Running Head: SHORT STORY MODULE
Short Story Module: The Good Bishop
Vanessa Johns
Azusa Pacific University
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SHORT STORY MODULE
The Good Bishop
Context and Rationale
I am currently volunteering as an English teacher for 10 adult students, Burmese
refugees recently relocated to Indiana. They are clients of a resettlement agency which
requires English class attendance as part of their programming. The purpose for the class is
strictly acquainting them with American culture and teaching survival English skills for life
in the US. I have been instructing the most advanced group, and although reading
literature and reading strategies are not a part of the current teaching curriculum, I believe
that there are relevant skills that can be obtained from reading activities and applied to
their daily lives. Further, student motivation and interest in other cultures can be increased
through reading.
Hedgcock and Ferris (2009) suggest several criteria for selecting texts for ESL
students including length, vocabulary, syntax, use of cohesive devices, and macrostructure
(pg. 92). With these in mind, I have selected a passage from Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables,
adapted for young readers by William J. Bennett [Appendix A]. The 1000-word passage
tells the story of Jean Valjean’s interaction with Bishop Myriel (referred to only as the
Bishop). Reading even the abridged novel may forever be beyond my students’ interest or
skill, but my goal is to introduce them to reading for enjoyment and to show them how to
relate to other cultures through the story of The Good Bishop.
Central to the story of Les Miserables and specifically the passage of The Good
Bishop is the theme of honesty, as well as forgiveness, responsibility and second chances.
These are concepts that are applicable to my students in their position as refugees,
especially as they can relate to Jean Valjean’s desperate situation. Considering the
characters’ actions in the story, will we will discuss these themes and how they relate to
their new lives in the United States.
Gadjusek (1998) shares her personal struggle with feeling “literature is too ‘hard’
for ESL students” (p. 227). With little teaching experience of my own, I easy fell back on this
assumption myself. However, Gadjusek presents a four-level sequence for literary analysis,
for engaging students with literature in a meaningful way. I have prepared activities based
on Gadjusek’s model through which refugee ESL students can meaningfully engage with the
selected passage. This may be the longest English text my students have read, and I hope
that by going through it together, and along Gadjusek’s guidelines, they will have greater
confidence when completing their next reading task.
I. Pre-reading activities
Pre-reading provides students with essential background information and
vocabulary necessary as well as activates existing schemata. This will give students
confidence in the task they are about to begin. For my students who have never read a
passage of this length or style, pre-reading activities will be essential to motivation, morale,
and the completion of the reading lesson. This is because “carefully planned pre-reading
activities… will permit the pleasure of genuine involvement with a literary text” (Gadjusek,
p. 234).
A. Teach Vocabulary
1. The teacher will present the following vocabulary words to students, which are
necessary to the context of the story, but not necessarily known by ESL students.
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Entreaties
Convict
Riveted
Embittered Francs
Bishop
Candlesticks Trembled
Honest
Yellow passport
“felt like a wolf”
“dumb with joy”
2. In order to teach students to identify words by their context, the teacher will
first read the word in a sentence, and ask students to if they know what it means.
What part of speech is it, and what other words might fit?
3. The teacher should define the word and use a picture to help illustrate meaning,
spending more time on the concept of being “honest” than “candlesticks,” an
object.
4. The teacher will conclude pre-reading vocabulary by reading each word in the
context of the passage.
5. In a take-away assignment, students will choose four of the vocabulary words
and write a sentence with each word.
B. Activate Schemata
1. As a class, students will discuss acts of kindness. Play the video “Simple Acts of
Kindness (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu9UtVaWYaI). After each scene,
pause the video and ask students to describe what has happened. What do they
think about it? How would they act in that situation? Students will use Appendix
B to write a journal entry answering the following prompt in 5-7 sentences:
“Describe an act of kindness that you have experienced or heard about.” This can
be something that happened in the US or their home country. Students should
use adjectives and descriptive language. After writing, students will exchange
papers with a peer and edit for spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization,
and grammar, following the key and example in Appendix B.
2. Students will be asked about their knowledge of France or French culture and
history. This knowledge is expectedly very low. Students will enjoy looking
through pictures of iconic French cultural artifacts and should feel encouraged to
share observations and any connections they may have.
