Introduction
What happens when faith and identity collide in the rural South! In this WebQuest, students will explore Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People" through the lens of the Southern Gothic movement in American Literature.
Task
- Students will understand the purpose of exploring Southern Gothic themes in O'Connor's short story "Good Country People."
- Students will preview the four resource types: visual (picture), blog, article, and video in the links provided.
- Students will download the worksheet from the link and complete the questions asked. This will guide student responses and reflections.
Process
Each student will explore four curated resources.
1. Visual Resource
Click this if picture does not show up.
Task:
Observe the visual elements in the picture like color, composition, and character depiction.
Then reflect on how grotesque is represented visually on a sheet of paper.
Worksheet Questions:
Click this link to go to the worksheet.
To be able to type your answers you must drag the textbox down to the lines.
Then when all questions are answered you must press the save button on the top left.
2. Blog Resource
Click this to read the blog about Flannery O'Connor grotesque imagery and assumptions.
Task:
Skim the blog's title, author, and publication date.
Then read the full blog post, either individually or with a partner.
Write down on a sheet of paper key phrases, unfamiliar terms, and your reactions to the blog.
When finished reading the blog and taking notes go to the worksheet questions link below.
Worksheet Questions:
Click this link to go to the worksheet.
To be able to type your answers you must drag the textbox down to the lines.
Then when all questions are answered you must press the save button on the top left.
3. Article Resource
Task:
Students will read a literary article analyzing "Good Country People" and respond to two questions about symbolism and Southern Gothic traits.
First students will read the title and introduction.
Then skim the table of contents to see the structure (e.g., Symbolism, Irony, Southern Gothic).
Students then will ask themself: What themes do you expect to see in this article?
Students will read the full article silently or in pairs.
When finished reading the article go to the worksheet question link below.
Worksheet Questions:
Click this link to go to the worksheet.
To be able to type your answers you must drag the textbox down to the lines.
Then when all questions are answered you must press the save button on the top left.
4. Video Resource
Task:
Students will watch the video from beginning to end.
During the video, students may want to take notes on key ideas or quotes to help with answering questions later on.
Students may pause and rewind if needed.
Next, students will start working on their video worksheet.
Worksheet Questions:
Click this link to go to the worksheet.
To be able to type your answers you must drag the textbox down to the lines.
Then when all questions are answered you must press the save button on the top left.
Evaluation
Your work will be evaluated based on how deeply you engage with the story and resources, the clarity and thoughtfulness of your responses, and your ability to connect literary elements to broader themes in the short story.