Hispanic/Latino Curriculum Twelfth Grade Language Arts Lesson Plan Jorge Louis Borges

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1 Hispanic/Latino Curriculum Twelfth Grade Language Arts Lesson Plan Jorge Louis Borges Content/Theme: Grade Level: Hispanic Authors Twelfth Grade Textbook Connections: Prentice Hall Literature, Timeless Voices, Timeless Themes The British Tradition, The Book of Sand, by Jorge Luis Borges, pg Primary Benchmarks: LA The student will analyze and compare historically and culturally significant works of literature, identifying the relationships among the major genres (e.g., poetry, fiction, nonfiction, short story, dramatic literature, essay) and the literary devices unique to each, and analyze how they support and enhance the theme and main ideas of the text. LA The student will create a complex, multi-genre response to the reading of two or more literary works using multiple critical perspectives (e.g., historical, archetypal, social), describing and analyzing an author s use of literary elements (e.g., theme, point of view, characterization, setting, plot), figurative language (e.g., simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole, symbolism, allusion, and imagery), and analyzing an author s development of time and sequence (e.g., through the use of complex literary devices such as foreshadowing and flashback). Strand: Literary Analysis Time: 1 Class Period Objectives: Students will identify the aspects of Borges life and literature style. Students will analyze a short story and a poem by Borges. Teacher Preparation/Materials: Multicultural Information/Handouts Internet Access Activities: 1. Read The Short Story from the Literature Around the World section in the Prentice Hall British Tradition series pg Tell students before they read The Book of Sand by Borges in this book, they are going to learn more about Borges. 2. Pair students and have them read the handout on Borges life. Have pairs read the author s background, search for his poem on the Internet, read his short story in the book, and then answer the questions on the handout and report back to the class. 3. A review of short story characteristics and metaphor may be needed. As a class, compare and contrast Borges short story with the other British short story writers in the text. Ask students to explain their personal preference of authors and genres in a journal entry. ESOL Strategies: Shared Reading, Cooperative Learning

2 Assessment: Student Participation, Paired Activity, Journal Entry Resources: Multicultural Information: (See Student Handout) Jorge Luis Borges Jorge Luis Borges was born in Argentina in Borges father was a lawyer and psychology teacher and his mother was a translator who lived until her early nineties. Borges father was a large influence concerning his son s philosophy and literary influences, and his mother was his careful companion who watched over her son s career and personal life. Borges family can be traced back to British ancestry; in fact, Borges even learned English before Spanish. He was educated in both Argentina and Europe, and while always writing, he held many jobs in his life such as magazine editor, Director of the National Library of Argentina, and university professor. He married twice, both marriages coming late in life. When he died, he was married to his trusted secretary who had to a large extent taken over his life personally and professionally near its end. Afflicted with a congenital defect common to his father s side of the family, he ARGENTINA was totally blind in the last decades of his life. However, Borges continued to produce successful pieces of prose and poetry until the end of his life. Borges has been considered one of the most famous and distinguished writers from Latin America. However, he died in 1986 without receiving the esteemed Nobel Prize. Although his name was mentioned in speculations regarding the Prize several times, many literary critics believe that his lack of activism in the political climate of South America during the 1970s was the reason he was never selected to win. At this time many other Latin American writers such as Pablo Neruda and Gabriela Mistral had written about Latin American politics in their literature and were outspoken about political issues. Borges had a pure and complex philosophy of literature that he

3 separated from politics. He focused on and wrote about eternal questions and complex philosophy. His fictional world was born from his extensive readings in literature, philosophy, and theology. Borges fantastic and magical approach to writing created numerous followers. He created fantastic literature, educational essays, detective short stories, as well as poetry. He thought of time as infinite and more significant than space. He viewed the universe as overlapping circles of time that made the central riddle in many of his pieces of work. Borges constructed stories that had at their core the idea that concrete reality may consist only of mental perceptions. He wrote in such a way to lead the reader to think of the real world as only one possibility in an infinite series of realities. He wrote his short stories with metaphysical concerns over the human existence, the universe, and time. Borges addresses his themes with elegance, beauty of language and fascination caused by the way he viewed literature. He wrote with a clear precise style so admired by other writers that they consciously or unconsciously imitated it. His literary and philosophical influences included Walt Whitman and George Berkeley among many others. Some of the themes in Borges writings include bravery, courage, and specific archetypal objects, such as the labyrinth, tigers, swords, and the sea, which are used as symbols for metaphysical problems (mainly the problem of time). He was not concerned with psychology or realism in his writings. He did not see literature as a means of teaching; he seemed to be content to write fiction and to create complicated and imaginative mind games to help the reader examine meaning and our universe. Borges is a universal writer, understood as a vital icon in twentieth century literature. Group Directions: 1. Go to: Scan the biographical sketch of Borges. On the left hand side of the website, find copies of Borges works of literature. Find and read the poem, The History of the Night. 2. Read the short story, The Book of Sand on pg in your literature book. 3. Fill out the Author Map and answer the following questions on Borges life and works: In the History of the Night, why does Borges say the night would not exist without the eye? In what ways does Borges describe night and who has

4 participated in night s creation? In The Book of Sand what is the narrator s main dilemma? What is the extended metaphor for the whole story? Explain Borges background and early influences. Are you able to find evidence of Borges philosophy of time in his poetry or in his short stories? Author Origin? Famous For? Map NAME OF AUTHOR Personal Philosophy? Awards/Works?

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