Relationship Abuse in Early 20th Century Literature/Feminist Critical Theory

Ms. Brogan—11th Grade Honors

Harry S Truman High School

Ebrogan@schools.nyc.gov

 

 

INTRODUCTION

You are a counselor working at a local woman’s shelter and your job is to help people begin a new life by helping them heal from an abusive relationship.  You have recognized throughout your many years of experience that many victims blame themselves for staying in an abusive relationship.  You have found that people are more successful at healing when they understand the abuse they have suffered is not their fault but the fault of a person holding power over them; when they understand the type of abuse, they learn to stop blaming themselves and how to heal. To do this, you must diagnose the type of abuse they have suffered so that they can acknowledge and heal from their past. 

 

     Text Box: THE TASK Your task is to write a letter to one of your clients identifying the type(s) of relationship abuse suffered, explaining why she should leave the relationship, and the resources she can use in today’s society to help support her developing a new life. You may choose Miss Emily of “A Rose for Emily”, Mrs. Mallard of “The Story of an Hour”, or the protagonist of “The Yellow Wallpaper”.    

 

 

THE PROCESS--You will work individually to:

1.      Define the problem of relationship abuse in the short story you have chosen.

a.       Write an introductory summary of how the abuse has affected the protagonist’s life according to your reading of the text 

b.      Use this PPA worksheet to help your plan your definition of the problem.

2.      Gather evidence of recognizing the signs of different types of relationship abuse

a.       Use this PPA worksheet to help your plan to gather information.

b.      Make an appointment to see Erika Miller, the Relationship Abuse Prevention Program Coordinator here at Truman to learn about the different types of abuse.

c.       Visit the following websites to recognize the signs of abuse.

                                                        i.            http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_mind/relationships/abuse.html#                                                       

                                                      ii.            http://womenshealth.gov/violence-against-women/am-i-being-abused/

 

3.      Identify a type of relationship abuse in one of the characters you have chosen

a.       Use this PPA worksheet to help your plan to identify causes.

b.      Explain the type of abuse your client has suffered based on what you have learned by:

                                                                                                                                i.            Using details of abuse from the text as evidence

                                                                                                                              ii.            Labeling the evidence as a type of abuse

4.       Evaluate the character’s motivation for staying in the relationship.

a.       Use this PPA worksheet to help your plan to evaluate.

b.      http://www.loveisrespect.org/is-this-abuse/why-do-people-stay-in-abusive-relationships

c.       http://www.nytimes.com/1998/03/17/science/personal-health-planning-to-escape-from-an-abusive-relationship.html

d.      As a way of supporting your client, explain what a possible motivation may be for your client to stay in her relationship based on what you have learned, and why she should leave regardless 

5.      Develop an action plan for your client to seek help to get out of the relationship

a.       Use this PPA worksheet to help your plan to develop your action plan.

b.      http://www.thehotline.org/ 

c.       http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/domestic-violence/WO00044/METHOD=print                                                                          

d.      http://www.safehorizon.org/index/what-we-do-2/domestic-violence--abuse-53.html

e.    Conclude your letter by explaining to your client the resources she has for escaping her abusive relationship

6.      Be sure to cite your sources.  You may use this website for help: http://content.easybib.com/citation-guides/mla-format/

 

 

THE EVALUATION—Click the link below to see your rubric

http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson875/PersuasiveLetterRubric.pdf

 

 

THE CONCLUSION:

            Read about the “Cult of Domesticity” here: http://www.library.csi.cuny.edu/dept/history/lavender/386/truewoman.html

Reflect on how society condoned the victimization of women in domestic relationships based on your analysis of your chosen work in a well-developed paragraph. 

(This is separate from the letter and will be written in MLA format with a formal tone)

 

STANDARDS:

        CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question or solve a problem; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

        CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advanced searches effectively; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

        CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

        CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.3e Provide a conclusion that follows from and reflects on what is experienced, observed, or resolved over the course of the narrative.

        CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

        CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

        CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.11-12.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.