Kathleen M. Ryerson
It will be through the works of Guy de Maupassant that students will be introduced to the culture of France. The class reads
The Necklace
. This story holds an appeal for most students. Many are able to relate to Mathilde; they understand her plight. They feel that she is a victim of fate and has been treated unfairly. But de Maupassant feels that she is wrong for trying to be someone she is not. He sees her as a vain and selfish person and feels her punishment was just.
I then point out that de Maupassant was very critical of people who tried to be members of a class to which they did not belong. (Explain the class system.)
The class should understand that de Maupassant wrote satire. He describes human beings as they are, with all their flaws. I feel that students should have a basic understanding of the genius of this great writer who has been called by many the father of the short story. Generally, students like de Maupassant’s stories, so we read another.
Another de Maupassant story that I have found most successful is
The Vendetta
. This is the story of a mother whose sole purpose is to revenge the murder of her son. She undertakes this in a most brutal way, by training her dog to kill. Many students are able to relate to the idea of vengeance. The training of the dog is so revolting that students cannot help being fascinated.
It is through these stories that I concentrate on vocabulary skills. I feel that one of the true reasons for learning a foreign language is to improve English. I start by showing students the number of French words we use in the English language, i.e., bon voyage, boulevard, grand, petite, camouflage, chaise lounge, coup ‘d‘etat. Students enjoy looking up the definitions of these “French” words in the English dictionary.
At this time students discover the large number of French words used in the restaurant. Students act out a scene in a restaurant, pronouncing the words correctly.
A class can have a lot of fun working with cognates. Some are easy: enfant—infant; femme—feminine. Some present more of a challenge: ‘etat—state; soeur—sorority; but students always increase their vocabularies with this type of exercise.
At this point, I would suggest that students read and do a report on a short story by de Maupassant or read a work by Hugo. (Of course, the assignment would depend on the ability of the class.)
The eight-week unit would then end with a final examination. I would spend the remaining class periods reviewing for it.