April 30. 2010

Today, we began class with a quiz on last night's reading.  We then spoke about the implications raised by last night's reading.  Specifically:

FUNDAMENTAL ASSUMPTIONS FROM LAST NIGHT’S READING:

• Language shapes reality and capacity for thought. Limit language, and you limit human endeavor, potential, and relationships.
• The human spirit can be destroyed by external forces.
• Mass producing consumer culture poses threats to the vitality of the human spirit in much the same way a fear-mongering totalitarian dictatorship does.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE NOVEL:

• Are human beings inherently good?
• Does truth exist objectively?
• What should be the role of government? 
• What should be the role of citizen?
• What flaws in human nature threaten both individual and society?

DETERMINING THE NOVEL’S LIMITS: DOES IT APPLY TODAY?

• The most radical recent shifts in the English language have taken place with the advent of technology. Grammar and style have become less formal in written correspondence. Text messaging, emailing, and instant messaging have inspired all sorts of abbreviations (OMG, BTW, BFF, IMHO, etc.) and have blurred the lines between acceptable and unacceptable. For example, Marsalis feels comfortable calling Macbeth a BAMF in class, but I suspect would not feel comfortable describing Macbeth with an extended version of that acronym because of societally agreed upon features of formal classroom relationships. The change in the language has also changed how we relate. How does the language of text messaging distance you from/bring you closer to peers and older adults? Do you agree with Orwell that language does shape reality? Is it possible to conceive of concepts without the words for them (e.g. justice, honor, freedom, integrity, virtue, loyalty, etc.)? Does technology or language have a greater impact on personal behavior and collective relationships? In other words, are Orwell's assumptions correct, and are his warnings about the change in language accurate?
• Orwell’s book was written in response to the rise of totalitarian regimes in nation states and the arms race that resulted. The political landscape is much different now. Nations remain sovereign, but operate often in concert, as they do through the UN, NATO or the European Union. Our enemies are not necessarily nations, but rogue bands of ideologues, like fundamentalist Islamist groups like the Taliban or Al Quaeda. Rather than a quest for resources, these groups are motivated by cultural beliefs and a profound rejection of Western concepts and practices. Rather than conventional warfare, they engage in insurgency and guerilla tactics, targeting civilians on both sides as well as conventional military targets. Does Orwell’s message about the dangers of excessive government/world powers still apply?

YOUR ASSIGNMENT

• In truth, we barely scratched the surface of these questions in class, though it is obvious you enjoyed the book and felt it gave you plenty to think about.  That sentiment is the motivation for tonight's assignment.  For Tuesday, I would like you to ponder these questions, and any other questions you feel the book raises, and develop a substantial typed journal entry at least a page in length about the book.  The topic is entirely your choosing.  You should have a focused, coherent perspective on an aspect of the book that you explore in depth.  Can't think of what to write? Read all of the above again to help focus your thinking.  Other questions to consider:
• Are Julia and Winston admirable rebels? Are their methods of rebelling effective, even if the ultimately fail? Were their efforts worthwhile in any way?
• At the end of the Afterward, Erich Fromm writes "the new form of managerial industrialism, in which man builds machines which act like men and develops men which act like machines, is conducive to an era of dehumanization and complete alienation, in which men are transformed into things and become appendices to the process of production and consumption" (291). In other words, according to Fromm, this book tells us just as much about corporate indoctrination as it does about government overreaching.  Think about the vast cubicle land satirized in movies like "Office Space."  Consider what you saw in the movie "Metropolis." In a vast consumer economy, Big Brother is not the government, but the corporation that produces--be it brand name clothing (Ugg boots, Tori Burch shoes, etc.) or our own equivalent of "prolefeed" (MTV Real Life, cable news & infotainment, etc.).  Is there any element of truth to what Fromm claims here? Do you see this book teaching us anything about the dangers of losing human dignity to the oppressive powers of a consumerist society?
• Given what is missing from Winston and Julia's life, what ingredients is Orwell saying are essential to human fulfillment? Do you agree?
• Is the Chestnut Tree cafe like Starbucks? Is the Ministry of Truth like school? Is the Golden Field like a vacation spot? What parallels can you draw between Winston's life and our own, and what do those parallels show us about ourselves?

