Class: Senior Secondary School 2 (SS2 / SSS 2)
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 8
Age: 16 years
Duration: 45 minutes
Subject: Literature in English
Curriculum Theme: Literature
Previous Lesson: Themes, Style, Character Analysis and Role-Play in Selected Plays.
Topic: Examine the Themes and Style
Subject Matter: Themes in “Faceless”, style in “Faceless”, relating themes to personal life encounter, video clip discussion (boys on coral island)

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

Cognitive Domain:

Identify and explain at least three major themes in Amma Darko’s “Faceless”.
Discuss the literary style employed by the author in “Faceless”.

Affective Domain:

Appreciate the social relevance of the themes presented in the novel.
Empathize with the characters and situations depicted in “Faceless”.

Psychomotor Domain:

Provide textual evidence to support their explanations of themes and style.
Compare and contrast ideas from the novel with those presented in a video clip.

Relate the themes of “Faceless” to real-life experiences and societal issues.
Participate actively in group discussions about the novel’s themes and style.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

Senior Secondary Schools Education Curriculum
State Unified Scheme of Work
Amma Darko, “Faceless” (Novel)
Okonkwo, R. (2018). Literature-in-English for Senior Secondary Schools. Abuja: Learnwell Publishers.

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

Copies of the novel “Faceless”
A video clip illustrating themes related to survival or societal breakdown (e.g., “boys on coral island”)
Whiteboard/Blackboard and markers/chalk
Projector/TV for displaying the video clip

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding the themes and style of “Faceless” helps pupils to deeply comprehend the author’s message and artistic choices. This enables pupils to analyze literary works critically and connect literary concepts to real-world issues and personal experiences.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Pupils are expected to have read Amma Darko’s “Faceless” and possess a basic understanding of literary elements such as plot, characterization, and setting.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Themes and Style in Amma Darko’s “Faceless”

Themes in “Faceless”

Themes are the central ideas or messages that an author explores in a literary work. In “Faceless,” Amma Darko addresses several important societal issues.

The following are major themes in “Faceless”:

Child Abuse and Neglect: The novel vividly portrays the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse suffered by children, particularly young girls, in urban settings. Examples include Fofo’s experiences and the fate of other street children.
Poverty and Urban Decay: The harsh realities of poverty, homelessness, and the dilapidated living conditions in the slums of Accra are central. These conditions force characters into desperate measures for survival.
Survival and Resilience: Despite the overwhelming challenges, many characters, like Fofo and Maami, demonstrate remarkable resilience and a will to survive against all odds.
Corruption and Injustice: The novel exposes corruption within institutions, including the police force, and the general societal indifference to the plight of the vulnerable.
Search for Identity and Belonging: Characters like Fofo grapple with their sense of self and their place in a society that often rejects them.
Motherhood and Family Relationships: Various forms of motherhood—both nurturing and neglectful—are explored, highlighting the complexities of family bonds in difficult circumstances.
Hope and Despair: While the novel paints a grim picture, there are moments of hope, often overshadowed by despair, suggesting the ongoing struggle for a better future.

Literary Style in “Faceless”

Literary style refers to the distinctive way an author uses language to create a literary work. Amma Darko’s style in “Faceless” contributes significantly to its impact.

The following are elements of Amma Darko’s literary style:

Simple and Direct Language: Darko uses straightforward, accessible language, making the complex themes understandable to a wide audience.
Vivid Imagery: The author employs strong descriptive language that creates clear pictures in the reader’s mind, particularly when depicting the squalor of the slums and the suffering of the characters.
Symbolism: Objects, places, and even characters often carry symbolic meanings. For instance, the “faceless” street children symbolize the forgotten and ignored members of society.
Flashback Technique: The narrative often shifts between past and present, revealing characters’ backgrounds and motivations gradually.
Use of Dialogue: Realistic dialogue, sometimes incorporating local Ghanaian expressions or pidgin English, adds authenticity to the characters and setting.
Third-Person Narration: The story is primarily told from a third-person omniscient point of view, allowing the reader insight into the thoughts and feelings of multiple characters.
Realism: Darko’s style is characterized by its stark realism, depicting the harsh realities of life without sugarcoating them.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Lecture, Demonstration, Question and Answer, Visual Aids

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Set Induction
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the pupils and briefly reviews the previous lesson on plot and characterization in “Faceless.” The teacher then introduces the day’s topic: examining the themes and style of the novel.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to greetings, recall key points from the previous lesson, and listen attentively to the introduction of the new topic.
Learning Point: Pupils connect the current lesson to previous learning and understand the focus of the day’s instruction.

