Students study the issues that stereotyping causes in this lesson. At the end of the lesson, students are able to: 
- Give an explanation of literary stereotyping and provide instances.
- Analyze how stereotypes affect literary works.
- Examine how reader expectations are affected by literary stereotypes.

- How does text interaction prompt thought and response?

- Bias: A judgment based on a personal point of view. 
- Generalization: A conclusion, drawn from specific information that is used to make a broad statement about a topic or person.

- A. Wolf. (1996). The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! Puffin.
- O. Henry. “The Ransom of Red Chief”. Available at http://www.classicshorts.com/stories/redchief.html 
- O. Henry. “A Retrieved Reformation”. Available at http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/o_henry/106/ 
- Additional examples of stereotypical characters in literature include the following:
+ Edgar Allan Poe. “The Purloined Letter”. Available at http://www.eapoe.org/works/tales/plttraa.htm
+ Alfred Noyes. “The Highwayman”. Available at http://www.loudlit.org/audio/highwayman/pages/01_01_highwayman.htm 
- several copies per student of the Character Analysis worksheet (L-7-3-2_Character Analysis)

- If the majority of students comprehend stereotyping, it will be evident from group and class discussions, as well as from watching them work in their groups. When the students have finished their readings, gather their responses to see if they have a grasp of stereotyping and its applications.
- Give students feedback so they can assess how well they understand the concept of stereotyping in literature.
- Work with people who require more practice or reteaching, either individually or in small groups.

Explicit instruction, modeling, scaffolding, and active engagement
W: Assign students to look at instances of literary clichés and the employment of "stock" characters in works of fiction.
H: Link this lesson and Lesson 1 on bias to help students broaden their comprehension of the variables influencing communication.
E: Describe stereotyping and offer students the assistance of a group as they examine instances of stereotyping and how it affects fictional works.
R: Give students multiple opportunities to identify literary stereotypes so they can get a sense of the idea and understand how it affects readers.
E: Assign students to write succinct responses to their reading to demonstrate their comprehension of stereotyping.
T: Give students opportunities to share with the class as well as group and individual activities.
O: The lesson gives students the chance to look at several stereotypes to understand why they occur in writing and how they affect readers.
(IS.4 - Language Function Worksheets)

Focus Question: How can you identify stereotypes in literature? What is stereotyping in literature? 

Have students read Gustavo Orozco's "Gustavo From Colombia Confronts Stereotypes About His Country" to start the lesson.

Ask students to define stereotyping after you've written the term on the board or interactive whiteboard. Take note of their answers. The following definitions are proposed:

a widely held belief or image about a person or group
a conclusion drawn from a generalization or oversimplification
an assessment that is made of a whole group based on a single perceived or observed characteristic
a viewpoint that frequently elevates some people above others.
"These are all instances of stereotyping in society," you say. "In addition to these definitions, stereotyping in literature also has a strictly literary meaning, which we will discuss in this lesson."

Part 1

Ask students to consider common fairy tale and nursery rhyme stereotypes. Then, have them write down examples of these stereotypes on the interactive whiteboard or board, such as the evil stepmother, the big, bad wolf, the brave prince, and the damsel in distress. 

Say, "In literary works, stereotyping refers to the portrayal of characters as undeveloped individuals who solely possess one or more stereotyped traits. Due to their constant state of change and often minor character status, they are frequently referred to as stock or static characters. Usually, the main character experiences some kind of change, and the plot revolves around that change."

Read out loud A. Wolf's The True Story of the Three Little Pigs! (as told to Jon Scieszka). Ask students to note any differences they see between Al Wolf and the traditional wolf in the original story by filling out the Character Analysis worksheet (L-7-3-2_Character Analysis). Among the suggested responses are the following:

The stereotypical wolf is large, vicious, and eager to devour the three pigs.
Devoted to his "dear old granny," Al Wolf bakes a birthday cake for her.
Al is courteous, and he knocks on the little pig's door first to ask for a cup of sugar.
He is a victim of events; by sneezing, he destroys the straw house.
Being economical, he only ate the first two pigs because they had passed away and the food would have gone to waste.
Al is sensitive or devoted, getting angry when the third little pig makes fun of Al's grandmother.
Give a summary of the wolf's personality traits in The True Story of the Three Little Pigs.

Unlike in the fairy tale, Al is no longer a stereotypical character.
It seems that he possesses several advantageous traits.
He is crafty and cunning enough to conjure up a funny, realistic narrative to justify his behavior.
He is now a unique individual with a distinct personality.
Views into his relationships and potential reasons for his actions are provided to the readers.

Part 2

Say, "One issue with stereotyped characters is that they tend to be very predictable, which can make a story seem dull. We're going to look for character stereotypes in a short story." 

