LESSON NOTE ON LITERATURE-IN-ENGLISH SSS1 3RD TERM
CLASS: SSS1 Third Term
Based on 2026-2030 WAEC/UTME approved reading texts
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WEEK 1: ———————————————————– page2 Revision of Second term Work & Introduction of the 3rd Term Scheme. Non-African Prose – “Path of Lucas: The Journey He Endured” by Susanne Bellefeuille Background and Setting of the Novel Plot Summary WEEK 2 – 3: ——————————————————– page6 Full Analysis of “Path of Lucas: The Journey He Endured” by Susanne Bellefeuille. WEEK 4: ———————————————————– page24 Themes of “Path of Lucas: The Journey He Endured”. WEEK 5: ———————————————————– page African Poetry – “Night” by Wole Soyinka. WEEK 6: ———————————————————– page29 African Poetry – “Not my Business” by Niyi Osundare. WEEK 7: ———————————————————– MID TERM TEST & BREAK. WEEK 8: ———————————————————– page31 African Drama – Once Upon an Elephant by Bosede Ademilua- Afolayan. WEEK 9: ———————————————————– page33 Full Analysis of “Once Upon an Elephant” by Bosede Ademilua- Afolayan. WEEK 10: ———————————————————– page36 Full Analysis of “Once Upon an Elephant” [cont’d] WEEK 11: ———————————————————– page40 Themes of “Once Upon an Elephant” by Bosede Ademilua- Afolayan. WEEK 12: ———————————————————– page45 Revision and Examination. References: |
WEEK ONE
NON-AFRICAN PROSE – “PATH OF LUCAS: THE JOURNEY HE ENDURED” BY SUSANNE BELLEFEUILLE
CONTENT:
• Revision of Second term Work & Introduction of the 2nd Term Scheme.
• Non-African Prose – “Path of Lucas: The Journey He Endured” by Susanne Bellefeuille
• Background and Setting of the Novel
• Plot Summary
PATH OF LUCAS: THE JOURNEY HE ENDURED
BACKGROUND AND SETTINGS
Author’s Background
Susanne Bellefeuille, a Canadian novelist with a background in social work from St. Lawrence College in Cornwall, brings a unique perspective to her writing. Her debut novel, Path of Lucas, draws inspiration from her own family history, delving into themes that resonate universally, such as mental health struggles, teenage pregnancy, and the complexities of familial relationships.
Background and Setting of the Book: Path of Lucas
Published in 2017, Path of Lucas is a semi-autobiographical narrative that portrays the life of Lucas Clarkson, a character modelled after Bellefeuille’s father. The story unfolds through Lucas’s reflections as he sits beside his comatose daughter, Lucy, following her car accident. Through his recollections, readers are transported back to the 1950s, witnessing Lucas’s journey from adolescence to adulthood, his marriage to Isabelle (representing Bellefeuille’s mother), and the trials they face together.
The novel employs a non-linear structure, oscillating between past and present, highlighting the enduring impact of past experiences on current realities. This narrative choice underscores the novel’s central themes of memory, trauma, and the cyclical nature of familial struggles.
Path of Lucas explores the lingering effects of trauma, focusing on how abuse experienced by France and her sister Isabelle shapes their lives. Both women suffer emotional and physical harm at the hands of their parents, and the novel examines how these early wounds continue to influence their decisions and behaviours well into adulthood, even affecting future generations. The story presents a powerful portrayal of inherited pain and the enduring impact of childhood trauma.
The novel subtly reflects Canada’s colonial legacy through the relationship between Lucas, an English speaker, and Isabelle, who speaks French. Their marriage symbolizes more than personal union—it represents the blending of two distinct linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Despite their differences, their shared life illustrates the ongoing effort to foster harmony and cooperation between Canada’s founding cultures.
Finally, Path of Lucas reflects the baby boomer era of the 1940s and 1950s, illustrated through the large families of Mr. John Clarkson and of Lucas and Isabelle. This demographic trend is accompanied by a strong emphasis on both nuclear and extended family values. The novel portrays families living in close proximity, creating tight-knit communities where love, unity, and mutual support thrive, especially during times of hardship.
