Approaches to Teaching Theme
Your literature class is studying The Humming-Bird Tree. Your discussion for the impending lesson centers on issues of gender, and you have assigned for prior reading the excerpt below. In the excerpt some men in Ramlal's rumshop discuss how difficult it is to make a living during the slack season in their village where sugar-cane is the mainstay. Their conversation ranges over the merits and demerits of migrating to town for work.
'You say true, you say true. But you going see the town going choke up worse even. Whe'everybody going live? You see Shanty Town already down by Port of Spain people squeeze up worse than dog, worse than donkey. An' when the women going wit' the men what you think happen to them, eh? Answer me that brief, eh. What you think going happen wit' them so? You well know, I don' have to say, in a week time, in a mont' time, something so, they going sell their c--- to the nearest money. It mek you smell hell in you' nosehole.'
'Old Boss, you right. Dey c--- is the only thing dey have, you right.'
'That is it, man. Whe' they going' cook their food proper? You know how a woman like she cooking, how she like to hol' a coo-coo stick in she han' or mek up a pilao. She going finish wit' all that big cooking, no mo' four coalpot, oui, an' how she going walk jus' out o' door an' fin' callalloo bush ready so fo' she pot? No, man ... (pp. 61-62).
A delegation of female students in your mixed literature class accosts you as you get to the classroom door to say that the male students have been calling them unmentionable names since the class has begun studying the book, and they don't want to discuss gender. Furthermore, they no longer want to study that book. You have no choice but to enter the classroom.
Describe your teaching procedures in the hour-long session that follows.
'You say true, you say true. But you going see the town going choke up worse even. Whe'everybody going live? You see Shanty Town already down by Port of Spain people squeeze up worse than dog, worse than donkey. An' when the women going wit' the men what you think happen to them, eh? Answer me that brief, eh. What you think going happen wit' them so? You well know, I don' have to say, in a week time, in a mont' time, something so, they going sell their c--- to the nearest money. It mek you smell hell in you' nosehole.'
'Old Boss, you right. Dey c--- is the only thing dey have, you right.'
'That is it, man. Whe' they going' cook their food proper? You know how a woman like she cooking, how she like to hol' a coo-coo stick in she han' or mek up a pilao. She going finish wit' all that big cooking, no mo' four coalpot, oui, an' how she going walk jus' out o' door an' fin' callalloo bush ready so fo' she pot? No, man ... (pp. 61-62).
A delegation of female students in your mixed literature class accosts you as you get to the classroom door to say that the male students have been calling them unmentionable names since the class has begun studying the book, and they don't want to discuss gender. Furthermore, they no longer want to study that book. You have no choice but to enter the classroom.
Describe your teaching procedures in the hour-long session that follows.
posted by Cynthia James | 10:22 AM
16 Comments:
This certainly is a real issue many of us will face when teaching this text or others like it.
Personally, I find the language offensive, sexist and derogatory which will have to be be concealed in this situation. However, with that aside, the teacher first faces an issue of dealing with a matter of a disciplinary nature born out of the course text. It encourages the boys to use profanity in a casual and legitimate way to demean their female counterparts. The teacher must clearly draw out that this is not acceptable by any means.
It is necessary for the teacher to demonstarte that the text must be looked at as Literature for Literature sake and study it within the particular context. One must observe the social context,the backgrounds, the topic at hand, the education level of these men which will make the language use appropriate for this particular type of setting. The teacher must then make references to other texts studied and demonstate how ceratin words or classes of words like "nigger" or "nigger lover" are appropraite in the world of To Kill a Mockingbird which gives the novel its full meaning but by no means is it OK for such terms to be used given the nature of history. Similarly, students know very well that the usage of "coolie" is innapropriate in referring to their East Indian counterparts and will use the term only for studying Coolie Mother or Coolie Son.
Similarly, the teacher can introduce the lyrics of some misogynistic contemporary rap music which flouts terms like "whore" or "bitch" to discuss the issue of gender in popular media. The girls and the boys can discuss how this makes them feel and why they feel this way. Why it may be wrong to hvae these terms bandied about and what effect is created. Once this is done perhaps the lesson in gender can be re-introduced for The Hummingbird Tree.
It is imporatnt to use this instance to teach Literature affectively. It can be a lesson that looks at the moral and social implications of the use of such language. Get all the students to give their views and bring them to a level of awareness and understanding why it is inappropriate to use these term freely when they are offensive given particular socail or historical situations.