Hopefully, this will give you some topics to get you started.  You can write on some other aspect entirely.  Again, this is open ended.  What am I looking for?  Proof that you can:

• Develop a focused, developed, arguable, personal opinion about a text
• Sustain that opinion in a meaningful way through layers of developed thought, and not just superficially scratch the surface
• Incorporate quotations effectively to demonstrate how you come by your thinking
• Effectively use formal written conventions. In other words, your paper should use correct format, and be grammatically sound and stylistically engaging.

You don't need to use the 12 sentence format, though you are welcome to do so.  What I would like you to focus on is your ability to have a fully developed and well-articulated perspective about the book.  In other words, focus on developing a concise and original thesis statement that explains why this book effectively or ineffectively instructs us about some aspect of modern life.  Then, back it up with some cogent and substantiated prose.

April 21, 2010

We opened today with a look at discussion grading:

TO EARN THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION GRADES, A STUDENT DEMONSTRATES THE FOLLOWING


A -/+
Engaged, attentive, ready to go, actively making connections, offering interpretations, asking interesting questions, providing thoughtful and focused ideas, seeking references in text, taking notes and annotating the novel.

B -/+
Engaged, reciting factual knowledge of reading, asking questions for clarification, seeking references in text, taking notes.

C -/+
Engaged, observant, called upon if asked, referring to passages referenced by others, jotting down a note or two.

D -/+
Observant, but tunes out every now and then; seems familiar with the reading but misses a few facts if asked; avoids note taking and referencing text.

F -/+
Distracting to others, unprepared, offers goofy answers when called upon, takes no notes, doesn’t refer to book.


We will continue with reading #6 tomorrow.

APRIL 16, 2009

Today, we took a quiz, which also served as a sample for you about the types of quizzes you might write.  The benchmark should be: write a quiz that people who have read and paid attention while reading will do quite well on without difficulty.  It should not be so easy that someone who breezed through the reading or stuck only with Sparksnotes can ace it.  It should not be so hard that only people who have memorized it word for word can do it. 

We then spoke about chapters 3-5.

On Monday, Kayleigh and Maddie will run the class, arriving with a quiz and a handout for all of the class (make one of each for me, too, please!). You offered the suggestions of a debate, a competition, and the offering of edible prizes as ideas to get them started.  On Tuesday, Catie and Kelly will be leading the class.  The same rules apply.

At a bare minimum, ALL OF YOU should come to class fully prepared to discuss the questions provided to you.

QUESTIONS FOR MONDAY'S READING
1. Why does recalling the evening with the prostitute inspire such violent reactions in Winston?

2. How does life differ for Party members and the proles?
3. “The aim of the Party was not merely to prevent men and women from forming loyalties which it might not be able to control. Its real, undeclared purpose was to remove all pleasure from the sexual act” (58). Why? What purpose does this serve?
4. Why aren’t the proles supposed to have gin? Why are they allowed to be promiscuous and divorce one another, but Party members are not?
5. Why does Winston think “If there is hope, it lies in the proles” (61)? Explain what his reasoning is likely to be.
6. “The ideal set up by the Party was something huge, terrible, and glittering -- a world of steel and concrete, of monstrous machines and terrifying weapons -- a nation of warriors and fanatics, marching forward in perfect unity, all thinking the same thoughts and shouting the same slogans, perpetually working, fighting, triumphing, persecuting -- three hundred million people all with the same face” (65). What about this is appealing?
7. What does the literacy rate imply about life in Oceania?
8. What sort of person hangs out at the Chestnut Tree Café?
9. What do you supposed in meant by the lyrics on page 68?
10. Why did he throw away the photograph then, and why would he keep it now?
11. Why does he think he is writing the diary for O’Brien?
12. Explain the logic that motivates the lines: “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows” (72).

