A reflection on love and guilt in 'Sweetness'

In this lesson, we will be continuing to read Toni Morrison's 'Sweetness' whilst taking time to think about how the themes of love and guilt are presented to a reader through the writer's choice of structure. This lesson covers race and discrimination. If this is a sensitive topic to you, we recommend checking with a trusted adult before starting or doing the lesson with a trusted adult nearby.

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Quiz:

Intro quiz - Recap from previous lesson

Before we start this lesson, let’s see what you can remember from this topic. Here’s a quick quiz!

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Q1.Which term is defined as 'the action or state of setting someone or something apart from others'?

Discrimination Segregation Colourism Prejudice

1/6

Q2.Which term is defined as 'unjust or harmful treatment of other people based on a perceived difference'?

Discrimination Segregation Colourism Prejudice

2/6

Q3.Which term is defined as 'prejudice or discrimination against individuals who are dark skinned, typically, but not exclusively, among people of the same ethnic or racial group'?

Constitution Colourism Racism Prejudice

3/6

Q4.What is a simile?

A comparison between two different things, usually made by stating something is something else. Giving human feelings and actions to an object or an idea. Where one uses ‘like’ or ‘as’ to compare two different things and show a common quality between them.

4/6

Q5.Which statement best describes Louis' reaction to Lula Ann, the baby?

He feels a sense of devotion. He feels a sense of sadness. He feels a sense of love. He feels a sense of fear.

5/6

Q6.What is 'It broke our marriage to pieces' an example of?

Simile Metaphor Personification Third person narrative

6/6

This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Quiz:

Intro quiz - Recap from previous lesson

Before we start this lesson, let’s see what you can remember from this topic. Here’s a quick quiz!

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Q1.Which term is defined as 'the action or state of setting someone or something apart from others'?

Discrimination Segregation Colourism Prejudice

1/6

Q2.Which term is defined as 'unjust or harmful treatment of other people based on a perceived difference'?

Discrimination Segregation Colourism Prejudice

2/6

Q3.Which term is defined as 'prejudice or discrimination against individuals who are dark skinned, typically, but not exclusively, among people of the same ethnic or racial group'?

Constitution Colourism Racism Prejudice

3/6

Q4.What is a simile?

4/6

Q5.Which statement best describes Louis' reaction to Lula Ann, the baby?

He feels a sense of devotion. He feels a sense of sadness. He feels a sense of love. He feels a sense of fear.

5/6

Q6.What is 'It broke our marriage to pieces' an example of?

Simile Metaphor Personification Third person narrative

6/6

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This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Quiz:

3 - A reflection on love and guilt in Toni Morrison's 'Sweetness'

Complete the quiz to find out how much you have understood from today's lesson:

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Q1.Which of the following is an example of a metaphor?

'[He] looked at the baby like she was from the planet Jupiter.' 'It broke our marriage to pieces' '[He] treated Lula Ann like she was a stranger—more than that, an enemy.' 'I told her to call me “Sweetness” instead of “Mother” or “Mama.”'

1/5

Q2.Why does Louis feel a sense of fear when he first sees Lula Ann?

He is scared of small children. He sees Lula Ann as an 'enemy' meaning she could be a threat. He is easily frightened. He looks at her like she is from 'the planet Jupiter' and thinks she has come to attack him.

2/5

Q3.What does 'Sweetness' want her daughter to call her?

Sweetie Mama Sweetness Mother

3/5

Q4.What is irony?

A moment where our expectations are reversed. A moment where our expectations are proved correct. A moment where our expectations are shown to be partly correct.

4/5

Q5.Why is Sweetness' name ironic?

We expect someone called Sweetness to be kind and caring and Sweetness is to some people but not others. We expect someone called Sweetness to be kind and caring and she is. We expect someone called Sweetness to be kind and caring but Sweetness is not.

5/5

This quiz includes images that don't have any alt text - please contact your teacher who should be able to help you with an audio description.

Quiz:

3 - A reflection on love and guilt in Toni Morrison's 'Sweetness'

Complete the quiz to find out how much you have understood from today's lesson:

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Q1.Which of the following is an example of a metaphor?

1/5

Q2.Why does Louis feel a sense of fear when he first sees Lula Ann?

2/5

Q3.What does 'Sweetness' want her daughter to call her?

Sweetie Mama Sweetness Mother

3/5

Q4.What is irony?

A moment where our expectations are reversed. A moment where our expectations are proved correct. A moment where our expectations are shown to be partly correct.

4/5

Q5.Why is Sweetness' name ironic?

5/5

Lesson summary: A reflection on love and guilt in 'Sweetness'

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The next lesson in Sweetness by Toni Morrison is "Motherhood in 'Sweetness'"

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