Zoot Suit Lesson Plan

Trope of the “White Savior”

Kind of Activity:

Group Discussion

Objective:

To explore the common “white savior” narrative in film and literature; to discuss it in the context of the play

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.9-10.1

Structure:

1. Begin the activity by showing the first three minutes of the following video, which explains the White Savior Trope: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1vuhrFfEkE.

2. Afterwards, ask the class to summarize what they learned from the video. What is the White Savior Trope? Ask for some examples of this trope besides the film. Examples can include The Help, Green Book, The Blind Side, Freedom Writers, To Kill a Mockingbird, and...