Germinal Lesson Plan

Hereditary

Kind of Activity:

Classwide Discussion

Objective:

Students will discuss hereditary addiction and how it pertains to notions of free will.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.11-12.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1

Structure:

Throughout Germinal, Etienne overindulges in alcohol and begins acting in a manner that is otherwise inconsistent with his character. A noteworthy example of this takes place in today's reading: as the mob of workers becomes increasingly violent, Etienne gets drunk on gin and begins to lose control of himself and the strike he is, ostensibly, supposed to be leading. It is not until Catherine slaps him in the face that he regains...