3. The teacher can explain American’s connection to French history and culture,
and provide examples from the local community and media. The knowledge of
America’s fascination with French culture is relevant to the students reading the
passage from Les Miserables as new residents of the US. Many Americans have
read Les Miserables and are familiar with the story; this can be a point of
conversation for students with Americans. The teacher should tell students the
passage they will read is taken from a larger book by a French author.
II. Factual In-Class Work
The second strategy in Gadjusek’s reading sequence is factual in-class work. This
begins with the reading of the text. Gadjusek encourages reading to begin at home, where
students can take time to engage with the story themselves, and not solely rely on the
teacher’s exegesis of the text in class (p. 238). In class, students will answer the questions
who, what, when, and where.
A. Read the Text
1. The teacher will conclude the first lesson with an oral reading of the story.
Students will then take a copy of the story home to read on their own [Appendix
A]. Their first reading should be brief, to gain an overall understanding. After the
SHORT STORY MODULE
B.
C.
D.
E.
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second, slower reading, students will fill out the Outline Worksheet [Appendix C]
using complete sentences. As they read, students should also make notes of any
questions about language or the story they may have.
2. At the start of the second class, the teacher will read the story aloud as students
follow along. Every paragraph or so, the teacher can stop to ask questions to
confirm comprehension.
Point of View
The teacher will ask, “Who is telling this story?” and allow students to respond.
The storyteller is not a character of the passage, and yet he can be trusted. The
teacher will ask students to consider what the story would sound like if it were
told from Jean’s point of view. What if the Bishop told it? Students will take one
paragraph and rewrite it from another character’s point of view.
Characters
The teacher will make a list of the main characters on the board. Students will
take turns describing each character based on the Outline Worksheet as the
teacher makes notes about each one.
Setting
The teacher will ask students about where and when this story takes place.
 What words or phrases may indicate this?
o Examples: wood-chopper’s son (not a common current
profession), galley.
 Recalling the discussion about France in the previous lesson, what words
or phrases from the story point to France?
o Example: francs. The teacher should ask students how the time
and place contributes to the story?
Action
Again referring to the Outline Worksheet, small groups of 2-3 will construct a
thorough outline of the events of the story in chronological order. Students
should use transition words (in the beginning, then, next, after that, lastly) as
they retell the story. Students should compare which events they considered to
be most significant and which are secondary details, and include only the main
ideas.
III. Analysis
After interacting communicatively with one another and the passage, students will
now be given the opportunity to interact with the passage in a meaningful way.
Considering the themes and values expressed in the story, students will evaluate the
characters’ motivations, what that means to the story, and what that means to the reader.
In this stage, we move students “beyond information to involvement and experience”
(Gadjusek, p. 245). This exploration and reflection will cause students to question the
characters’ motivation, and consider how they would act if they were in that character’s
shoes.
A. Climax
1. Teacher will instruct students to look for the climax of the story. What do they
think is the greatest moment of the story and why? How does it make them (the
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reader) feel? If there is not consensus as to what the climax of the story is,
consider when the five soldiers bring Jean to the Bishop for having stolen his
silverware. Teacher can ask, “Why is this the climax, or greatest moment, of the
story? What is the Bishop’s response? The soldiers? Jean’s? How did you feel
when this happened?”
2. Discuss the emotional moment when the Bishop says, “Never forget you have
promised me…” Jean never promised this, so what does the Bishop mean, and
how does he expect Jean to act in response?
B. Theme
1. What does the Bishop mean that Jean should become an “honest” man? Discuss
honesty, Jean’s responsibility, and the second chances Jean has experienced. In
these and what other moments are these topics present in the story? How do
they affect each character? Students will work in pairs to describe these themes
from the story in complete sentences.
2. For homework, students will consider how these themes apply to their own
lives. Students will select one theme and write a 5-7 sentence reflection on how
that theme relates to their life [Appendix D]. They should write openly and
carefully, but will not be graded on depth of content or spelling/grammar.
IV. Extending Activities
These activities are meant to support the ideas of the text while engaging the
students in fun activities. These in-class activities will have maximum effect if students
have gained understand the author’s telling of the story and its themes through the
previous exercises. These activities will bring the passage to life and show how reading is
an enjoyable activity.
