1984 Pre Reading Learning Stations

LEARNING STATION #1 – I SPY Each one of you will select a different classmate (not in your group) and watch that person for five straight minutes. Try to watch them discreetly, so that they are unaware of your surveillance. As you observe them, keep careful notes and write down any observations you can make about their behavior. After five minutes, write down a summary of their character and personality based only on what you’ve just seen. Please refrain from being insulting or hurtful. Finally, answer this question yourself: How did it feel to watch someone in this fashion?

LEARNING STATION #2 – A PERFECT WORLD? Utopia – an ideally perfect place, especially in its social, political, and moral aspects. As a group, brainstorm on this word and discuss what would be present in such a world. Be sure and consider the needs of all people, not just yourself. Then discuss what would be missing. Make a list for each. Then answer these questions: How would it feel to live in such a world? Is such a world possible? Why or why not? NOW DO THE SAME EXERCISE FOR A DYSTOPIA.

LEARNING STATION #3 – Newspeak In the novel 1984, Newspeak is the only language in the world whose vocabulary gets smaller every year. Orwell included an essay about Newspeak at the end of the book where he explains the rules of the language. Newspeak is closely based on English but has a greatly reduced and simplified vocabulary and grammar. For example, "good" means "to love Big Brother." The word "free" exists in Newspeak, but only in cases like this: "The field is free from weeds." But ideas like "politically free," "freedom of speech," or "freedom of religion" do not exist in Newspeak. Since these phrases are forbidden, in Oceania, these ideas are also disappearing. Thus, Newspeak suits the total power of the Party who aims to make everybody think in the same way. The Party rules the world through language, and because of Newspeak, freedom, love, and truth are dying. The aim of Newpspeak was to have as few words as possible. Any word could be negatived by adding the affix un- or could be strengthened by the affix plus-, or, for still greater emphasis, doubleplus-. Thus, for example, uncold meant ‘warm’, while pluscold and doublepluscold meant, respectively, ‘very cold’ and ‘superlatively cold’. With, for instance, the word good, there was no need for such a word as bad, since the required meaning was equally well —indeed, better—expressed by ungood.

TaskTranslate the following OLDSPEAK into NEWSPEAK ‘The reporting of Big Brother’s Order for the day in the Times of December 3rd 1983 is extremely unsatisfactory and makes references to non- existent persons. Re- write it in full and submit your draft to higher authority before filing’

LEARNING STATION #4 – 1984 is part of our culture Read the enclosed lyrics to the song by the rock band Incubus called “Talk Shows on Mute”. As a group, discuss your interpretations of the song, especially the chorus. Answer these questions: What does the chorus mean? What about the rest of the song? Be sure to mention specific lines. EXTRA: This song is from the album “A Crow Left of the Murder”. Although you may not know it, the word for a flock of crows is murder, as in: “A murder of crows flew past my window.” Given this knowledge, what do you think is behind the title of Incubus’s album?

Take a bow, pack on powder, Wash 'em out with buzzing lights, Pay an audience to care, 'Impress me' personality. Still and transfixed, The electric sheep are dreaming of your face. Enjoy you from the chemical, Comfort of America. Come one, come all Into 1984 Yeah, three, two, one Lights, Camera, Transaction Quick, your time is almost up. Make all forget that they're the moth, Edging in towards the flame, Burn into obscurity. Still and transfixed, The electric sheep are dreaming up your fate. And judge you from the card castle, Comfort of America. Come one, come all Into 1984 Yeah, three, two, one Lights, Camera... yeah. Come one, come all Into 1984 Yeah, three, two one Lights, Camera, Transaction Lights, Camera, Transaction Come one, come all Into 1984 Yeah, three, two, one Lights, Camera, Transaction Your foundation is canyoning, Fault lines should be worn with pride. I hate to say, so much more, You're so much more, Endearing with the sound turned off.

Homework

NON-FICTION RESPONSE – CONTEMPORARY PROPAGANDA How do we know what we know? How much of our knowledge about the outside world is based on first-hand experience? What are our sources for information? How reliable are they? The way we see the world is largely influenced by outside forces --- and propaganda. The trick is to be able to identify propaganda when you see it so that you are not taken in unawares. Propaganda can be something simple and obvious --- like a TV commercial --- or it can be subtler, like a politician’s speech. It comes in many forms, and is literally all around us ALL THE TIME You will be locating, analyzing, and explaining an example of modernday propaganda. It may be an example of visual propaganda, written propaganda, or even aural (sound). . Here are the items your response needs to cover: 1) Describe the example you have found --- where did it come from and what does it look like?--- use imagery and assume the reader is unfamiliar with the example 2) Explain what the example is trying to do --- what belief or reaction does it aim to cause? 3) Give your personal opinion of the example --- is it effective? Disturbing? Misleading? Dangerous? BE SPECIFIC.

LEARNING STATION GUIDELINES 1) YOU WILL HAVE TEN MINUTES TO SPEND AT EACH STATION --- DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME! 2) TAKE YOUR PAPER AND A PEN WITH YOU TO EACH STATION --- YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS 3) FOR EACH ENTRY, WRITE DOWN THE NUMBER OF THE LEARNING STATION THE ENTRY CORRESPONDS TO 4) ALTHOUGH YOU MAY DISCUSS YOUR RESPONSES, EACH GROUP MEMBER MUST WRITE RESPONSES OF THEIR OWN 5) WHEN TIME IS CALLED, RETURN THE LEARNING STATION INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ENVELOPE AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT STATION