Year 12–13 / Grades 11–12
Joe Turner's Come and Gone — two lessons
Lesson 1 starts with the Juba scene and Loomis's vision in Act One, encouraging students to closely analyze how Wilson weaves together blues spirituality, the history of the Middle Passage, and the theme of the "song" as a representation of identity. Students will annotate the language and stage directions before crafting a well-supported paragraph discussing Loomis's collapse. In Lesson 2, the focus shifts to the climax in Act Two — Loomis's act of self-scarification and his assertion that he is "shining." Students are then tasked with writing a comprehensive exam response, either comparative or context-driven, that uses both acts to explore how Wilson portrays freedom as a spiritual act of self-ownership, rather than simply a social or legal status.
Objectives
- Analyse how Wilson uses the motif of the 'song' and Bynum's conjure philosophy to construct identity as something that can be lost and reclaimed.
- Explain how the Juba dance sequence and Loomis's vision of the bones rising from the sea (Act One) dramatise the collective trauma of the Middle Passage.
- Analyse how Wilson's stage directions function as a literary device, shaping meaning beyond spoken dialogue in the Act Two climax.
- Write a sustained, evidenced paragraph or extended response that tracks Wilson's presentation of freedom across both acts, using precise quotation and literary terminology.
- Evaluate how the historical context of Joe Turner's forced-labour system and the Great Migration shapes the play's dramatic and thematic concerns.
The sequence
Lesson 1: Bones, Songs, and the Juba: Close Reading Act One
60 min · ch. 1- Do now
Read the stage direction that opens Act One, Scene 1 — 'The lights come up on the kitchen and dining room of Seth Holly's boardinghouse' — and jot down two observations: one about what this physical space reveals regarding the play's world, and another question you have concerning any character mentioned in the opening pages. You have five minutes; please refrain from talking for now.
- Teacher input
Model close reading on the Juba scene stage direction in Act One (the passage starting with 'The music takes on a life of its own… Loomis enters from the stairs'). Consider Wilson's decision to present the Juba as a stage direction instead of dialogue — what it signifies that the communal ritual is conveyed in the author's voice rather than through a character's. Next, read Loomis's vision speech aloud ('I see bones rising out of the water') and annotate 'bones' as a representation of the Middle Passage, illustrating for students how to connect imagery to historical context and dramatic impact in a single sentence.
- Independent task
Students will re-read the Juba scene and Loomis's vision speech in Act One. Following this, they will write a fully developed paragraph (150–200 words) addressing the question: 'How does Wilson present the trauma of the Middle Passage as a living, embodied force through the Juba scene and Loomis's vision of the bones?' The paragraph should include at least two quotations—one from the stage directions and one from Loomis's speech—and identify the dramatic technique Wilson employs in each instance. Students are to submit the annotated page along with the paragraph at the end of the lesson.
- Exit ticket
In one or two sentences, explain why Wilson has Loomis collapse during the Juba dance rather than at any other moment in Act One — what does the timing tell us about the relationship between communal ritual and individual trauma?
Lesson 2: 'I'm Shining': Writing About Freedom and Self-Possession in Act Two
60 min · ch. 1, 2- Do now
Without looking at your notes, jot down: (a) one word that Bynum uses to describe what everyone needs to discover, and (b) what Loomis says or does in the final moments of the play. Then, in one sentence, link those two aspects together. You have five minutes.
- Teacher input
Model how to craft a topic sentence and evidence chain for the climax of Act Two, zeroing in on the stage direction 'He rubs the blood over his face and neck' alongside Loomis's line 'I'm standing. I'm standing. My legs stood up! I'm standing now!' Start by reading the passage aloud. Then, show how to incorporate the stage direction as a quotation, identifying it as a stage direction rather than dialogue. Argue that the act of self-scarification reverses the violence of Joe Turner's branding — transforming a wound into a powerful declaration. Finally, connect this to Bynum's earlier depiction of the 'shining man' from Act One.
- Independent task
Using both Act One and Act Two, write a full exam-style response of 400–500 words to the following question: 'How does August Wilson present freedom as an act of spiritual self-possession rather than a social or legal condition in Joe Turner's Come and Gone?' Your response must: open with a clear argument in your first sentence; use at least four quotations, including the stage direction describing Loomis's self-scarification ('He rubs the blood over his face and neck'), Loomis's declaration 'I'm shining' (Act Two), Bynum's description of the 'shining man' (Act One), and one quotation of your own choice from either act; name at least two dramatic or literary techniques; and refer to the historical context of Joe Turner's chain gang at least once. Write in continuous prose — no bullet points or subheadings.
- Exit ticket
Write one sentence that states your overall argument about what Wilson means by 'shining' — not what happens in the scene, but what the word is doing thematically across the whole play.
Activities
Song-Mapping: Who Has a Song and Who Has Lost It? 20 min · pairs
Each pair gets a grid listing six characters: Loomis, Bynum, Mattie, Jeremy, Molly, and Martha. Students review Act One to find evidence of whether each character has found, lost, or is searching for their 'song' as Bynum describes it. They fill in the grid with a quote or a reference to stage directions along with a one-sentence explanation. After finishing, pairs return the completed grid and discuss their findings in a short whole-class share.
