Rationale

The Unit I would like to create would focus on the idea honor and virtue in literature and the comparison of different ideals. Two texts that I would like to focus on for this unit will be //The Iliad// by Homer and //The Old man and the Sea// by Ernest Hemmingway. The actions of many of the characters in these stories take a direct path and lead to certain consequences that will force the reader to analyze. It is important that each student attain a sense of understanding of the values of honor and virtue from the novel and the epic poem. The comprehension and insight of the students will be engendered through class discussion and activities throughout the progression of the unit. Students will showcase their thoughts and what they have learned from this unit by writing a clear and thoughtful paper that will discriminate between the different ideals about virtue. Students will at first see different situations in these works from their everyday life. This may at first seem strange to the students and may not be of interest to them. Although it may seem foreign, the ideas and storylines of these works will become engaging to the students because it can be directly applied to their lives. The Iliad is an epic poem that deals with themes such as honor, rising hero, decline of a hero, family values, and even some romantic values. Our society has become one that idolizes certain individuals whether it is athletes, movies stars, singers, politicians, etc. The idea of a hero of today is quite different from that of Homer’s but students will be able to recognize this and relate to Achilles and Prince Hector from //The Iliad//. //The Old Man and the Sea// is also a tale of man that accomplishes a great feat and is quite compelling and powerful. Students will be able to see the fantastic nature from these stories and then through close reading we will discover the meanings behind the stories. A unit plan using these two works will create an interesting read for the students while also promoting theme to respond to powerful themes. Students will appreciate the literature and then be asked to show their understanding through a thorough and clear paper that analyzes the ideals of virtue and distinguishes between them.