Short Story - Am I Blue? By Alice Walker
This is one of the 2 works, which were censored/banned, written by the controversial Pulitzer Prize-Winning African American Novelist, Political and Human Rights activist Alice Walker. Am I Blue? is a short story about an African American woman who bonds with a male horse named Blue. The short story will be used to practice some reading, writing and speaking. During the next two lessons, you will read the story, answer questions and discuss topics like racism, animal cruelty and how that is related to each other. This preparation will lead to a debate in the third lesson. At the bottom of the page, you can find the Goals we're working on.
Lesson 1
Reading comprehension questions. Read the text linked above. Answer these questions while you're reading the story.
After reading. Answer these questions when you're done reading.
Discussing the N-word
In the text, the N-word is used twice. In a respectful class discussion, your teacher will talk to you about the following things:
Choose one of the following options to work on.
Option 1. Interferences about character's background
1. Look for details on the physical environment and about any social, cultural and moral influences. Describe them. If you're feeling up for it, create a drawing of the environment.
2. Describe what it would be like to live in the story's setting. Consider details about the context in regards to what you know about the history of slavery.
Option 2. Interferences about character's feelings
1. Connect to the writer's experiences in the story. Talk about similar experiences you've had and how you felt.
2. As you read the events leading up to the writer spitting the meat out, what emotions is the writer feeling from the beginning of the story up until the end? Explain how you make your guess.
Lesson 2
Reading and writing to prepare for the debate
Over the course of the story, Walker humanizes Blue by comparing him to a person born into slavery and describing his 'crazed' reaction to the removal of his partner. Her experiences with Blue lead her to ultimately reject the exploitation of animals and to 'spit out' the 'steak' that she is eating.
First, we're going to read an article (linked below) that discusses the connection between human and animal oppression. Take notes and use this in your debate preparation.
Adapted text on Human and Animal Oppression
Goals Reading: 1) Ik vind relevant informatie voor een project. 2) Ik begrijp persoonlijke gevoelens en wensen van vrienden of iets dat gebeurd is. 3) Ik begrijp instructies. 4) Ik begrijp specifieke informatie, de hoofdgedachte van een artikel, een jeugdroman of songtekst.
Debate questions to prepare
In class, we will have a debate concerning the ethicality of eating meat and how the topics in the story relate to the oppression of all kinds. You will have to prepare arguments for both sides and should be ready to argue for and against eating meat. During the debate lesson, your teacher will choose which group you will form/join and which side you will argue. The questions you will use to prepare are:
Goals Writing: 1) Ik noteer de belangrijkste punten van een artikel. 2) Ik schrijf een kort verslag over iets wat ik gedaan en gezien heb. 3) Ik reageer op een verhaal van anderen. 4) Ik geef mijn mening. 5) Ik schrijf over een ervaring, persoonlijke reactie op een film/boek of een zelfverzonnen verhaal.
Goals Speaking and Conversing: 1) Ik kan iets uitleggen en redenen geven, toespraken houden over leerervaringen en gelezen teksten. 2) Ik kan verslag doen van een leerervaring, verwachting of ambitie, of een verhaal dat ik bedenk. 3) Ik breng een standpunt over en geef commentaar. 4) Ik uit gevoelens en reageer op gevoelens van een ander, geef mijn standpunt/mening/commentaar, leg een probleem uit, stel oplossingen voor en reageer op standpunten van anderen. 5) Ik geef en volg aanwijzingen en toelichtingen.
This project was made by Dženana Camić MEd, from De Nieuwste School, Tilburg, the Netherlands.