Mother Courage and Her Children Lesson Plan

Introducing the "Alienation Effect"

Kind of Activity:

Individual Writing

Objective:

Students will understand the alienation effect and be able to apply it in a close reading of a text.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.3; CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5

Structure:

One of the key concepts in Bertolt Brecht's theory of the theater is verfremdungseffekt (often translated as "alienation" or "distancing" effect). The effect is aimed at preventing viewers from losing themselves in the play and becoming passive observers rather than active and critical ones. The alienation effect can be introduced by a number of different...