The Iceman Cometh Lesson Plan

Hope

Kind of Activity:

Classwide Discussion

Objective:

To contend with the deeper meaning of the play, and to understand its effect as an evening-length work

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2

Structure:

Now that the students have read the whole play, they can begin to comprehend it as a whole. What is hope, for these characters? What's keeping them going? Their pipe dreams? Alcohol? For some of the male characters, their assumed dominance over others? Zoom in on one character at a time - Larry, Parritt, and Hickey in particular - and then zoom out to discuss the ensemble and the overall effect of the play. Consider the moral lessons: what...