Legacy – The Song Of Achilles

Concept: Legacy

The Song of Achilles is a 2011 novel by American writer Madeline Miller. Set during the Greek Heroic Age, it is a retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War as told from the perspective of Patroclus. In 2012, The Song of Achilles was awarded the Orange prize for Fiction.

Overview: In this unit, students will engage with ideas that lead them to think about the concept of legacy. They will consider the values, actions, and contributions people leave behind, and will ponder what they want to be remembered for as well as actions that can be taken to begin building the legacy they desire.

Students will read and discuss the text, analysing: context, plot, setting, characters, themes, alongside the writer’s use of language and structure.

Summative Assessment: At the end of this unit, students will write a text response essay, demonstrating their understanding of the text, and the author’s use of structure and language to convey meaning.

Students will be given formative assessment opportunities to allow for feedback on the planning and drafting process of their text response essay.