The Memory of Old Jack
Kentucky author Wendell Berry has been writing for over 60 years. Over that time he has populated the fictional community of Port William in novels and short stories; reflected in poetry on a range of subjects including farming, faith, community and nature; and published numerous essays offering thoughtful critiques of culture and agriculture.
In The Memory of Old Jack, we join the elderly Jack Beechum as he remembers the key experiences, people, and insights of his life. Set in Port William, Kentucky on a September day in 1952, this novel introduces us to some of Berry’s main characters along with themes including membership in a local community, the push toward mechanization in farming, fidelity to the land and others, and the consequences of infidelity.
Structure
Designed to support students in grades 11-12 as they read the novel, this 8-lesson course moves sequentially through the story and provides video lessons with additional perspective on the reading.
The course is delivered asynchronously. There are no scheduled class meetings; all the instruction is included in the course so students can complete the work for each week at the times most convenient for your family.
Students work independently at their own pace through the novel and accompanying lessons, with parents supervising at their discretion and grading the final paper. Purchase grants access to the course for 6 months.
Assignments
To help them engage and reflect, students are encouraged to keep a reading journal as well as participate in an online, written discussion group with questions to accompany each lesson.
When they finish the novel, they are asked to write an essay.
Writing prompts and helps are provided for students, along with grading materials for parents.
Textbook
Students should have a copy of The Memory of Old Jack. The version used in the course in the 1999 edition published by Counterpoint, so using this book would ensure that the page references would match those in the lessons.
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