The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise.
— Alden Nowlan
Unit Goals
After learning the unit, students are expected
·to learn the special features of a coming-of-age/initiation novel or story,
·to know Louisa May Alcott and the artistic features of her writings,
·to exchange the stories on the given theme of growth and development,
·to learn some useful words and expressions from the unit, and
·to improve English language skills, communication skills and critical thinking.
Before You Read
1. Work with your partner and exchange your ideas on the following topics.
1) Read the quote at the beginning of this unit and consider whether it makes sense to you.
2) According to your knowledge, what are the events or experiences that may trigger one’s transition from childhood to adulthood?
3) As we know, many initiation plots will turn on an epiphany, although not all do. Did you ever go through an epiphanic moment in your life?
2. Match the following famous initiation novels with their authors.
1) A Tree Grows in Brooklyn A. Mark Twain
2) The Catcher in the Rye B. Betty Smith
3) To Kill a Mockingbird C. Stephen Crane
4) The Red Badge of Courage D. J. D. Salinger
5) The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn E. Harper Lee
3. Group work: A mini-research.
Try to find, on the Internet or in the library, information about the common traits or features of initiation novels or stories in terms of theme, plot, characterization and structure, and then give a presentation about them.
Start to Read