Worksheet

The Art of Discrimination

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Readers of John Cowper Powys' essay "The Art of Discrimination" are asked to consider how the necessity for artistic discrimination, the labeling of one work as better than another, relates to the emergence of prejudice. 

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CCSS: Adaptable
Instructional Ideas
  • Read the essay as a whole-class activity, annotating the text with specific examples or having class members offer examples that explicate the lines
Classroom Considerations
  • Some class members may find the syntax and diction challenging
  • Additional discussion questions may be needed to help some readers to thoughtfully transition from the concept of artistic discrimination to the concept of social discrimination or prejudice
  • The activity requires a safe and respectful classroom environment for the discussion of controversial topics
Pros
  • The resource encourages high-level critical thinking
Cons

Powys' essay does not offer specific examples to explicate his points; therefore, instructors will need to add these annotations

Common Core