Law Meets Literature

A Novel Approach for the English Classroom

By (author) Gretchen Oltman, Johnna L. Graff, Cynthia Wood Maddux

Publication date:

23 December 2015

Length of book:

132 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781475822571

This text was developed by three experienced English teachers, who also happen to be lawyers. The law provides a new dimension to popular literary themes, like justice, fairness and equality. These legal documents will enhance the discussion in the English/Language Arts classroom. With the Common Core State Standards’ emphasis on incorporating primary documents of historical and literary significance, literature teachers have more opportunity than ever to use case law and other legal documents as texts. Each thematic unit includes essential questions, familiar fiction and nonfiction selections with connections to the theme, teaching notes, and relevant cases with before, during, and after-discussion questions. The text demonstrates not only the importance of the thoughtful selection of legal documents to meet state and national standards, but also includes new approaches to classic texts. With an easily accessible format, teachers will overcome any intimidation of case law and embrace the use of legal documents to enhance the literature in a new, insightful way.

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1: Why Law and Literature?
Why Law and Literature Works in the ELA Classroom
How to Use this Text
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 2: Case Law in a Literature Classroom
Case Law Through a Literary Lens
Bethel School Dist. No. 403 v. Fraser, 478 U.S. 675 (1986)
Tips for Teaching Literature Using Case Law
Where Do I Find Case Law to Use as Literature?
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 3: Standing Up Against Injustice
Standing Up Against Injustice: Essential Questions For This Theme
Suggested Literature Selections
Applicable Case Law
Law and Literature Lesson in Action with the Featured Literature Selection: Antigone by Sophocles
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 4: Whose Law is it Anyway?
Whose Law is it Anyway?: Essential Questions For This Theme
Suggested Literature Selections
Applicable Case Law
Law and Literature Lesson in Action with the Featured Literature Selection: The Round House by Louise Erdrich
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 5: But That’s Not Fair!
But That’s Not Fair!: Essential Questions For This Theme
Suggested Literature Selections
Applicable Case Law
Law and Literature Lesson in Action with the Featured Literature Selection: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 6: It’s All in Your Head
It’s All in Your Head: Essential Questions For This Theme
Suggested Literature Selections
Applicable Case Law
Law and Literature Lesson in Action with the Featured Literature Selection: “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 7: Crime and Punishment
Crime and Punishment: Essential Questions For This Theme
Suggested Literature Selections
Applicable Case Law
Law and Literature Lesson in Action with the Featured Literature Selection: Billy Budd Herman Melville
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 8: Protecting Your Freedoms
Crime and Punishment: Essential Questions For This Theme
Suggested Literature Selections
Applicable Case Law
Law and Literature Lesson in Action with the Featured Literature Selection: 1984 by George Orwell
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 9: Reasonable Is as Reasonable Does
Reasonable Is as Reasonable Does: Essential Questions For This Theme
Suggested Literature Selections
Applicable Case Law
Law and Literature Lesson in Action with the Featured Literature Selection: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
A Note from the Authors

Chapter 10: Why’d You Do It?
Reasonable Is as Reasonable Does: Essential Questions For This Theme
Suggested Literature Selections
Applicable Case Law
Law and Literature Lesson in Action with the Featured Literature Selection: “A Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell
A Note from the Authors

Bibliography
Index

About the Editors

This useful professional resource guides secondary teachers in their English classrooms. It will prove to be quite helpful in engaging students in thoughtful discussion about literature and its reflection in law and society. . . .The inclusion of legal case applications will certainly broaden students’ minds and quite possibly steer many of them toward legal careers.