Lesson Plan on Affective Fallacy in Poetry

Aim: How significant is the affective fallacy in our preference to poems?

Objective: Students will be able to
1.Understand how their emotions affect the way they read poetry
2.Apply knowledge about a particular poet¡¦s life and how they write

Do Now: Ask students what they think defines a good poem. Figurative language, tone, subject material or emotions.

Vocabulary Affective Fallacy- The error of evaluating a poem by its effects, particularly emotional effect, upon the reader. (From a Glossary of Literary Terms, p. 5)

Materials:
"Memoirs of a Mad Cook"¨ by Gwendolyn MacEwen
"Last Call" by Robert Gernhardt
"Preface to a 21 Volume Suicide Note" by Amiri Baraka

Brief bio on each poet.
Gwendolyn MacEwen- renowned poet in Canada, where she is known as one of their greatest poets who ever lived. Dates 1941-1987, wrote over two dozen books. Served as Writer in Residence at the University of Western Ontario and later the University of Toronto. Died at the age of 46 from alcoholism, but not before becoming poor and living in a great deal of depression.

Robert Gernhardt- (1937-2006) Estonian born German writer, poet and painter who wrote his poetry for a comical effect through play with language. He also wrote comic routines for a popular German comedian and was a Writer in Residence at the University of Warwick in England.

Amiri Baraka-writer, poet, music critic, formerly known as LeRoi Jones, was born in Newark in 1934. He changed his name during the Civil Rights years, and much of his work from the 1960¡¦s onward is extremely controversial and is anti-jewish and anti-white. He describes himself as a Marxist and is a fervent anti-imperialist. Much of his criticism is towards the U.S. foreign policy, and after 9/11 he penned a poem that blamed Israel for the attacks. Baraka, who was New Jersey's Poet Laureate at the time, faced removal of his position by then-Governer McGreevey, but when the Governor found out removal was not possible, he did away with the title all together. He teaches at SUNY Stonybrook in the Africana Studies department.

Activity:.
1. Three student volunteers read the poem aloud.
2. Social barometer: Students decide which poem they prefer and move to designated area of the room to form three groups
3. After discussing with group member for three minutes, one member from each group explains why they choose that poem.
Memoirs of a Mad Cook- Window side
Last Call- Back of room
Preface- Door side

Follow-up Questions:
1. Why did you choose that poem?
2. Did the poet's name influence your decision?
3. Do you think about the kind of person the poet is as a result of writing a poem like this?