Introduction

Ogden Nash was an American poet born in New York in 1902. He was known for his light, whimsical verse, which made him famous. He published hundreds of poems throughout his career, many of which were inspired by his two daughters Linell and Isabel who occasionally appeared as characters in his poems. He wrote the fierce little poem, “The Adventures of Isabel” in the 1930s inspired by his youngest daughter. This unit of study explores the idea of using folklore or tall tales to express an emotional experience through a narrative. Students will examine cultures through the art of storytelling and deepen their analyses through the more nuanced dissection of moral dilemmas. Students will learn about the eight primary emotions, their degree and similarity to one another, as opposing pairs, and how each emotion can exist in varying levels of intensity.