Stage Direction vs. Dialogue: What Wilson Hides in the Author's Voice 15 min · individual
Students get a printed extract of the Juba scene, with stage directions highlighted in one color and dialogue in another. They annotate three stage directions, detailing what each one conveys that characters can’t express verbally. Then, they write a single sentence arguing why Wilson chooses to present the Juba as a stage direction instead of a spoken scene. Finally, students return the annotated extract.
Bynum's Philosophy: Paraphrase and Challenge 20 min · groups
Groups of three will get Bynum's Act One speech on the 'Binding Song' and the 'shining man.' Each group needs to (a) summarize the speech in straightforward modern English using three sentences, (b) pick one image that carries the most philosophical weight, and (c) come up with one sincere question that the speech raises, which the play might or might not address. Groups will return a single A5 card containing all three components.
Context Card Carousel: Joe Turner, the Great Migration, and W. C. Handy 25 min · whole class
Five context cards are displayed around the room: the real Joe Turney's forced-labor system; W. C. Handy's 1913 'Joe Turner's Blues'; the Great Migration from 1910 to 1930; the Middle Passage and its lasting cultural memory; and the decade-by-decade structure of the Pittsburgh Cycle. Students rotate in groups, writing one connection to the play's text on a sticky note at each station. The teacher gathers the cards, and students return with a one-sentence reflection on which context most impacts their understanding of Loomis.
Climax Storyboard: The Act Two Final Scene in Six Frames 20 min · pairs
Pairs get a six-panel storyboard template to illustrate the Act Two climax — starting with Martha's arrival and ending with Loomis walking out the door. Each panel must include a key quotation or stage direction, along with a one-word emotional label underneath. This task requires students to accurately sequence the dramatic moments. Once finished, pairs return the completed storyboard, which serves as a helpful revision tool.
Comparative Quick-Write: Loomis and Mattie on Loss 15 min · individual
Students receive two short extracts side by side: Loomis's vision speech from Act One and Mattie Campbell's speech about Jack Carney's departure. Working on their own, students write a single paragraph (100–120 words) comparing how Wilson portrays loss through each character's language and dramatic context. They are required to include one quote from each extract and identify one technique in each. After writing, students submit their paragraphs for peer review based on a two-criterion checklist.
Assessment
- Lesson 1 do-now observation: are students reading the physical space of the boardinghouse as socially and historically coded, or treating it as neutral setting?
- Lesson 1 annotation check during teacher input: can students identify the stage direction as a literary device and distinguish it from dialogue?
- Lesson 1 exit ticket: does the student's sentence connect the timing of Loomis's collapse to the communal ritual, rather than simply describing what happens?
- Lesson 2 do-now: can students recall Bynum's vocabulary ('song') and connect it unprompted to Loomis's final action, showing retention of Act One's conceptual framework?
- Lesson 2 topic-sentence check (teacher circulates at the ten-minute mark): does the student's opening sentence make a specific argument about freedom as spiritual self-possession, or does it merely announce the topic?
Summative task
Using both Act One and Act Two of Joe Turner's Come and Gone, write a response of 400–500 words to the following question: 'How does August Wilson present freedom as an act of spiritual self-possession rather than a social or legal condition?' You must include at least four quotations — the stage direction describing Loomis's self-scarification, his declaration 'I'm shining,' Bynum's Act One description of the 'shining man,' and one further quotation of your choice — name at least two dramatic or literary techniques, and refer to the historical context of Joe Turner's chain gang at least once. Write in continuous prose.
Marking notes
Top-band responses will present a specific, debatable thesis about the spiritual and historical meaning of 'shining,' include stage directions as supporting evidence alongside dialogue, and relate Loomis's self-scarification in Act Two to Bynum's 'shining man' prophecy in Act One as a structural payoff. Mid-band responses will pinpoint the key moments but will use quotations as illustrations instead of evidence for their argument. Lower-band responses will summarize the climax's plot without analyzing Wilson's dramatic or linguistic choices or will overlook the stage directions altogether.
Standards covered
- Common Core 11 12
- RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
- RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama.
- RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
- RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated in a text from what is really meant.
- AP Literature
- Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about an interpretation of literature.
- Textual Evidence (EVI-1) — Select and use relevant evidence from the text to support an interpretation.
- Figurative Language and Imagery (FIG-1) — Explain the function of specific images or figurative language in a literary work.
- Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of a character, including how characters are developed and how they contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole.
- Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure in a literary work, including how an author's structural choices contribute to meaning.
- AQA
- AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts; maintain a critical style and develop an informed personal response; use textual references, including quotations, to support and illustrate interpretations.
- AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by a writer to create meanings and effects, using relevant subject terminology where appropriate.
- AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received.
- AO4 — Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect, with accurate spelling and punctuation.
- Edexcel
- AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
- AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, including the significance of dramatic form, structure and language.
- AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received.
- AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations.
- IB Lit
- Criterion A — Knowledge, understanding and interpretation: demonstrate detailed knowledge of the text and develop a convincing interpretation supported by relevant references.
- Criterion B — Analysis and evaluation: analyse the effects of literary features — including stage directions, imagery, and dramatic structure — and evaluate their contribution to meaning.
- Criterion C — Focus and organisation: present a sustained, well-organised argument with a clear line of reasoning throughout.
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