QUESTIONS FOR TUESDAY'S READING
1. Who is bombing the proles and why?

2. Why does Winston approach the old man with such uncharacteristic openness and determination?
3. Why does he find the answers from the old man at the bar annoying but the similar quality of answer from Mr. Charrington interesting?
4. Does Winston have courage?
5. Why does the dark haired girl write that particular message when she has never spoken to Winston? Does she mean it?
6. Why does he want to see her?
7. We end Book One in this reading assignment. Such sections of books are generally unified sections, distinct from one another. What are some of the unifying themes of Book One? Just from the first chapter, can you tell if Book Two is going to focus on something different?
8. Should Winston trust the dark haired girl? Do you?
9. Just from the way the dark-haired girl goes about shadowing him, then attracting Winston’s attention, learning about him and then arranging a meeting with him, what can we tell about her? (see pages 8, 10, 12, 27, 54, 55, 89, 93-4, 98-103)
10. Why does everyone rush to see the prisoners? What can we tell from their expressions?

APRIL 14, 2009

Today, we sopke about chapters 1 and 2 in 1984, and highlighted the physical appearances of a few characters (we spoke about Winston Smith, Emmanuel Goldstein, Mrs. Parsons and her children). Don't forget about the dark haired girl and O'Brien, as well as Big Brother.  We identified the four ministries and their purposes and spoke about the meanings behind the slogans.  We also spoke about the purposes behind Newspeak.  Read the entry on 266.

For Friday, I asked you to read chapters 3-5 and to develop a discussion question you want to address.  This question should be on a piece of paper, ready to turn in.

April 13, 2009

Today, we finished watching the National Geographic documentary on North Korea. (It's worth reading some of the Amazon reviews for criticism of it.) The documentary is available via Youtube:











Your homework tonight is to read pages 1-25 of George Orwell's 1984. That's chapers 1 and 2. And, you are to answer the study guide questions.

FOR APRIL 05-APRIL 09, 2010

THE MAIN HANDOUT
(Contains all of the poems)


Today, we read pages 2-5 carefully and gave some thought to how sonnets are structured. A number of the sonnets we will read in this class and which you'll see in history class as well break from these structures, deliberately and to great effect. It helps to know the form they deviate from in order to see how useful that deviation is in supporting the meanings of the poems.

HOMEWORK FOR MONDAY NIGHT, DUE TUESDAY
Complete the worksheet distributed in class. (This is for the poem found on on page 13 of the poetry handout)

HOMEWORK FOR TUESDAY NIGHT, DUE THURSDAY (no class on Wednesday)
Complete the worksheet passed out in class. (This is for the poem found on page 9 of the poetry handout)


THURSDAY'S HOMEWORK, DUE FRIDAY.
On Thursday, we will look at some sample passages together.  One of the sample passages is on "Arms and the Boy," by Wilfred Owen, and the other is on "A Song," by Charles Alexander Richmond. You will be doing similar work of your own for Friday, and your final product should closely resemble the work done in the sample for "A Song."

The Assignment:
WRITE A PARAPHRASE/MODEL PASSAGE ON ONE OF THE POEMS IN THE PACKET, NOT COVERED BY ANY OTHER HOMEWORK OR THE REFERENCE SHEETS BELOW. YOU SHOULD PICK A POEM, WRITE A PARAPHRASE OF IT, AND IN A FEW SHORT PARAGRAPHS, EXPLAIN THE LARGER MEANINGS IN THE POEM. (YOU WILL BE ASKED TO DO THE VERY SAME THING ON THE FINAL EXAM USING A POEM I'LL GIVE YOU THEN.) YOUR FINAL PRODUCT SHOULD BE A PAGE OR TWO IN LENGTH.