Level: at least B1
Description
Wilhelm Raabe’s Pfisters Mühle (1884) is often identified as the first “Umwelt-Roman.” Published in 1884, the text is an important source that illustrates and highlights the complex social and industrial processes that were enabled by the industrialization at that time. Reading Pfisters Mühle in the German classroom can be one way to introduce students simultaneously to a German classic and to important questions concerning sustainability.
Learning Goals
- Students analyze the books structure and learn about the genre “Umwelt-Roman.”
- Students analyze the content on a macro- and microstructure focusing on the three protagonists Eberhard Pfister, Vater Pfister, and Adam A. Asche, and major turning points of the plot.
- Students connect the content to current contexts.
Methods and Approaches
The worksheet can be an in-class activity or a homework sheet. In class, students can work in groups. Working in groups will enable more discussion, allow different perspectives to be heard, and foster critical thinking.
Related files: worksheet.