Vanity Fair Lesson Plan

The Great Crawley

Kind of Activity:

Classwide Discussion

Objective:

Students will discuss the motivations of two characters' actions.

Common Core Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.1

Structure:

Chapters 22 and 23 are some of the more cynical chapters we have seen thus far in Vanity Fair. Particularly noteworthy is the behavior of Becky Sharp and her husband, Rawdon Crawley. We learn that Becky and Rawdon live in constant debt, and despite this fact, they are constantly throwing lavish parties, which will only serve to put them further in debt.

As a class, discuss why they might be acting this way. What do Becky and Rawdon have to gain by incurring yet more debt...