Anchor Texts and Extracts
This section serves as a pivotal component of the chapter, focusing on significant texts that explore themes of social justice and inequality. Students may engage with both full texts and selected extracts depending on their curriculum or teacher's guidance. Notable literary works include:
- "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck: This text addresses issues of economic hardship, racism, and disability faced by its characters during the Great Depression.
- "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee: A profound narrative that delves into racial injustice and moral development through the eyes of a young girl in the racially charged American South.
- Poetry by Langston Hughes: Hughes's works explore African American identity and civil rights, voicing the struggles and aspirations of his community.
- Key extracts from speeches and writings of activists such as Malala Yousafzai, Nelson Mandela, and Martin Luther King Jr. that powerfully articulate their perspectives on social justice.
The sample extract analysis of MLK's "I Have a Dream" spotlights the use of rhetorical devices like repetition and metaphor, emphasizing how these elements inspire social change. Students are encouraged to reflect on how language and literary techniques can amplify calls for equity and justice.