the story: “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
By James Thurber
Previous Assignment: Family Timeline Events
Objectives:
 Students will increase their vocabulary through the context of the story.
 Students will learn to recognize the author’s humorous style.
 Students will demonstrate understanding of the author’s writing style by writing
an autobiography.
Materials:
 “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber from Elements of Literature
(pages 576-581)
 Vocabulary worksheet
 Definition of satire from The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms
Teacher Activities:
 I will pass out the vocabulary worksheet and explain the directions. This will be
homework for the next day. (5 minutes)

Then I will read aloud to the students the introduction provided by the editors and
then Thurber’s autobiographical material. We will discuss satire and how it is
used in this introduction. Satire uses irony, wit, and occasional sarcasm. It is
different from comedy. Comedy seeks to entertain and amuse while satire has a
moral purpose. Writers who use satire want the readers to change a belief or
reform. Satire is not used to poke fun at physical deformities because those
cannot be changed. (25 minutes)

Students will be given the rest of the class period to write their own brief
autobiography imitating Thurber’s style. If students do not finish, the
autobiography will be homework. (15 minutes)
Student Activities: Students will receive the vocabulary worksheet and ask any
questions they may have after hearing the instructions. This worksheet will be due at the
beginning of the next class period. Student will then listen as I read aloud the
introduction to the story. They will discuss why it is humorous and the use of satire and
they will add the information about satire to their notes. They will then begin writing
their own autobiography by imitating Thurber’s style.
Evaluation: Students will be evaluated by writing an autobiography. I will look for
elements of humor and satire as well as correct grammar and mechanics.
Assignment: Vocabulary worksheet and finish autobiography.
Name:__________________
Vocabulary for
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
Using the dictionary, write a definition for each word.
Craven:
Insinuating:
Pandemonium:
Rending:
Derisive:
Inscrutable:
Match each word with its antonym.
Inscrutable
Pandemonium
Craven
Rending
Derisive
Insinuating
Courageous
Suggest
Comprehensively
Calm
Taunting
Ripping
Write a sentence using each word in the correct context.
Name: Answer sheet
Vocabulary for
“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
All definitions from Dictionary.com
Using the dictionary, write a definition for each word.
Craven: Characterized by abject fear; cowardly
Insinuating: provoking doubt or suspicion;
Pandemonium: a very noisy place; a wild uproar or noise
Rending: resembling a sound of violent tearing as of something ripped apart or lightning
splitting a tree;
Derisive: mocking; jeering
Inscrutable: difficult to fathom or understand; impenetrable
Match each word with its synonym or antonym and indicate which one it is.
Inscrutable—comprehensively (antonym)
Pandemonium—calm (antonym)
Craven—courageous (anonym)
Rending—ripping (synonym)
Derisive—taunting (synonym)
Insinuating—suggest (synonym)
Write a sentence using each word in the correct context.
Your Autobiography Criterion
Doesn’t
Meet
(0)
Composes structurally
correct sentences in
Standard American English
 Punctuation,
grammar, etc.
Uses satire correctly
 Contains irony, wit,
and sarcasm
Has an easy flow and
rhythm when read aloud
 Variation in sentence
length
 Writing is natural
and fluent
Meets
Expectations
(1)
Exceeds
Expectations
(2)
Teacher’s Name: Maggie Clemens
Date: Day 3
Title of Unit: The Moderns—The American Voice in Fiction
Title of Lesson: “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber
Previous Assignment: Vocabulary worksheet and autobiography
Objectives:
 Students will be able to identify and define major elements (free association,
irony, parody, jargon) in fiction.
 Students will make connections between the story and modern television series.
 Student will learn to appreciate an important work of fiction.
Materials:
 “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” by James Thurber from Elements of Literature
 Overhead projector and transparency of terms
Activities:
 I will present a short lecture on literary elements used in this story and students
will take notes from the overhead projector. See the definition list following this
lesson plan. Students will be encouraged to add to the notes examples from the
story as we read. (10 minutes)

We will read aloud “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” and then we will discuss
the questions at the end of the chapter. We will discuss questions 1-6 (following
page). (25 minutes)

