A Conversation with My Father

What is the role of humor and “jokes,” a term the father uses in discussing the writer’s tale and the real world, in the story? What does the father’s use of this term reveal about him?

Teaching Suggestion: The father’s use of the term “jokes” in reference to the story and real life helps the reader understand his perspective on literature, life, and tragedy. Students can use this connection between the creation of a character and a view of life and literature to develop their understanding of characterization as a means of addressing larger themes in literature.

Differentiation Suggestion: Students who find it difficult to organize their thinking or those with executive function challenges may benefit from a graphic organizer that helps them track the father’s references to jokes, the context in which he makes them, and how each reference teaches the reader more about the father. Additionally, students may benefit from sentence starters or sentence frames to prepare their ideas for the discussion.