Age of Iron Lesson Plan

How does Mrs. Curren feel about John? Has their relationship changed since they first met?

Mrs. Curren disliked John when they first met: she thought that he was a bad influence on Bheki. In some ways, she continues to look down upon him, calling him, "unthinking, inarticulate, [and] unimaginative" compared to his friend. She finds him unlovable, but also recognizes that she had "a part in making him unlovable." Students should reflect on what she means here: it seems as though she attributes his hardened personality to the oppressive circumstances under which he has grown, circumstances for which she is at least implicitly responsible. Thus, she feels that she "must...