Then we will discuss how Walter Mitty and his wife are similar to many of
today’s (and yesterday’s) television characters. We will brainstorm a list on the
chalkboard. Some examples are Fred and Wilma Flintstone, Roseanne and Tom
Arnold, and Marge and Homer Simpson, Lucy and Desi. (10 minutes)
Evaluation: Students’ answers to the discussion questions will provide the feedback for
evaluation.
Assignment: Students will choose two of the couples listed on the board. They will
write a short paper (one notebook page handwritten) discussing the similarities and
difference between the television characters and Mitty and his wife. This paper will only
be evaluated for comprehension of the story and participation.
Notes for “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
Free association: the technique of having the patient talk as freely as possible, bringing
in whatever ideas, memories, et. Are associated in his mind; a method of psychoanalysis
Irony: a method of humorous or sarcastic expression in which the intended meaning of
the words used is the direct opposite of their usual sense
Jargon: specialized terminology used by a particular group of people
Parody: literary counterpart to caricature; often used to make a satiric point
Discussion Questions for “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”
1. Why does Mitty put his gloves back on when the traffic cop yells at him
a. Momentarily flustered, he thinks the policeman is reprimanding him for
not following his wife’s orders about wearing the gloves.
2. What bits of reality does Mitty incorporate in his hospital fantasy?
a. Gloves; Dr. Renshaw, his family physician; Roosevelt, who was then
President
3. What stimulus brings on Mitty’s great surgeon fantasy?
a. Driving past the hospital
4. How does Mitty’s performance in his operating room fantasy contrast with his
real performance in the parking lot?
a. “Dr. Mitty” repairs a complicated machine and takes over delicate surgery
from “two great specialists.” In the parking lot, Mitty almost hits another
car. The attendant has to park his car.
5. What elements from real life send Mitty into the courtroom fantasy?
a. The idea of wearing his right arm in a sling so the mechanic won’t grin at
him; the newsboy shouting about a Waterbury trial; the fact that he has
forgotten an item on his wife’s shopping list, which gives rise to “Perhaps
this will refreash your memory,” a cliché of courtroom dramas.
6. What association makes Mitty remember that he is supposed to buy puppy
biscuits?
a. Calling the District Attorney a “miserable cur” in his fantasy
Teacher’s Name: Maggie Clemens
Date: Day 4
Title of Unit: The Moderns—The American Voice in Fiction
Title of Lesson: “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty
Previous Assignment: Similarities and differences paper
Objectives:
 Students will increase their vocabulary through the context of the story.
 Students will learn to recognize an unseen character.
 Students will learn to appreciate a work of fiction that is not closely related to
their own personal experience.
Materials:
 “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty from Elements of Literature
Activities:
 I will pass out the vocabulary worksheet and explain the directions. This will be
homework for the next day. (5 minutes)

We will then read aloud the author introduction and the story. We will pause after
the first page to discuss the photograph and how it adds to the story. (30 minutes)

After finishing the story, students will be assigned questions 1-6 on page 618.
These will be collected at the end of the class period. If students finish early, they
will read silently from a book that they are currently reading. (10 minutes)
Evaluation: Students’ answers to the discussion questions will provide the feedback for
evaluation.
Assignment: Vocabulary worksheet
Name:__________________
Vocabulary for
“A Worn Path”
Using the dictionary, write a definition for each word.
Phoenix:
Meditative:
Limber:
Rouse:
Buzzard:
Furrow:
Maze:
Pullet:
Lolling:
Lye:
Write a sentence using each word in the correct context.
Name: Answer sheet
Vocabulary for
“A Worn Path”
All definitions from Dictionary.com
Using the dictionary, write a definition for each word.
Phoenix: A bird in Egyptian mythology that lived in the desert for 500 years and then
consumed itself by fire, later to rise renewed from its ashes; a person or thing of
unsurpassed excellence or beauty
Meditative: Characterized by or prone to meditation (meditation means devotional
exercise of or leading to contemplation; a contemplative discourse, usually on a religious
or philosophical subject)
Limber: Bending or flexing readily; pliable.
Rouse: To arouse from slumber; to excite; stir up
Buzzard: A vulture
Furrow: A long, narrow, shallow trench made in the ground by a plow; a rut, groove, or
narrow depression
Maze: An intricate, usually confusing network of interconnecting pathways, as in a
garden
Pullet: A young domestic hen, usually one that is less than one year old
Lolling: To hang or droop
Lye: The liquid obtained by leaching wood ashes; it is used to make soap
Write a sentence using each word in the correct context.
Teacher’s Name: Maggie Clemens
Date: Day 5
Title of Unit: The Moderns—The American Voice in Fiction
Title of Lesson: “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty
Previous Assignment: vocabulary worksheet
Objectives:
 Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills by deducting situations from the
text.
 Students will demonstrate a competent ability to express their ideas through
writing.
 Student will show their ability to write effectively.
Materials:
 “A Worn Path” by Eudora Welty from Elements of Literature
 Essay “Is Phoenix Jackson’s Grandson Really Dead?” by Eudora Welty from
Elements of Literature
Activities:
 I will read aloud the essay “Is Phoenix Jackson’s Grandson Really Dead?”
Students will not be allowed to discuss this essay with me or with other students.
(10 minutes)

They will immediately start re-writing the ending to “A Worn Path.” They will
be encouraged to re-read parts of the story and essay to gather pertinent facts. (35
minutes)
Evaluation: Students will be evaluated on their version of the story. Criteria will be
mechanics, grammar, fulfilling the purpose, and details from the original story.
Assignment: Students will have the weekend to work on their story. Monday’s class
period will be spent on workshopping the stories and revising.
Re-writing “A Worn Path” Criterion
Doesn’t
Meet
(0)
Composes structurally
correct sentences in
Standard American English
 Punctuation,
grammar, etc.
Imitates the style of Welty
 3rd person, similar
dialogue, etc.
Details from the story are
reflected
 Characters, setting,
events, etc.
Creativity is expressed
 Ending is
significantly
different from the
original
Meets
Expectations
(1)
Exceeds
Expectations
(3)