Teaching literature from a cultural background with which students may not be familiar comes with its own unique set of challenges. Remember that much of the social and political context necessary to understand this novel is present within the text--readers do not need to become experts on Indian history to understand the story. However, students who are completely unfamiliar with English colonialism in India, the caste system, or other factors important to the story, may need outside research to develop a rudimentary understanding of the issues faced by the characters. Several activities in this lesson plan are designed to give students this necessary background information.
The thought...