A. Drama
1. In small groups of 2-4, students will write a sequel to the story, showing what
Jean did to keep his promise to the Bishop. Students will use Appendix E as a
guideline for this activity. The sequel should be an additional scene to the
story, including dialogue, and be at least half a written page. Students should
discuss the plot of their sequel, and then work together to write it down and
edit it for correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar.
2. After reach group presents, the teacher will lead a discussion about how the
group member’s assumptions (perhaps culturally driven) determined Jean’s
actions. How are the themes from the story reflected in each drama sequel?
B. Movie
1. The teacher will show a video clip from a theater production of the Bishop
scene. The teacher will explain how the story has been made into a play with
music. Although the story is sung in the video, students will be able to follow
along; the teacher can identify the main characters in the video for the
student’s reference.
2. After viewing the video, discuss the set (setting), costumes, props, music, and
additional characters on stage, their body language, or other elements of the
video. How is this telling of the story different than the passage? What details
were added or left out? Does it change how students feel about the
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characters? Does this change how the students define the themes of the
Bishop’s story?
Conclusion
As an ESL teacher of reading, I feel I must align with Gadjusek’s statement that
“reading is an active, two-way process of matching incoming data with our existing
knowledge, not only of the language system, but of the world” (p. 231). Reading presents
students the opportunity to think about language and culture in a new way. Through a
structured set of lessons including a variety of activities focusing on reading and writing,
they will relate the themes of a significant piece of writing to their own lives, be motivated
to read for knowledge and enjoyment, and encouraged to find other connections in reading
to their personal lives. My desire is for my refugee students to be comfortable and
confident in all aspects of American life, to be exposed to and knowledgeable of literature
and drama Americans enjoy, and to find reading not only as a necessary skill but also as an
enjoyable interest.
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References
Gajdusek, L. (1988). Toward Wider Use of Literature in ESL: Why and How. TESOL
Quarterly, 22 (2), 227-257.
Hedgcock, J. S., & Ferris, D. R. (2009). Teaching readers of English: Students, texts, and
contexts. New York, NY: Routledge.
Hugo, V. (1997). The good bishop. In W. J. Bennett (Ed.), The book of virtues for young
people (pp. 256-259). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.
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Appendix A
The Good Bishop (from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo) adapted for young readers by
William J. Bennett
Jean Valjean was a wood-chopper’s son, who, while very young, was left an orphan.
His older sister brought him, but when he was seventeen years of age, his sister’s husband
died, and upon Jean came the labor of supporting her seven little children. Although a man
of great strength, he found it very difficult to provide food for them at the poor trade he
followed.
One winter day he was without work, and the children were crying for bread. They
were nearly starved. And, when he could withstand their entreaties no longer, he went out
in the night, and, breaking a baker’s window with his fist, carried home a loaf of bread for
the famished children. The next morning, he was arrested for stealing, his bleeding hand
convicting him.
For this crime he was sent to the galleys with an iron collar riveted around his neck,
with a chain attached, which bound him to his galley seat. Here he remained four years,
then he tried to escape, but was caught, and three years were added to his sentence. Then
he made a second attempt, and also failed, the result of which was that he remained
nineteen years as a galley slave for stealing a single loaf of bread.
When Jean left the prison, his heart was hardened. He felt like a wolf. His wrongs
had embittered him, and he was more like an animal than a man. He came with every man’s
hand raised against him to the town where the good bishop lived.
At the inn they would not receive him because they knew him to be an ex-convict
and a dangerous man. Wherever he went, the knowledge of him went before, and everyone
drove him away. They would not even allow him to sleep in a dog kennel or give him the
food they had saved for the dog. Everywhere he went they cried: “Be off! Go away, or you
will be a charge of shot.” Finally, he wandered to the house of the good bishop, and a good
man he was.
For his duties as a bishop, he received from the state 3,000 francs a year; but he
gave away to the poor 2,800 francs of it. He was a simple, loving man, with a great heart,
who thought nothing of himself, but loved everybody. And everybody loved him.
Jean, when he entered the bishop’s house, was a most forbidding and dangerous
character. He shouted in a harsh loud voice: “Look here, I am a galley slave. Here is my
yellow passport. It says: ‘Five year for robbery and fourteen years for trying to escape. The
man is very dangerous.’ Now that you know who I am, will you give me a little food, and let
me sleep in the stable?”
The good bishop said: “Sit down and warm yourself. You will take supper with me,
and after that sleep here.”