Step 2: Presentation of Themes

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Discussion
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines literary themes and guides pupils to identify major themes in “Faceless,” such as child abuse, poverty, and survival. The teacher prompts pupils to provide specific examples from the text to support each theme.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils define themes, identify various themes in “Faceless,” and provide textual evidence and examples from the novel to explain each theme.
Learning Point: Pupils understand and can identify key themes and their manifestation in the novel.

Step 3: Discussion on Literary Style

Time: 10 minutes
Teaching Skill: Explanation/Analysis
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains what literary style entails and guides pupils to discuss Amma Darko’s style in “Faceless.” The teacher focuses on elements like language use, imagery, symbolism, and narrative technique, asking pupils to cite examples.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils explain literary style, identify various stylistic devices used by the author, and provide examples from the text to illustrate these points.
Learning Point: Pupils understand and can identify the author’s literary style and its effect on the novel.

Step 4: Relating Themes to Personal Life

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Connection/Reflection
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher encourages pupils to reflect on how the themes discussed in “Faceless” relate to real-life situations, personal encounters, or societal issues they are aware of in Nigeria or globally.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils share their thoughts and experiences, drawing connections between the novel’s themes and real-world scenarios.
Learning Point: Pupils appreciate the relevance of literature to their own lives and society.

Step 5: Video Clip Discussion

Time: 8 minutes
Teaching Skill: Visual Aid/Comparison
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher shows a short video clip (e.g., “boys on coral island” or similar content depicting survival/societal breakdown). After the clip, the teacher facilitates a discussion, prompting pupils to compare the ideas, challenges, or themes presented in the video with those found in “Faceless.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils watch the video clip, then actively participate in the discussion, drawing comparisons and connections between the video content and the novel.
Learning Point: Pupils enhance their comparative analysis skills and deepen their understanding of universal themes.

Step 6: Class Activity

Time: 2 minutes
Teaching Skill: Application/Reinforcement
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher asks pupils to, in pairs, quickly list one theme and one stylistic device from “Faceless” that resonated most with them.
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils work in pairs to identify and list a theme and a stylistic device that they found most impactful.
Learning Point: Pupils reinforce their understanding through immediate application.

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes
Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

Mention three major themes explored in Amma Darko’s “Faceless.”
Explain what is meant by an author’s literary style.
Identify two stylistic devices used by Amma Darko in “Faceless” and provide an example for each.
How do the themes in “Faceless” relate to issues in contemporary Nigerian society?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Pupils demonstrate understanding of the lesson.

Step 8: Conclusion

Time: 1 minute
Teaching Skill: Summarization
Teacher’s Activity: The teacher briefly summarizes the key themes and stylistic elements discussed in “Faceless” and encourages pupils to continue exploring literary works with a critical eye. The teacher assigns homework for pupils to write a short essay on how the theme of child abuse is developed in “Faceless.”
Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen to the summary and note down the homework assignment.
Learning Point: Pupils consolidate their learning and are given tasks for further engagement.

Lesson Keywords

Theme – The main idea or underlying meaning a writer explores in a novel, short story, or other literary work.
Style – The distinctive way an author uses language, including word choice, sentence structure, figurative language, and narrative technique.
Faceless – The title of the novel by Amma Darko.
Amma Darko – The author of the novel “Faceless.”
Child Abuse – The theme relating to the mistreatment or neglect of children.
Symbolism – The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities.
Imagery – Visually descriptive or figurative language.

Differentiation

For struggling learners, the teacher will provide simplified definitions and focus on identifying only two major themes and one stylistic device with clear textual examples. Advanced learners will be challenged to analyze the interconnectedness of themes and discuss the socio-political implications of the author’s stylistic choices, perhaps by analyzing a short critical review of the novel.

Note for teachers using this lesson plan

Ensure that pupils have access to the novel or relevant excerpts. The video clip should be carefully selected to align with the themes of the novel without being overly graphic or disturbing for the age group. Encourage open discussion, but guide pupils to maintain respect and sensitivity when discussing sensitive themes like child abuse. Emphasize drawing evidence directly from the text to support claims about themes and style.