Isolation is a theme I recognized in each of the four literary selections for this week. In Frank Kafka’s “The Metamorphosis”, Gregor is a lonely man who is not living his best life. Although always surrounded by people as a traveling salesman, he feels completely alone. Daru in “The Guest” by Albert Camas, is physically isolated on a mountainside due to the weather. One cannot help but wonder if he prefers it that way. Faust in Johann Georg Goethe’s play of the same name isolates himself due to his overwhelming thirst to gain more knowledge. He cannot be bothered with making physical connections. While in Anna Akhmatova’s “Requiem” you can feel her loneliness throughout her poem; even when she’s standing in a group of women.
Social isolation is becoming an epidemic in our present-day society. We are surrounded by constant connection through Social Media, texting, email, and cell phones, but the reality is that most people are actually lonely. Their social connections are superficial, and their online popularity is dependent on likes and followers. This New York Times article (Khullar, 2016) expresses how the lack of social interaction is causing people to drift away from one another and maybe a cause of decline in a person’s physical and mental health.
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As educators, it is important for us to help guide the younger generations while in our care. We can do this by teaching them how to develop meaningful connections with others. Developing social skills is a learned skill. There are many ways that you can help your students develop this skill. You can implement a cell-free zone in your classroom. Or challenge them to put down their devices after class to interact face to face with their peers and family members. Having positive human interactions daily will help them to develop their own self-worth and empathy for others. By setting an example we can turn around social isolation by reinforcing the importance of relationships in real-time.
Lesson 1 - Build self-esteem.
1. Watch this Ted Talk by Niko Everett in class.
2. Have a group discussion with your students. Have each student say something kind to a classmate.
3. Pass out a form with all student's names listed. Have each student write one kind thing about each classmate. You can then compile each name, type up and pass out to your students. This is something your students can look back on when they need a self-esteem boost.
1. Create social situation task cards. You can also purchase premade cards here.
2. Separate students into small groups. Pass out a set of task cards to each group and allow small group discussions.
Lesson #3 – Have a conversation about Bullying
1. Watch this video on Bullying in class.
2. Ask your students to write about how bullying has impacted their lives or someone they know.
3. Discuss the anonymous situations in class. Have students offer advice to one another.
Readings for ENG-355 Topic 1 Multicultural Literature in Norton Anthology of World Literature.
The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, in Volume 2
The Guest by Albert Camus, in Volume 2
Requiem by Anna Akhmatova, in Volume 2
Faust by Johann Georg Goethe, in Volume 2.
References:
Khullar, D. 2016, How social isolation is killing us. The New York Times. Retrieved from:
Norton Anthology of World Literature Volume 2. Retrieved from:
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