Prom & Prejudice: Lesson Plans, Essay & Project Ideas

Posted February 24, 2011 by Sara | Novel Novice 2 Comments

One of the things we love most about Elizabeth Eulberg’s Prom & Prejudice is that it offers countless opportunities to further explore Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. And since Austen’s novel is such a staple in so many English classrooms, here’s a perfect opportunity to relate a new, contemporary novel to your school work. We’ve put together a variety of essay & project ideas to help you out!

Essay & Project Ideas:

* Compare & contrast Eulberg’s Prom & Prejudice with Austen’s original novel, Pride & Prejudice. How are they similar? Different?

* Explore the techniques Eulberg used to modernize Pride & Prejudice. What sort of adjustments did she have to make to the story to make it work in a contemporary setting?

* Prom may be a modern rite of passage, but it has a lot of roots in historic courting rituals. Explore the history of prom and how it relates to courting traditions throughout the years. For a Pride & Prejudice project, you can focus especially on these traditions during the early 19th century.

* Despite the title, Prom & Prejudice shows you that it’s okay if prom isn’t your thing. Explore the recent trend in “anti-prom” activities.

* Pride & Prejudice was first published in 1813, but it continues to remain one of the most popular pieces of literature ever written. Explore why Pride & Prejudice still resonates so well with audiences today.

* Wealth, education and relationships are themes in both Pride & Prejudice and Prom & Prejudice. Compare and contrast how these themes are similar and different in the two versions. Explore how the modernized setting in Prom & Prejudice impacts the way those themes are addressed.

Lesson Plans:

There are a variety of lesson plans available online for Pride & Prejudice. Here are some good resources we found for Austen’s novel, which can be adapted to also include Prom & Prejudice: