The Interview: Identity and Community

LISTEN, I READ
BOOK: A COMPLICATED KINDNESS
AUTHOR: MYRIAM TOEWS

Student will read A Complicated Kindness while responding to a variety of comprehension questions, participating in discussions, and analyzing characters as well as thematic content. The focus of their analysis will be on the main character, Nomi, and her struggles to define herself in her Mennonite community. As a culminating assignment, students will be asked to create a video production of an interview involving Nomi in her adult years whereby she reflects on her past and current relationship with her Mennonite community.

Update (June 13, 2012)

This week, the grade 12 English students at ESC Le Relais were given the opportunity to participate in an interview with the author of A Complicated Kindness, Miriam Toews. Seeing our school is located in Ontario whereas Miriam resides in Manitoba, we decided that it would be easiest to conduct the interview via skype. During the conference, the students asked many insightful questions and Toews’ responses provided the class with further insight into the inner workings of the characters’ minds. Overall, students said they were impressed by Miriam’s calm yet zany personality. One grade 12 student described Miriam as being “comfortingly unconventional”. They also reported having a clearer understanding of the connection between the author’s personal experiences and the thematic content of the novel. In summary, the students were delighted to have the chance to speak with Toews, claiming that it allowed them to appreciate the novel on a whole new level.