It is imporatnt for the teacher to use numerous examples to show how words are suitable for specific contexts in order to create a greater awareness, understanding or appreciation. However, these words are not to be used loosely as one must be sensitive to issues of race, gender,and religion.
I don't teach literature. I only teach language, so I must admit I didn't know what the Humming-bird controversy was about. Now that I see the excerpt I am interested to read the rest of the book. Personally, I find the teacher was silly to set that part of the book for reading. I feel sure that she could discuss gender issues without having students read that part of the book for class.
As a female, I felt ashamed while I was reading the excerpt and I can only imagine how a 14 year old would feel reading it in a class of 14 year old male students.
I am going to sidestep the issue of what I would do in the hour-long lesson, because I would not set such a piece of the book for reading. If I was that teacher I would do as the female students asked and change the topic for that period, because in my school I know there would be open war between the boys and the girls and I would not be able to handle the class for the hour.
Undoubtedly, the text is controversial. However, so is life and it deals with a real issue, one that as educators we are obligated to prepare our students to face. The only way to have our students develope into adults who respect each other, regardless of race, creed or gender, is to find ways to identify the existence of any such bias and discuss the reasons with them.
If I were the teacher being refered to I would discuss with the male students how they feel about using that specific word and any other sexualy derogatory terms. I would note their reactions. Then I'd ask them how they would feel if some other male used those words to refer to THEIR mother, sister or girlfriend. I would note thier reactions again.
I may also have students identify derogatory terms that women use to refer to men and discuss these with the female students. Very often females would be just as guilty of being the offenders but when offended they tend to display more hurt.
This excerpt would be a good oppertunity to put all the cards on the table and have students confront a real issue that they will face again and again.
In modern society all literature books should be accepted.Books such as this one should be no exception. Children are exposed to more horrifying aspects of life than this. However students should be able to tell right from wrong and understand that literature can have an authority such as this.
The teacher in this case will have to separate the literary text from real life in this case and let the boys know that it is indeed unacceptable to call girls by such names.
At the same time the girls are rather unfair because many of them speak about other girls in this manner and they don't believe it is a problem.
According to anonymous, students must be made aware of the social context in which the book was written and show how in that seting the derogatory name can be used.
Students must be aware of each other's feeling at this point and through this some sort of respect for one another must be developed.
I agree with Ajani, we shouldn't shy away from the book; in fact we would be imposing our middle class values without considering the larger issue censorship and our authority or lack of authority to censor!
Literature, as part of a large body of work - Art, is informed by and informs society. Herein lies the teaching point; the teacher should explain that this is a depiction of real, everday language use however, it does not necessarily mean that it is an appropriate way to express onself. The lesson should then examine how language functions to exclude/include, pathologise/normalise, denigrate/celebrate particular groups. Besides examining binary constructions and their implications for women,the colonial and other marginalised groups, the teacher has the opportunity to invite those boys, and others, to find less offensive alternatives;in short they can be asked to rewrite the exercept to convey the essence of the thing without being offensive.Further the teacher could point out this the exercise demonstrates how one could be expressive, without being offensive.
I agree with most of the comments made thus far. While I might be tempted to ignore the issue and like myrtle, would not have chosen it in the first place, I think it is an excellent opportunity to discuss several issues that students encounter on a daily basis. Many of the male students are exposed to language such as this and are encouraged to speak in this way about females in society. As the teacher I would encourage discussion on the implications of using such language and have the girls in the class explain how they feel when they are referred to in such terms.Like Shabach said i would also ask them how they would feel if their female relatives were spoken of in such terms in their presence. This should be effective in putting the situation in context for them.
It might be necessary to explain why such language would be deemed offensive in one context and not in another and show the boys and girls (since girls are often as guilty)how using derogatory terms can indicate a gender bias and prove to be demeaning to a particular group.
As I reflect on my past experience as a teacher in a senior comprehensive school, the ideal ways of treating with the lesson expressed so far don't seem very real to me. They are much more simply said than done.
As I visualize my classes of 14 year olds, I don't see a homogenous group. I see the religious asking to leave the classroom under some pretext and never coming back. I see varied ethnic groups silently looking on. I see some students crying because of related memories and experiences, and I see a vociferous verbal combat between a few males and females who for some reason feel themselves accused.
Does this literature teacher need support? Is this a burden she can carry alone?
Another interesting point is that although everyone so far is alluding to profanity, there is no profanity in the discussion between Ramlal and his friends. They are using legitimate rumshop language. The scene is authentic and perhaps could not be written realistically in any other way.
Shouldn't the teacher also be emphasizing the craftsmanship of The Humming-Bird?
