Lesson plan; Teaching the short story A Day’s Wait, by Ernest Hemingway

Pre-study activity

Is it brave to suffer in silence? Whether from an injury or a broken heart, everyone suffers at times. Some people try hard to keep their pain to themselves, while others believe it is better to share their thoughts and feelings with others. In “A Day’s Wait” a young boy tries to be brave while suffering from an illness.

1. Encourage students to share personal experiences related to suffering in silence, whether their own or from someone they know. This could lead to a more nuanced and diverse discussion.

QUICKWRITE Do you consider it an act of bravery to face pain on your own, or does it take courage for you to open up to other people? Write a paragraph about this on your blog. Headline: Is it Brave to suffer in silence? This lesson plan was found here.

Guide students in applying specific literary analysis techniques, such as symbolism and imagery, to the short story. This could enhance their understanding of the story’s deeper meanings. See info below.

Lesson plan

1. Read the short story “A day’s wait“. You will find the short story here. You can also listen to it below.

1. Write a post on your blog about the short story. Look at your study sheet first and be sure to include the following in your post: The Lost Generation, an influential style, fact becomes fiction. Style, word choice, sentence structure, and dialogue. Characterization analysis. Hemingway’s style, read lines 65-83 and comment on the style used there. Is it a good example of Hemingway’s writing style? In your answer use evidence from the passage.
2. Find photos for your post that are characteristic of Hemmingway. Remember to use Google Advanced Search and choose pictures that are free to use and share. Click on the picture of the Hemingway house to go to the correct search!
3. Work in pairs and write a dialogue where one of you is traveling in the US and the other lives there. Include in your story confusion about the temperature, speed limit, height, and weight. End the dialogue by explaining the differences between the European and American ways of measuring. Make a recording of the conversation.

Sure, here are some examples of how to guide students in applying specific literary analysis techniques to Hemingway’s short story “A Day’s Wait”:

Symbolism:

• The boy’s illness can be seen as a symbol of his growing up and the challenges he will face in the world.

• The train can be seen as a symbol of the boy’s journey through life, and the fact that it is always coming is a reminder that time is passing and he cannot stop it.

• The father’s calm demeanor can be seen as a symbol of strength and resilience in the face of adversity.

Imagery:

• The description of the boy’s pale face and trembling hands is a powerful image that evokes sympathy and concern for the character.

• The description of the train whistle is a haunting image that adds to the sense of tension and anxiety in the story.

• The description of the city lights is a beautiful image that contrasts with the boy’s illness and suggests a world of possibilities beyond the confines of his illness.

Watch this video!