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?
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