Hi Everyone! I read all the comments on the blog, and I must say that I agree with most, so to comment on the same would be redundant.
I like Crista's perspective of dealing with it though. I too believe that Literature as an artform reflects the society. And as West Indians we know all too well that language as used in the excerpt is normal in certain circles.
What I will add is the perspective that, if we as teachers were to ignore such literature, we'd only be sticking our heads in the sand: the issue does not go away if we can't see it/refuse to see it. By taking hold of it, discussing it, and letting students give their ideas about it, then they know that school is a place that deals with everyday life. I always tell my students that the reason why Literature is so important and enjoyable is because it's about life, and about human nature. By examining such works, we allow students to examine their society and social context, embrace it, and thereby make choices and form opinions about issues that would have otherwise not been dealt with.
Upon preliminary reading i dont see what all the fuss is about. the speaker is taking his listener through a hyperbolic paradigm of the socio-economic stagnation that he foresees. it is quite common for a speaker who is so emotionally engaged with his subject to become base especially if that person is not possessed with the gift of 'gab' there is nothing startling about this. i may go so far as to ask the class to 'look' into their own repertoir of verbally assaultive language. is there a realistic assault tone to these words or are these hyperbolic? the student should come to realize that these words are metaphors from the mind of a verbally inadequate speaker, that the risque tittilation they assume is not one of gender but of their own purposeful misinterpretation seeking cheap kicks,that their fun if real is founded in a larger question of morality, a morality that is debased by their peurile excitement.'
The Buddah of Suburbia'... those of you who do not know dealt with themes as these though much more explicitly. in fact, themes concerned with the controversial and almost cult/androgynous realms of homosexuality.
literature today as it was yesterday is an effort to grapple with the realities of a human condition that is evanescent and protean at the same time. Chaucer expounded on these issues in the Nun's tale, Shakespeare's bawdy is as much alive today as it was 400 years ago, Donne envied the flea because it led a more fascinating life than he did, Conrad wrote of the darkness of the heart with such relish that i believe the info too real to be fiction.
how is all of this related? literature is a human condition, hyperbolic or not. it is our 'selfness' that is the topic. when we laugh we get the chance to laugh at ourselves and so too when we choose to misconstrue we belie ourselves.
this may be my argument to the class delivered in as 'non pulpit' a tone that i could muster.
It is interesting how our discussion has remained in the domain of woman as sex object even when we have cited language issues. This tells me of a quantum of defensiveness among teachers about dealing with sex in the classroom.
There are two additional issues I would like to raise, though. One is the question of age rating, since everyone so far seems agreed that the book can/should be taught in schools. Do you think the book should be rated?
General Audiences, PG-13 or For 6th Form Audiences)
The second question I would like to raise is that of other gender roles alluded to in the excerpt that have not been discussed so far:
You know how a woman like she cooking, how she like to hol' a coo-coo stick in she han' or mek up a pilao.
There are phallic symbols here, of course. But beyond that .... In the hey-day of the woman's movement, many women would have considered this depiction, a woman-in-the--kitchen stereotype, and thus offensive.
Are these words harmless today? To what extent are words and their connotations time, context, and cuture bound? Especially since these days we see so many fund-raisers celebrating men who can cook.
In other words the teacher worth her salt can encourage her students to engage in a genuine critical analysis of all the gender aspects of the extract, instead of solely focusing on their preoccupation with sexual issues.
The Hummingbird Tree is a literary piece that I feel should not be introduced to the tender minds of Form 1 students. I hope in trying to discipline the male students in the situation presented I would be dealing with older students.
I would remind students of this particular scene in the story: some uneducated men-cane-cutters in a rumshop.I would draw attention to the fact that their lack of education retards not only their chances of employment but limits their way of thinking. Their sexist and crude way of thinking of women is also reflective of the times in which they live. I would out point to the students how far we have come since then. In fact would let them think about the females in their families and see how different it might be now. As regards their own situation they need to know that girls nowadays are performing better academically than the boys.
I would express my disappointment and disgust that educated young men could still be so retrograde in their thinking. I like to ask my students to reflect and write when they commit certain misdemeanours. In this case I would ask them to write an essay saying what they told the girls and why it was so wrong. They would also have to say why women should be respected and show how Ramlal’s way of thinking was wrong. Of course they would have to take the essay home for their parent’s signature and comment.
