What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but does not stop intending to marry Morris?
Washington Square
30 minutes total
ByHenry James
Grade9-10
Time30 minutes
Essential question
What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but does not stop intending to marry Morris?
Marked passage
Passage location
Europe / return (late novel)
Start anchor
I shall never plead with him for anything; that is all over.
End anchor
I am come home to be married.
Passage focus
Catherine stops pleading
Ways to teach it
Listening
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
Solo
Read the exact passage independently.
Supported
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
Teacher guide
Close
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
Evidence
Use earlier pleading or efforts to persuade, then the later refusal to continue arguing while the marriage intention stays intact.
Mark
Underline Catherine’s earlier efforts to persuade or please her father. Circle the language showing she will no longer plead. Star the sentence that preserves her plan even after she stops seeking permission.
Instructional move
Track independence emerging from failed obedience
Notice
• What kind of power did the father retain while Catherine still needed to convince him? • What changes when she accepts that persuasion will fail? • Why can refusing to plead be a stronger form of independence than arguing more forcefully?
Strong answer
Catherine becomes more independent when she stops needing her father's agreement while keeping her intention. The loss of hope in persuasion reduces his emotional control even though the external conflict remains.
Think
Answer provisionally: What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but does not stop intending to marry Morris? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
Watch for
Do not confuse silence with surrender. The key change is whose approval Catherine believes she needs.
Why this passage
Catherine’s independence emerges when she stops trying to win her father’s approval without giving up her own intention. The change is not louder rebellion; it is the end of pleading.
Write
Write a short evidence-based response to: What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but does not stop intending to marry Morris? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
Student tasks
Mark
Underline Catherine’s earlier efforts to persuade or please her father. Circle the language showing she will no longer plead. Star the sentence that preserves her plan even after she stops seeking permission.
Notice
What kind of power did the father retain while Catherine still needed to convince him? What changes when she accepts that persuasion will fail? Why can refusing to plead be a stronger form of independence than arguing more forcefully?
Think
Answer provisionally: What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but does not stop intending to marry Morris?
Write
Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage. Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
Ready-to-teach lesson
TumbleTA 6-12 · TEXT-BASED LESSON
BATCH 10 · 9-10 · LESSON 209
Washington Square
Henry James
What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but
does not stop intending to marry Morris?
TOTAL TIME
PASSAGE
30 minutes
Catherine stops pleading
FIND THE ANCHOR TEXT
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
SECTION / LOCATION
Europe / return (late novel)
START
I shall never plead with him for anything; that is all over.
END
I am come home to be married.
PASSAGE ID
sec-ws-03
THE MOVE
Track independence emerging from failed obedience
WHY THIS PASSAGE
Catherine’s independence emerges when she stops trying to win her father’s approval without giving up her own intention. The change is not louder rebellion; it is the end of pleading.
MARK
Underline Catherine’s earlier efforts to persuade or please her father. Circle the language showing she will no longer plead. Star the sentence that preserves her plan even after she stops seeking permission.
NOTICE
What kind of power did the father retain while Catherine still needed to convince him?
page 1
What changes when she accepts that persuasion will fail?
Why can refusing to plead be a stronger form of independence than arguing more forcefully?
THINK
Answer provisionally: What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but does not stop intending to marry Morris? Choose the strongest interpretation you can defend from this passage alone.
WRITE
Write a short evidence-based response to: What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but does not stop intending to marry Morris? Use at least two details from the assigned passage and explain how they support your interpretation.
CLOSE
Name the single detail that most changed or sharpened your interpretation, and explain why.
STRONG ANSWER
Catherine becomes more independent when she stops needing her father's agreement while keeping her intention. The loss of hope in persuasion reduces his emotional control even though the external conflict remains.
EVIDENCE
Use earlier pleading or efforts to persuade, then the later refusal to continue arguing while the marriage intention stays intact.
WATCH FOR
Do not confuse silence with surrender. The key change is whose approval Catherine believes she needs.
SOLO
Read the exact passage independently.
SUPPORTED
Use narration and sentence highlighting while reading the same passage.
LISTENING
Listen to the exact passage; visual following is optional. Same question and evidence demand.
page 2
STUDENT PAGE · SAME PASSAGE, SAME THINKING
Washington Square
Henry James
What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her father but
does not stop intending to marry Morris?
START ANCHOR
I shall never plead with him for anything; that is all over.
END ANCHOR
I am come home to be married.
Use the Anchor Text Table of Contents in the Enhanced Reader to open the START anchor. Then use the dropdown to select the END anchor.
OPEN THE MARKED PASSAGE IN TUMBLELIT
SOLO: read independently. SUPPORTED: use narration + highlighting. LISTENING: listen to the exact passage. The question and evidence task stay the same.
1.MARK - Underline Catherine’s earlier efforts to persuade or please her father. Circle the
language showing she will no longer plead. Star the sentence that preserves her plan even after she stops seeking permission.
2.NOTICE - What kind of power did the father retain while Catherine still needed to convince
him? What changes when she accepts that persuasion will fail? Why can refusing to plead be a stronger form of independence than arguing more forcefully?
3.THINK - Answer provisionally: What changes when Catherine stops trying to persuade her
father but does not stop intending to marry Morris?
4.WRITE - Write a short response using at least two pieces of evidence from this passage.
Use evidence from the assigned passage. Show what you noticed and how the text supports your interpretation.
page 3
Original printable PDF
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