Jean could hardly believe his sense. He was dumb with joy. He told the bishop that
he had money, and would pay for his supper and lodging.
But the priest said: “You are welcome. This is not my house, but the house of Christ.
Your name was known to me before you showed me your passport. You are my brother.”
After supper the bishop took one of the silver candlesticks that he had received as a
Christmas present, and giving Jean the other, led him to his room, where a good bed was
provided. In the middle of the night, Jean awoke with a hardened heart. He felt that the time
and come to get revenge for all his wrongs. He remembered the sliver knives and forks that
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had been used for supper, and made up his mind to steal them, and go away in the night. So
he took what he could find, sprang into the garden, and disappeared.
When the bishop awoke, and saw his silver gone, he said: “I have been thinking for a
long time that I ought not to keep the silver. I should have given it to the poor, and certainly
this man was poor.”
At breakfast time five soldiers brought Jean back to the bishop’s house. When they
entered, the bishop, looking at him, said: “Oh you are back again! I am glad to see you. I
gave you the candlesticks, too, which are silver also, and will bring forty francs. Why did
you not take them?”
Jean was stunned indeed by these words. So were the soldiers. “This man told us the
truth, did he?” they cried. “We thought he had stolen the silver and was running away. So
we quickly arrested him.”
But the good bishop only said: “It was a mistake to have him brought back. Let him
go. The silver is his. I gave it to him.”
So the officers went away.
“Is it true,” Jean whispered to the bishop, “that I am free? I may go?”
“Yes,” he replied, “but before you go take your candlesticks.”
Jean trembled in every limb, and took the candlesticks like one in a dream.
“Now,” said the bishop, “depart in peace, but do not go through the garden, for the
front door is always open to you day and night.”
Jean looked as though he would faint.
Then the bishop took his hand and said: “Never forget you have promised me you
would use the money to become an honest man.”
He did not remember having promised anything, but stood silent while the bishop
continued solemnly:
“Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. I have bought
your soul for you. I withdrew it from black thoughts and the spirit of hate, and gave it to
God.”
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Appendix B
Journal—Acts of Kindness
“Describe an act of kindness that you have experienced or heard about.”
Write 5-7 sentences using descriptive language.
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After you have finished, exchange your paper with a peer and edit their paper for spelling,
punctuation, capitalization, and grammar (verb tense, word choice, sentence structure).
Example: One day! i saw a large dog chassing a small cat around a fence.
PC
SP
WC
SP = Spelling
C= Capitalization
P= Punctuation
VT= Verb Tense
WC= Word Choice
SS= Sentence Structure
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Appendix C
Outline Worksheet
Plot
List the main events of the story as they appear. You may have more or less than 5 events.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Characters
1. Who is Jean Valjean? Why does he steal the bread? Why does he steal the silver?
2. Who is the bishop? Why does he give away 2,800 francs if he earns 3,000 francs?
3. Who accuses Jean of stealing the silver? Why?
Setting
Where do you think this story takes place? When?
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Appendix D
Journal—Theme
Choose a theme from the Good Bishop: ________________________________________________________
What does it mean to you? Write 5-7 sentences.
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Appendix E
Script-Writing
Part 1—Brainstorm
In your group, read the last three paragraphs of the story again. Compare it to the lines
below:
Bishop: Never forget you have promised me you would use the money to be come an
honest man.
Jean:
[Stands silently as the bishop continues.]
Bishop: Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. I have bought
your soul for you. I withdrew it from black thoughts and the spirit of hate, and
gave it to God.
In your group, you will write a script for a sequel scene following the end of the story. It
should answer the question How will Jean do to keep his promise to the bishop? It will
include a setting, dialogue (speech), and directions for the actors in brackets [ ].
Discuss the following:
Setting: when and where will your scene take place?
Who? Which characters will be in your scene?
What will happen? How will Jean do to keep his promise to the bishop?
How will you connect the past scenes to the new one?
Part 2—Rough draft
In your group, write your scene in a similar format as above. You should have at least 10
lines of dialogue.
Setting: _______________________________________________________________________________________________
Dialogue: _____________________________________________________________________________________________
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Part 3—Edit
Everyone should take part in editing your dialogue for spelling, grammar and punctuation.
You may wish to copy the scene onto clean paper once edited.