I agreed with most of the comments especially those expressed by Anonymous. In particular, I would encourage research into the setting and author’s concerns so that context is understood. With this accomplished, themes such as gender bias can be discussed in an educated, structured manner. The teacher must be careful, though, in treating this issue since to bring such vocabulary and expressions into the classroom might result in perpetuating the problem. Maturity is definitely needed of the students since even though the profanities are edited, they will still be discussed and verification of meaning, sought.
With this in mind, I think that this particular literature should be reserved for Form 6. The language could be used in Communication Studies, namely the Linguistic module that concerns Dialect. The morphology/phonology of words such as “Whe’” and “jus’” or tradition of phrases such as “oui” can be studied. Dialectical variations also can be analyzed as setting and intelligence would affect the language.
I would think that I would have prepared my students for the proceeding obscenities to come in the text and relate the expectations I had of them regarding the use of the language. Thus, I would begin class by referring to those prep sessions and deal with the disciplinary issue from that standpoint. I would probably use the student conflict as a tool for teaching an understanding of the text – gender stereotypes, relationships, character, society, author’s style, author’s language, audience, purpose – and use the opportunity for students to reflect on their reading and empathize with the characters and each other. I will have them link the text to themselves. They can write from each other’s viewpoint, interview each other or write conversations to each other. There are opportunities for class discussions on anger management and conflict resolution and inappropriate student behaviours. My female students’ passion will be transferred from quitting the text to discussing the text and debates.
I recall Prof. Selwyn Cudjoe’s article in the Guardian last month in which he suggested that parents should overlook a few cuss words for the sake of studying literature which provide deeper understandings of one’s place in life and profound discussions on the author’s handling of themes. I also recall reading claims by American research educators that if schools were to follow their Board’s guidelines regarding text sanctions, students will not be exposed to much of pre-70’s classics based on mere trivialities. I am trying too to look beyond this century and at the real social change that is sure to come. Yet, I join with the teachers here who do not agree with the inclusion of this text on the Ministry’s list. Thus, if I had to teach the text, I would have students spend much time discussing and understanding the issues surrounding the profane language and the wider social implications.
So far, i agree with the majority of the comments posted. there is one thing that bothers me though. Most of the comments seemed to focus on the coarseness of the language and the objectifying of women. To me the excerpt explores a paricular social dynamic taht exists whether we wish to acknowledge it or not, and i think it is crucial not to lose sight of the context in which these issues come to light. According to Anjini, our students are exposed to far more explicit material and experiences than some of us care to imagine. As teachers, we have a duty to put some of what they see and hear into the contexts to which they belong, and give our students the tools to indentfy these things for what they are, and have a greater appreciation for these things in the context of artistic expression.
To me, the issue isn't even the explicit language, or the way women are refered to. The excerpt, and I believe the text on the whole seeks to explore a particular sector of society, and how different issues affect these persons. As the class teacher, I think I would seek to address that by trying to take the focus away from the expletives and show the class how their social context affect everything that they do. A dose of morality would also have to be an element in the teaching, since the boys would have to be made aware that the behaviour they have been displaying towards the girls is unacceptable in our own social context. Maybe some simple devices can be used to do this. For example, popular music, creation of scenarios involving some of their relatives, like a mother or sister. The point is even though these expressions were used in the excerpt, it is artistic expression and it does not make it right for them to be disrespectful to their classmates.
Sometimes I wonder if we are afraid to address issues of sex and gender because we ourselves are conservative, and therefore we seek to aviod dealing with these issues in the classroom. A lesson like this could provide opportunities for the teacher to explore moral and ethical issues, thereby showing students ways and means to deal with such issues whenever they do arise.
I was asked to give my views on the Hummingbird Tree during an interview. I tried to say that text should be taught in context. However now I will say that text should be taught to suit the psychological level of the student.
JEROME
first let me pont out that the responses of the girls suggested in the blog are not familiar to what I would receive.for the past three years I have observed my female students growing more agressive and willing to stand up to their male counterparts.hence my girls would not want to shy away from the text because of the negative comments from their classmates.I actually see my girls using the word to reproach the boys.a comment such as , 'yuh didn't complain about de c--- last night'is more along the lines of the type of reaction I may get.
Putting that aside if I were dealing with the given scenario I would probably do what has already been put forward.first i would chastise the boys for addressing the girls in such a manner.after which I would point out that the language is used to bring authenticity to the text and the setting in which it was used.i will point out that the crude language reflects the harsh reality that is faced by some women who , due to difficult circumstances , see this as a way of survival. I may bring into the discussion other questionable ways that both men and women employ in order to make a doller.the hopelessness that poverty creates in people can also be brought up .
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