Franz Kafka – Isolation
“Isolation is a way to know ourselves.”
Franz Kafka
Big Idea
The Coronavirus outbreak of 2020 has driven society into isolation. Schools are closed. Businesses are shut down. Our social lives have stopped functioning. And we’re at home with much more alone time. Isolation can breed some sadness and despair but also offers a chance for us to reflect and evaluate our lives in a positive and meaningful way.
Claim
Bohemian novelist Franz Kafka is claiming that being alone is an opportunity to discover who we really are. Isolation gives us the gift of self-knowledge.
Counterclaim
Our identity is wrapped up with other people. Isolation prevents us from understanding who we are and makes us feel lost and abandoned.
Essential
Question
Is social distancing healthy for us?
Student Video
Hatchet – Isolation
I’m teaching plot and characterization in Gary Paulsen’s novel, Hatchet. I will focus on the theme of isolation by analyzing what Brian learns about himself while stranded in the Canadian ...
“Ode on Solitude” Poem – Isolation
I am teaching poetry and the poem “Ode on Solitude” by Alexander Pope creates a wonderful opportunity to study the theme of isolation with students. This poem focuses on the upsides of loneliness ...
“There’s a Certain Slant of Light” – Isolation
Emily Dickinson’s poem “There’s a Certain Slant of Light” describes the effect of light in “winter afternoons” as a subtle, invisible “affliction,” something imperceptible yet real ...
Login with Google