Setting
Path of Lucas unfolds in 20th-century Canada, covering a timeline from 1956 to 1993—the year of Isabelle’s death. Key locations include Alexandria, where Lucas resides and to which Lucy is traveling before her accident; Kingston, Ontario, where Lucy lives and works; and Cold Lake, Alberta, the site of Steve’s fatal air crash. These varied settings ground the narrative in a distinctly Canadian landscape, reflecting both rural and urban elements that shape the characters’ experiences and journeys.
PLOT SUMMARY
The Path of Lucas follows a non-linear timeline, beginning in the present with Lucy’s car accident before shifting into the past. The story opens at what is essentially the end—Lucas at his daughter’s hospital bedside, narrating his life in hopes of awakening her from a coma. Through his recollections, we trace his journey from adolescence to his death, shortly after Lucy’s recovery. The narrative weaves between past and present, guided by memory, and ultimately circles back to where it began—merging beginning and end in a cyclical plot structure.
Lucas’s story begins in 1956, when he is a charming 17-year-old living with his parents, John and Elizabeth Clarkson, in the town of Alexandria, alongside his siblings, James and Mary, and their children. He works on the family farm, tending livestock, and enjoys driving his Studebaker. On a trip to town to purchase supplies, he meets France and Isabelle Bourgeois. He quickly falls for Isabelle, the younger sister. However, their budding romance is strained by her troubled past and family’s financial hardship.
Despite these obstacles, love persists. Isabelle, devoted to supporting her family due to her father’s illness, takes a job working for the wealthy Mr. Thomas. When Mr. Thomas decides to sell his land and move away, Lucas is tasked with finalizing the purchase on behalf of his father. This leads to an unexpected reunion with Isabelle, rekindling their relationship and setting a hopeful course for their future
Soon after their engagement, Isabelle becomes pregnant, prompting the couple to marry earlier than planned. They go on to have five children: Richard, Johnny, Steve, Lucy, and Thomas. Lucas dreams of becoming a mechanic, inspired by his friend Steve, who fulfills his ambition of becoming a pilot before tragically dying in a plane crash. While Lucas continues working on the family farm, he also trains under Claude Giroux, a certified mechanic. However, lacking formal certification limits his earnings. His breakthrough comes when Jim, a Class A mechanic and friend of Lucas’s brother James, offers to mentor him and support his training in Uxbridge while he works at Jim’s garage.
Lucas relocates to Uxbridge with his wife and children to pursue his goal of becoming a certified mechanic. However, his aspirations are cut short when his ailing father requests his return to help manage the family farm. At the same time, Lucas’s brother James plans to move to the city to seek better educational opportunities for his children with special needs. Adding to the strain, Isabelle faces serious health issues after childbirth, with doctors warning against future pregnancies. With no other option, Lucas sacrifices his dreams to support his family in Alexandria. What follows is a series of personal tragedies: his father requires oxygen support, his best friend Steve dies in a plane crash, his eldest son Richard battles meningitis, Isabelle’s sister France dies from diabetes, and Isabelle herself struggles with obesity and diabetes—conditions tied to poor eating habits rooted in unresolved childhood trauma.
Lucas learns from his friend Ron about a job opportunity at a cable company and is eventually hired, though the position requires him to relocate to the distant town of Kemptville. While he’s away, Isabelle suffers a severe mental breakdown—psychotic depression—that leaves her unconscious. Her mother-in-law, Elizabeth, rushes her to the hospital. When Isabelle regains consciousness, she experiences profound memory loss and fails to recognize anyone from her life. Just as doctors are preparing to commit her to long-term care, Lucas steps in with an unconventional idea: exposing her to familiar places and encouraging her to face the truth about her past might aid her recovery. This approach proves successful, and Isabelle gradually regains her memory. Though she returns to her daily life, she remains emotionally fragile, with lingering aquaphobia and susceptibility to emotional triggers.
