Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea won the 1953 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction; however, the critical interpretations of the novel have called it everything from "ordinary" and "schoolboy writing" to a "masterpiece." Readers are allowed to weigh in on the debate by first examining a series of quotations from other authors and then taking their own stance using evidence from the novel and referring to information from a video that launches the lesson.

Concepts

ernest hemingway, the old man and the sea, literary analysis, film analysis

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Instructional Ideas

• Before conducting the lesson instructors should read carefully the entire Teaching Guide linked in the Included Materials section of this review

Classroom Considerations

• Part of the "Ken Burns in the Classroom Collection"
• Clips are from Ken Burns' and Lynn Novick's documentary Hemingway
• Part of the video is in Spanish with English subtitles
• The video is designed to be used after readers have finished reading the novel 
• Readers should also have a basic understanding of the themes of the novel
• The video comes with a caution that it includes sensitive content; read the caution to determine how you will approach the topics with your classes
• The lessons in the series have a point of view; instructors should preview all the lessons in the series to determine if appropriate for their classrooms
• Requires copies of student materials

Pros

• The packet includes support materials for teachers and pupils

Cons

Common Core

CCRA.R.2 RL.7.2 RL.7.6 RL.8.2 RL.9-10.2 RL.9-10.3 RL.11-12.2 RL.11-12.7