Secondary Language Arts Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms, and the Internet Connection

Curriculum page : Language Arts Curriculum : Language Arts Lesson Plans

Appropriate for Grade: 11

Supporting Mastery of Outcomes: 1101, 1103, and 1108

Lesson Objectives: The students will...

1. read and discuss A Farewell to Arms as an example of Ernest Hemingway's style and philosophy and
2. use a designated Hemingway web site to learn additional information about Ernest Hemingway and to prepare to write a resource paper on A Farewell to Arms or on one of three other topics related to Hemingway's writing.

Time Needed to Complete the Lesson: Four weeks under the block schedule; six weeks under a traditional schedule (This timeline allows for the reading and discussing of the novel and for the writing of the resource paper related to the study of Hemingway.)

Materials Needed to Complete the Lesson: Teachers will need to arrange Internet access for two days, once at the beginning of the novel unit and then two to three weeks later -- as students are completing the novel and beginning to consider their resource projects. The pre-reading assignment and the post reading assignment choices may be given to students as handouts.

1. The novel, A Farewell to Arms
2. The Hemingway web site information
3. Pen and paper (or word processing support) to write the paper

Web Site Required to Complete the Lesson: http://rio.atlantic.net/~gagne/hem/hem.html

Lesson Procedures:
Part 1: Prereading Activity
Before students begin reading the novel, they should gain access to the web site listed, specifically to the "Timeline" link and answer the prereading questions using information included in the "Timeline." This activity can be done individually or in small groups. (20-30 minutes)

1. Where was Ernest Hemingway born?
2. Upon graduation from high school, what job did Hemingway have?
3. What were Hemingway's WW I experiences?
4. How many times was Hemingway married?
5. How did Hemingway's father die?
6. What were the names of Hemingway's three sons?
7. How did Hemingway himself die?

A. Hemingway's Banned Novels
After reading A Farewell to Arms, look over the banned novels link at the Hemingway web site. Using direct references from the book, write a paper in which you agree or disagree with those who would ban this book. Review the following questions to help clarify your thinking.

1. What ideas or behaviors in the book could be considered offensive?
2. What parts of the book could be considered offensive to some European nations?
3. Should the issues in this book be considered more difficult to deal with than with current, contemporary novels? Why do you think so?

1. "Catherine Barkley stands with Hemingway in her knowledge of the world and in exemplifying how to respond to that knowledge."
   Source: This quote and those listed for topic B.2 and topic C come from a Hemingway discussion between James Phelan and Phillip Sipiora. The discussion can be found at http://www.cas.usf.edu/english/sipiora/public_html/hem3.htm
2. Hemingway's women are "reflections of male fantasies."
   Source: See the reference under B.1.

D. Choose one of the quotes from the "Ernest Hemingway Quotes" (web site link) and tell how the quote applies to A Farewell to Arms and, if applicable, to society as a whole.

Lesson Assessment: Students will be successful in this lesson if they are able to

1. use the web site and links appropriately to complete the lesson,
2. answer the prereading questions, and
3. write a resource paper on one of the topic choices given in Part 2, using direct references from the novel, A Farewell to Arms.