As Lucas’s children reach adulthood, patterns from the past begin to repeat. Lucy becomes pregnant at sixteen by a boy named Justin, mirroring Isabelle’s own teenage pregnancy. Similarly, Richard impregnates his young girlfriend, Chelsea. Tragedy continues to haunt the family—Richard is diagnosed with throat cancer and undergoes surgery, which is initially successful. However, soon after his discharge, Lucas’s father, John Clarkson, passes away. Richard’s cancer returns, this time in the lymph nodes, and he dies shortly after. Isabelle falls into another depression, and Lucas’s mother, Elizabeth, succumbs to Alzheimer’s, losing the ability to recognize her loved ones. Isabelle eventually dies of a heart attack on June 10, 1993.
Once Lucas finishes sharing his tale, Lucy awakens from her coma, finding herself surrounded by her children and other relatives. Soon after, Lucas suffers a heart attack and passes away, which leads Lucy to deliver his eulogy at the memorial service.
SUBJECT MATTER
The Path of Lucas tells the tale of Lucas Clarkson and the difficult decisions he must face to keep his family united and to protect himself. It is a narrative of contemporary heroism characterized by acts of self-sacrifice, resilience, selflessness, love and friendship, family values, and faith in humanity. The novel illustrates that the modern individual is constantly engaged in a struggle against various forces, especially those existential ones that often lie beyond his control, including mental challenges. The determination of a person to persevere, even when confronted with visible setbacks, is what distinguishes him as a hero, much like Lucas.
POINT OF VIEW
The Path of Lucas is narrated in the third person, utilizing the historic present tense. The all-knowing narrator steps in to recount Lucas’ journey, sharing his story with us. The author also employs a stream of consciousness technique in the narration. The tale unfolds in the present tense and incorporates a recollection approach to explore the past. This occurs as memories transform the past into the present.
Language and Style: The Path of Lucas primarily utilizes American/Canadian English, incorporating some French phrases and expressions to capture Canada’s linguistic diversity. Evidence of American/Canadian English in the book can be found in the spelling of terms such as ‘labor’ (p. 167), ‘program’ (p. 156), and ‘behavior’ (p. 305). Many of the French phrases are articulated by Isabelle during her early romantic interactions with Lucas. A few examples of these French expressions are ‘Qui’ which means ‘yes’ (p.32), ‘Qui. . . je veux aller avec toi ’ which means ‘Yes. . . I will go with you,’ said by Isabelle in response to Lucas’ question if she would go on a date with him.
Work on these: irony, humour, foreshadowing, flashback, historical allusion, motif, symbolism and Euphemism, among others.
EVALUATION – 1
1. What is Susanne Bellefeuille’s professional background prior to becoming a novelist?
A. Psychology B. Education C. Social work D. Nursing
2. What narrative structure does Path of Lucas primarily use?
A. Linear chronological order B. Third-person omniscient with no flashbacks C. Non-linear, alternating between past and present D. First-person diary entries
3. Which character is Path of Lucas modeled after?
A. Lucas Clarkson, based on Bellefeuille’s grandfather B. Isabelle Clarkson, based on Bellefeuille’s sister C. Lucas Clarkson, based on Bellefeuille’s father D. Lucy Clarkson, based on Bellefeuille herself
4. Which theme is not central to Path of Lucas?
A. Inherited trauma B. Social media influence C. Teenage pregnancy D. Mental health struggles
5. What symbolic role does the marriage between Lucas and Isabelle play in the novel?
A. The downfall of traditional values B. The bridging of Canada’s English and French cultures C. The failure of multicultural relationships D. A rebellion against their parents’ wishes
6. What prevents Lucas from becoming a certified mechanic initially?
A. Lack of interest B. Poor academic performance C. Family responsibilities and lack of formal training D. Isabelle’s disapproval
7. Which of the following is an example of foreshadowing in the novel?
A. Isabelle’s early interest in French cuisine B. Lucas’s recurring heart pains C. Steve’s decision to join the military D. Lucy’s love for poetry
8. What literary device is used when Lucas’s memories take the reader back in time?
A. Irony B. Euphemism C. Flashback D. Hyperbole
9. Which setting is associated with Lucy’s car accident?
A. Cold Lake, Alberta B. Kingston, Ontario C. Alexandria D. Kemptville
10. What motif recurs throughout the novel to emphasize generational patterns?
A. Farming equipment B. Unplanned pregnancies and family sacrifice C. Airplane models
D. French language lessons
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