In this activity, students will watch a video clip from the documentary about Hemingway's experimentation with gender roles in the context of his sexual relationship with his fourth wife, Mary Welsh. Then, they will read an article about Ursula Le Guin that explores the roles of gender and sexuality in life, and particularly the ways they may manifest in an artist’s work.

The classroom activity is meant to aid students in understanding important subtext to Hemingway’s short stories and intimate scenes in his novels. For the journal prompt, learners will be guided to reflect on the relationship between Hemingway as a writer in general, as a male writer in particular, and as an artist living within the social constructs and confines of his time.

NOTE: The video clip and article include a discussion of sex, so please watch and read carefully and ensure that any necessary conversations about sex and sexuality take place before this lesson.

About the Author:

Julia E. Torres is a veteran language arts teacher and librarian in Denver Public schools. As a teacher/activist committed to education as a practice of freedom, her practice is grounded in the work of empowering students to use Language Arts to fuel resistance and positive social transformation. Julia has been awarded the 2020 NCTE Colorado Affiliate Teacher of Excellence award chosen as a 2020 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, and serves educators as a member of the ALAN (Assembly on Literature for Adolescents of NCTE) Board of Directors. Julia facilitates workshops and professional conversations about anti-bias/anti-racist education, social justice, and culturally sustaining pedagogies in Language Arts, as well as digital literacy and librarianship. Her work has been featured in several publications including NCTE’s Council Chronicle, NPR, AlJazeera’s The Stream, PBS Education, KQED’s MindShift, NY Times Learning Network, The Chicago Tribune, ASCD’s Education Update, Rethinking Schools, School Library Journal, and many more.