English Language Arts · 9th Grade · Voices of America: Identity and Culture · Weeks 28-36

Modern Native American Literature

Analyzing how modern Native authors address historical trauma, cultural resilience, and contemporary identity.

• Common Core State Standards
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.9
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.6

About This Topic

The American Dream is the 'national myth' that anyone, regardless of their background, can achieve success through hard work. In this topic, students investigate how 'social class' and 'economic status' influence a character's access to this dream. They analyze whether the dream is portrayed as an 'attainable reality' or a 'dangerous myth' in literature, and they explore how wealth (or the lack of it) affects the 'moral choices' characters make.

This unit aligns with CCSS standards for determining an author's point of view or purpose and analyzing how an author uses rhetoric. By studying this theme, students develop a 'critical' eye for the 'promises' and 'realities' of American society. This topic is best taught through 'structured debates' and 'economic' simulations where students can 'feel' the impact of class on opportunity.

Key Questions

1. How do modern Native authors address the historical trauma of colonization?
2. Compare the themes of identity and belonging in traditional Native American stories with modern works.
3. Evaluate the role of literature in preserving and revitalizing Indigenous languages and cultures.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze how specific literary devices, such as symbolism and metaphor, are used by modern Native authors to represent historical trauma.
• Compare and contrast the portrayal of cultural resilience in traditional oral narratives with contemporary Native American novels and short stories.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of literary works in advocating for the preservation and revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures.
• Synthesize themes of contemporary identity and belonging as presented by diverse modern Native American voices.

Before You Start

Understanding Author's Purpose and Point of View

Why: Students need to be able to identify an author's perspective to analyze how modern Native authors convey their messages about trauma and resilience.

Analyzing Literary Devices (Symbolism, Metaphor, Imagery)

Why: A foundational understanding of literary techniques is necessary to analyze how authors use them to explore complex themes like historical trauma and cultural identity.

Key Vocabulary

Historical Trauma	The cumulative emotional and psychological wounding across generations, resulting from massive group trauma experiences like colonization and forced assimilation.
Cultural Resilience	The capacity of Indigenous communities to withstand, adapt to, and recover from adversity, often through the maintenance and adaptation of cultural practices and beliefs.
Contemporary Identity	The sense of self for modern Indigenous individuals, which often navigates a complex interplay between traditional heritage, contemporary societal influences, and personal experiences.
Indigenous Futurism	A literary and artistic movement that imagines Indigenous peoples thriving in the future, often incorporating science fiction and fantasy elements to explore themes of technology, sovereignty, and cultural continuity.
Decolonization	The process of actively dismantling colonial structures, ideologies, and power dynamics, and reclaiming Indigenous sovereignty and cultural practices.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

The 'American Dream' is only about 'money.'

What to Teach Instead

For many characters, it's about 'freedom,' 'safety,' 'education,' or 'respect.' A 'Dream Definition' activity (where students find different characters' 'goals') helps them see that 'success' is a subjective and diverse concept.

Common Misconception

If a character 'fails,' it's always because they didn't 'work hard enough.'

What to Teach Instead

Literature often shows 'systemic' barriers (like racism, sexism, or poverty) that hard work alone cannot overcome. A 'Barriers vs. Effort' chart helps students see the 'complexity' of success beyond just 'individual' merit.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game: The 'Opportunity' Game

Students are given 'Starting Cards' with different economic backgrounds (e.g., 'Wealthy,' 'Middle Class,' 'Working Poor'). They must 'navigate' a series of 'Life Events' (college, health scare, job loss). They discuss: 'How did your 'starting class' make the 'American Dream' easier or harder to reach?'

45 min·Whole Class

Formal Debate: Myth or Reality?

Divide the class to debate: 'Is the American Dream still a 'useful' idea, or is it a 'harmful' lie?' They must use evidence from the literature they've read (e.g., *The Great Gatsby* or *A Raisin in the Sun*) to support their 'verdict.'

50 min·Whole Class

Think-Pair-Share: The 'Moral' Cost of Wealth

Students find a scene where a character makes a 'moral choice' to get ahead (e.g., lying, cheating, or working too hard). They pair up to discuss: 'Was the 'reward' worth the 'cost'?' and 'Would they have made the same choice if they were already wealthy?'

30 min·Pairs

Real-World Connections

• Tribal cultural centers, such as the Heard Museum in Phoenix, Arizona, actively collect and display contemporary Native American art and literature, serving as hubs for cultural preservation and education.
• Indigenous language immersion schools, like the Wampanoag Language Reclamation Project in Massachusetts, utilize storytelling and literature to teach and revitalize ancestral languages for younger generations.
• The National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., features exhibits that explore the ongoing impacts of historical events and showcase the vibrant, evolving cultural expressions of Native peoples today.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'How does the concept of 'belonging' differ for a character in a traditional creation story versus a character in a contemporary Native American novel?' Facilitate a class discussion where students use textual evidence to support their comparisons.

Quick Check

Provide students with short excerpts from two different modern Native authors. Ask them to identify one specific way each author addresses historical trauma and write a brief comparison of their approaches in their notebooks.

Exit Ticket

Ask students to write down one specific example of cultural resilience they observed in a text studied this week. Then, have them explain in one sentence how that example contributes to the author's message about contemporary Native identity.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 'American Dream'?

It is the belief that the United States offers the opportunity for individual success and upward social mobility through hard work and determination, regardless of one's social class or circumstances of birth.

How does *The Great Gatsby* critique the American Dream?

It shows that even with 'infinite wealth,' the 'old money' class will never truly accept the 'new money' class. It portrays the dream as a 'mirage' that leads to moral decay and tragedy, rather than true happiness.

What is a 'Meritocracy'?

It is a system where 'power' and 'success' are given to people based on their 'ability' and 'effort' rather than their 'wealth' or 'social class.' Many American stories 'critique' the idea that the US is a perfect meritocracy.

How can active learning help students understand the American Dream?

The American Dream is a 'promise.' Active learning, like the 'Opportunity Game,' forces students to 'test' that promise. When they 'experience' the frustration of 'systemic' barriers or the 'pressure' of moral choices, the 'themes' of the literature become 'real-world' problems they have to solve, leading to a much deeper and more 'critical' understanding.