Curriculum  /  ELA  /  9th Grade  /  Unit 17: Comedy, Taming, and Desirability in The Taming of the Shrew  /  Lesson 7

Comedy, Taming, and Desirability in The Taming of the Shrew

Lesson 7
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ELA

Unit 17

9th Grade

Lesson 7 of 20

Objective

Formulate and share unique arguments home and homecoming. 

Support arguments with strong and thorough textual evidence in a Socratic seminar.

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Target Task

Discussion Question

  • Consider Marge Piercy’s "Barbie Doll" and Roxanne Gay’s "My body is a cage of my own making." What are both texts suggesting about the significance of desirability as it relates to body image? How does not meeting societal standards of beauty impact one’s sense of belonging and identity?
  • In the excerpts of The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, we meet characters such as Pecola Breedlove, Claudia, and Maureen Peal who interact with societal  standards of beauty in different ways. What accounts for the differences in each of their interactions with societal standards of beauty? In what ways does this relate to our conversations around desirability?

Key Thinking

Scaffolding Questions

For question 1: 

  • What happens when people do not meet expectations of desirable body images?
  • To what extent should there be a one size fits all physical standard of desirability?

For question 2: 

  • How does each character interact with societal standards of beauty?

Key Ideas

  • Question 1: Both texts suggest that physical standards of desirability are detrimental to one’s mental health and emotional well-being. When the girlchild does not meet societal standards of beauty because she had "thick legs" and a "fat nose," she is considered undesirable. As a result of the ridicule from society, she becomes overwhelmed and worn out, physically and emotionally. She ultimately gives up and sacrifices herself in exchange for freedom in death. Somewhat similarly, in "My body is a cage of my own making," Gay shares an anecdote detailing an experience being next to a skinny woman who stared at her as she exercised on a cardio machine. Although the woman did not say anything to her initially, when she outlasted the skinnier woman, she overheard her tell her friends "I can’t believe she’s still on there." When people don’t meet these standards of beauty, they result in being overly hard on themselves. 
  • Question 2: Maureen Peal is the "high-yellow dream child" who received privileges and is treated better than other Black girls at her school because of her light skin. Claudia, who dismembers a barbie doll when she receives it as a Christmas gift, resists and hates standards of white beauty. Lastly, Pecola has internalized standards of white beauty and is often teased by her peers for not meeting said standards. Colorism accounts for the differences in their interactions with standards of beauty. Because Maureen Peal is lighter, she is treated more fairly and justly by her peers; she is almost seen as the prize and is considered desirable. In this text, desirability is connected to beauty which is connected to fair skin.

Homework

  • Gather all annotations from the four texts we have studied and seminar prep from today’s class.

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Standards

  • LO 5.1A — Extend the conversation around an idea, topic, or text by formulating questions and recognizing the claims and perspectives of others.
  • LO 5.1B — Cite relevant evidence and evaluate the evidence presented by others.
  • SL.9-10.1 — Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9—10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

Supporting Standards

RI.9-10.1
RI.9-10.2
W.9-10.1

Next

Craft an insight piece about your selected research topic, placing the ideas found in various sources and their authors in conversation with one another.

Lesson 8
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