The Professor's House Lesson Plan

Cather on the Novel

Kind of Activity:

Individual Writing

Objective:

Students will study a speech of Cather's and apply her ideas to analysis of The Professor's House.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.5, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2

Structure:

Play the following audio recording of Willa Cather's speech for the 1933 Pulitzer Prize Ceremony. The audio is occasionally hard to understand, so students should follow along by reading the speech transcript.

Transcription

Speech Audio

When students have listened, ask them the following questions in class discussion:

1. What does Cather say about the boundaries of the novel...