Alienation-the state of being an outsider or the feeling of being isolated, as from society.
We will be starting a short story unit that explores the "outsider"/ social "outcast" character. We will be reading works from Chinese American, African American, Indian American, Mexican American, and Native American authors, all of which have had personal and profound experiences of alienation.
The goal of this unit is for you, the scholar, to explore the outsider character and give us your understanding of what it means to be an outsider.
How to explore the outsider character:
1. Ask yourself, what does it mean to be an outsider?
2. Why is she/he an outsider? As in, what makes them an outsider in the first place?
3. Besides external conflicts, like racism or violence, what internal conflicts do the characters have?
4. How do the outsiders view their own culture/traditions/identity?
5. How do characters try to fit in or cope with being an outsider?
6. How do characters deal with suffering?
*Remember, although there may be overlapping themes, every outsider’s experience is different.
Important concepts: alienation, identity, culture, suffering, assimilation, artificial values
He's a fake!
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