The Mighty Miss Malone

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Think about what might be meant by “needs” versus “wants.” What are five examples of “needs” and five examples of “wants” in your household (or in an average household in modern times)? What are some examples of “needs” and “wants” that existed during the Great Depression? What differences that exist between the 1930s and modern times help to define a “need” in each time period?

Teaching Suggestion: If the class is unfamiliar with the 1930s and the Great Depression, some initial open-ended discussion about the causes and concerns (the stock market crash, unemployment), the exacerbations (the Dust Bowl), and the attempts to alleviate hardship (the New Deal) might be helpful. Students can also investigate the article below for background information. Connect discussion to themes of family unity, success and survival, and struggles during the Great Depression.

• “Life for the Average Family During the Great Depression” at History.com briefly overviews everyday impacts and effects on families, from kitchen gardens to mini golf. 

2. Think of a sporting event or other competition that received a lot of attention (local, statewide, or national; amateur or professional). What signs of anticipation contributed to the hype surrounding the event? What was the result of the competition and the impact on fans? Why do you think audiences and fans devote time, energy, money, and attention to events like these?

Teaching Suggestion: After students contribute their ideas, introduce the topic of the Joe Louis-Max Schmeling boxing match, an important event in The Mighty Miss Malone. Discuss how pride and excitement play a role in physical contests of strength and skill; then introduce the deeper feelings in American fans, especially Black audiences, that surrounded this historical fight in reaction to Hitler’s and the Nazi’s Party’s racist views. Connect your discussion to themes of racism and discrimination and hopes and dreams.

• Read the author’s “Afterword” in The Mighty Miss Malone for more from Christopher Paul Curtis on the devastating emotional impact of Louis’s loss to Schmeling in the first match (that one that appears in the novel).
• “The Louis-Schmeling Fights, 1936 and 1938” from PBS offers a quick historical rundown of the two matches. 
• “The 1980 U.S. Olympic Team” from the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame tells the story of the U.S. Olympic Hockey Team’s “Miracle on Ice”, a thrilling upset over the Soviet Team, which was a moment in sports history with parallel themes of hopes and dreams. A 7.5-minute documentary-style video accompanies the article.