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Comparing Cather's "Kingdom of Art"
and The Song of the Lark
By Sonia Labs Overview
This lesson is designed as an extension activity to the reading of Willa Cather's The Song of the Lark. The lesson is designed for high school seniors in an Advanced Placement or Honors English
course. It may also be used for college students. The lesson involves students searching for evidence of Willa Cather's opinions on art and the artist. Through early reviews and critical essays, the
students will identify Cather's views about the artist and the sacrifices that the artist must make. Students will then draw comparisons between Thea Kronborg, the protagonist in The Song of the Lark, and
Cather's stated opinions. This activity combines research and the synthesis of ideas. Suitable for high school seniors in Advanced Placement or Honors English; and college students.
Objectives
- Examine critical essays and reviews written by Willa Cather and identify Cather's early opinions about art and the artist.
- Draw comparisons between Cather's opinions and Thea Kronborg of the novel. (Teacher's Note: Teachers and students must keep in mind that Cather's views about art and the artist evolved over time,
and the development of Thea Kronborg's character seems to parallel Cather's early views about the sacrifices an artist must make. Although Thea is not a mirror for Cather's views, students can certainly
see similarities between Cather's critical reviews and the way that Cather writes about Thea).
- Write an essay showing the connection between Cather's own views and the life of Thea Kronborg as it unfolds in the novel.
Skills Attained
- Research skills to analyze Cather's early critical reviews and identify opinions about art and the artist
- Synthesizing information through comparing reviews and novel
- Organizing information to compose an argument
Lesson Outline I. Anticipatory Set
While reading The Song of the Lark,
students must pay special attention to the development of Thea Kronborg as an artist. Prior to starting this lesson, students will (perhaps in small groups) brainstorm ideas about art and the artist as applied to Thea's development.
II. Guided Practice/Modeling
A. Begin by sharing an example of a critical review or essay by Cather that helps elucidate her opinions about art and the artist. These essays are found in collected editions of Cather's published
reviews and essays, edited by Bernice Slote and William Curtin (see Related Works section). With the teacher's guidance, students apply this information to the development of Thea Kronborg. Have students
answer this question: How does Thea's development as a character suggest some of Cather's views? B. To help the students with this portion of the assignment, the teacher directs them to collections of
Cather's essays and reviews.
III. Independent Practice
A. Students find an appropriate number (set by teacher) of references to art and the artist from Cather's reviews and essays. B. Students draw comparisons to Thea's developments as an artist using
their brainstormed lists from the anticipatory set. C. Students will write essays following a standard critical analysis essay format. They will start the essays with an introduction in which they
develop the idea that although Thea is not representative of Cather, she may reflect some of Cather's early views about the sacrifices that an artist must make. Students will then develop the argument through
several paragraphs and draw comparisons between Cather's published reviews and essays and Thea's development as the artist. Students will write conclusions to their essays, which reiterate their thesis
statements and make summary comments about the topic.
1V. Closure
Students share their findings with the whole class or in small groups. Small groups may work more efficiently because the smaller setting could foster substantive discussion of the students' analyses and
findings.
Assessment
I. Introduction of Essay
- Provides adequate background information about novel and Cather's early critical reviews and essays
- Has clear thesis, which is arguable and provable
II. Body Paragraphs of Essay
- Support and develop the thesis statement
- Show development of Thea Kronborg as an artist
- Draw comparisons between this development and Cather's early views about art and the artist
- Incorporate quotations from both the novel and Cather's reviews that provide clear support for the thesis; quotations are effectively woven into the text
- Include clear transitions between ideas
III. Conclusion of Essay
- Reminds reader of original thesis
- Makes summary remarks and provides closure to essay
Related Works Necessary for Lesson
Cather, Willa. On Writing: Critical Studies on Writing as an Art. New York: Knopf, 1949. Cather, Willa. The Song of the Lark
. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1988. Curtin, William M. (Ed.). The World and the Parish: Willa Cather's Articles and Reviews, 18931902. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1970 Slote, Bernice, (Ed.). The Kingdom of Art: Willa Cather's First Principles and Critical Statements, 1893 1896. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1966.
Interdisciplinary Links
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Sonia Labs currently teaches at Minnetonka High School in Minnesota |
