Lord of the Flies Collaborative Projects

Psychological Approaches to Literary Analysis

How can characters in Lord of the Flies be analyzed in terms of psychological theories?

Central Ideas:

• Psychology is a potent tool for analyzing literature. One could argue that psychology and literature are both studies of human behavior, cognition, and development. 
• Literary critics often use psychologal theory and terminology to analyze character and explicate the significance of symbols and events.

The process:

• We will divide the class into groups of about five.
• Each group will read the novel focusing on a particular psychological theory.
• Each group will have one day to do research, five days to read and discuss the novel, and two days to plan and make a presentation on how the novel can be interpreted in light of the psychological theory it was assigned.
• Each student will take the objective quiz on the novel and respond to an AP prompt on a character in the novel.

The research:

• Groups will research the psychological theories assigned to them.
• Internet and library resources will be available.

The discussion sessions:

• Divide the novel into five parts.
• Each day, the group will discuss the chapters read the night before in terms of the assigned psychological framework.
• One group member will be responsible to lead the discussion each day. That leader should have key passages and questions for discussion.
• The group will create a wiki page to record a summary of what was discussed each day. The discussion leader will be responsible for posting the summary. The summary should be 4-5 sentences.
• The group can also use its wiki page to collaborate on the presentation.

The presentation

• Each group will produce a three-to-five-minute presentation that explicates the novel in terms of the psychological theory they have been discussing.
• The presentation will incorporate the smart board.
• Each group member will have a speaking role in the presentation.

The psychological frameworks:

• Sigmund Freud: the subconscious, defense mechanisms, neurotic and psychotic behavior  Go to http://www.freudfile.org/theory.html for an intro.
• Erik Erikson: identity development through the resolution of crises at different stages in life Go to http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonality/a/psychosocial.htm for an intro.
• Abraham Maslow: human development motivated by the fulfillment of increasingly complex needs  Wikipedia has a good article. Start there.
• Howard Gardner: multiple intelligences Try http://www.infed.org/thinkers/gardner.htm for an intro.
• Lawrence Kohlberg: cultural psychology, human development as a function of cultural influences Wikipedia's article is good. Go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kohlberg%27s_stages_of_moral_development

Hints:

• Focus on characters. Talk about the characters in terns of the theory you are studying.
• Identify and discuss specific passages where characters are in crisis. Discuss how they react to these crises and what motivates them to do what they do. 
   

Point Values:

• Objective quiz: 50 points (AP-style close reading questions)
• AP essay: 50 points (see the AP rubric for assessment guidelines)
• Group logs: 20 points (4-5 sentences for each session; each member is responsible for at least one entry; clarity, relevance, careful proofreading)
• Presentation: 30 points

A superior presentation will:

• show how the assigned theory deepens our understanding of a character or characters in the novel
• focus on specific passages in the text
• be 3-5 minutes long
• involve each member of the group with a prominent speaking role
• integrate the smart board

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