Stereotypes and Identity in Two Roses

Students engage with the text Two Roses to identify moments where characters are stereotyped or judged based on assumptions. They explore how these experiences impact the characters’ sense of identity, emotions, and belonging within their communities. Students consider how everyday stereotyping can shape relationships and influence how individuals see themselves and others.

Lesson aim: How stereotyping affects identity and belonging

Guiding Questions

• What happens to someone when others see them through a stereotype?

Materials

• selected excerpt(s) from Two Roses
• Ideogram from Lesson 1
• annotation tools (sticky notes, pens)

Lesson Activities

Introduction

Reintroduce the Ideogram. Ask:

• What was in the second ring? (Sources/Influences of stereotypes)
• What goes in a third ring? (Consequences)

Have students recap some of their learning from the previous lesson.

Ask students the following questions:

• What happens when stereotypes are reinforced by society?
• What happens when people in power repeat those stereotypes?

Bridge to the Reading

You might say:

• “We’re going to expand on our understanding and add to our Ideogram. Today we’re reading excerpts from Two Roses. This is a graphic memoir, which means it tells the true story of a real person’s life using images and text.
• “The main character, Rose, is sharing her lived experiences of the Holocaust. The story was created through interviews between Rose and the artist, Miriam Libicki, who then illustrated and shaped those memories into a visual narrative.
• “The story we are reading takes place during WWII and the Holocaust. During this time, Jewish people in Europe were targeted, isolated, and persecuted based on long-standing stereotypes and antisemitic beliefs.
• “Our main character, Rose, is Jewish. In order to survive, she hides her identity. She pretends not to be Jewish and works in Polish labour camps. This means she must constantly avoid anything that might reveal who she is.”

Pre-Reading Framing

Class Discussion with potential prompts:

• What might it feel like to hide an important part of who you are?
• How might stereotypes force someone to change their behaviour?
• What risks might come from being “discovered”?

Before students begin, encourage them to pay attention to:

• what assumptions people make
• what Rose must avoid saying or doing
• how she manages her identity
• the tension between who she is and how she must appear

Remind students that in this story, stereotypes are not just hurtful—they are dangerous. Keep this factual and measured. You may want to clarify:

• Jewish identity is religious and cultural.
• Antisemitism is prejudice against Jewish people.
• Many stereotypes about Jewish people were false, harmful, and intentionally spread.

Reading Two Roses

Before reading you may say: “As we read, we are not just looking at what happens—we are looking at how Rose is seen / expected to be seen and how that shapes her experience. Remember: This is a real person describing moments where she was seen or treated in certain ways. We are looking closely at how stereotypes affect identity and belonging.”

Options for reading:

• Teacher read-aloud (strong choice for emotional tone)
• Partner read
• Silent read with annotation

While reading, students mark:

• moments where assumptions are made
• moments where treatment changes
• moments showing how the character feels internally

Small Group Discussion

In groups of 3–4, have students discuss:

Encourage students to reference specific panels or lines.

Whole-Class Debrief

Begin with neutral, text-based prompts:

• What patterns did you notice in how Rose was treated?
• Were the stereotypes subtle, direct, or both?
• Where did you see tension in the scene?

Keep the focus on evidence first, then move deeper:

• What does Rose have to control about herself?
• What parts of her identity become risky?
• How does hiding identity affect belonging?

Pause here.

You might say:

• “Belonging becomes conditional. Rose belongs only if she is seen a certain way.”

Let that sit.

Now guide them toward systemic thinking:

• Who decides whether Rose is safe?
• What gives those people power?
• How do stereotypes become tools of control?

If needed, clarify:

• “When stereotypes are repeated by society and supported by laws or authority, they move beyond personal opinion.

Ask slowly:

• “When stereotypes determine whether someone is safe or in danger, how do they change?”

Let students respond.

Then follow with:

• “What makes stereotypes especially dangerous in this historical context?”
• “How is this different from hallway jokes or casual assumptions?”

End with a forward-looking question:

• “Today we saw how stereotypes affect one person. What happens when those same stereotypes are written into laws, institutions, and public messaging?”

Closure

Review the layers again on their Ideograms. Ask them to add new information based on what they learned today. Add the new influences and consequences by reflecting on what happens because of stereotypes in this story.

If students are stuck on the influences layer, offer:

• Who repeated the assumptions?
• Where did the ideas seem to come from?
• Who had power in those moments?
• Why didn’t people challenge the stereotypes?
• What made people afraid?

If students need help with consequences, prompt them with:

• What did Rose have to change about herself?
• What risks were created?
• How did stereotypes affect safety?
• How did they affect belonging?