Read aloud the opening four passages of "The Ransom of Red Chief," a short story by O. Henry. Find out if the students can identify any potential stereotypes. Before sharing their thoughts with the class, ask them to jot down their ideas on the Character Analysis worksheet (L-7-3-2_Character Analysis). Among the suggested responses are the following:

The stereotype of kidnappers is typically one of avarice and callousness.
The young child is presented as a helpless victim deserving of sympathy.
The child's father is devastated by his child's passing. In this instance, the father is also presented as a well-known and law-abiding citizen.
Say this: "Our awareness of stereotypes influences our expectations as readers. We think we can predict some of the actions of these characters and, consequently, how the plot might unfold once we feel we have identified particular types of characters." Ask students to write down, in pairs, a summary of how they believe the story will go. Additionally, have students write down where they feel the story is most sympathetic at this point and why. Ask them to present their ideas to the class as a whole.

Read the following ten paragraphs aloud. (The last one starts, "Yes, sir, it looked like that boy was having a great time.") Inquire with students about the validity of the stereotypes they previously identified and whether they have come to any new conclusions about any of them. Ask students to fill out the character analysis worksheet with their answers. Among the suggested responses are the following:

With the rise of the mischievous boy stereotype, the "innocent child" stereotype has disappeared.
Bill, one of the kidnappers, has defied the cliché of the cold-blooded kidnapper by engaging in games with Red Chief.
Ask students whether stereotypes are used in the story after reading the remaining parts aloud. After discussing their responses in groups, have the class discuss the answers. Make sure your students understand that the story uses stereotypes, but not in the way you might expect. The story's humor mostly stems from the way stereotypes are reversed; for example, the kidnappers are portrayed as cruel, avaricious men, while Red Chief is the one committing the crimes, and his father is the aggressor.
For students' convenience, you could write the following statement on the board or interactive whiteboard:

Understanding stereotypes makes the reader value the narrative more.

Ask the students to explain their conclusions and discuss whether they agree or disagree with the statement.

Part 3

Assign students to read "A Retrieved Reformation," a short story by O. Henry, in groups. Request that they read the first 20 paragraphs. (The last paragraph starts, "Ben Price knew Jimmy's habits.") and to talk about and write down any thoughts they may have regarding the way stereotypes have been used in the story so far. Provide students with the Character Analysis worksheet (L-7-3-2_Character Analysis) to record their responses. Inform the students that these worksheets will be gathered. Among the suggested responses are the following:

Jimmy Valentine is a master thief who will not be deterred from his profession, even if he is imprisoned.
An astute detective, Ben Price, is committed to getting Jimmy arrested.
Ask students to write a sentence that, using what they have seen so far, predicts the story's plot. After the groups have presented their ideas to the class, assign the students to finish reading the story on their own.

Ask students to write about how stereotypes are used in the story on the Character Analysis worksheet (L-7-3-2_Character Analysis) after they have finished reading. After discussing their answers in groups, have the students present their ideas to the class as a whole. Among the suggested responses are the following:

After Jimmy Valentine meets Annabel Adams, he decides to change his name to Ralph Spencer, opens a shoe store, and transforms into a model citizen, letting go of his old habits. Readers will see that despite the impression that he is trading one stereotype for another, he actually makes a genuine sacrifice by saving Agatha because he anticipates being arrested and having Annabel reject him.
When Ben Price pretends to be unfamiliar with Jimmy and permits him to maintain his new life, he breaks free from his stereotype as well.
A stereotypical character who remains constant throughout the narrative and is merely the catalyst for Jimmy's abrupt transformation is Annabel, a charming, kind, and devoted young woman. 
Stereotypes also apply to the other minor characters. (Minor characters usually have just one trait assigned to them.) Mr. Adams is a trustworthy banker who is worried about his granddaughter being imprisoned in the vault. His granddaughters Agatha and May are careless and silly, which makes May lock her sister Agatha in the vault. When Agatha's daughter is locked in the vault, Agatha's mother loses it.

Gather the answers from the students for the unit assessment.

Extension:

For students in need of extra learning opportunities, the following activities could be beneficial:
Examine some of the traditional myths and note which personality types have been distorted into stereotypes. (Examples: Narcissus, the conceited person; Aphrodite, the seductive, beautiful woman; Midas, the person overcome by greed and losing everything dear to him; and Icarus, the youthful, reckless explorer who risks everything.)

Read Alfred Noyes' poem "The Highwayman" and point out the use of the romantic stereotype (the bold, careless highwayman who sacrifices his life for his love).

For those who are willing to go above and beyond the curriculum, social stereotyping in children's literature can be studied. Related resources contain a list of recommended sources.