October 20, 2014

Bellringer:  Towards the end of chapter 9, Winston reflects that he now knows how human inequality had been maintained, but he still does not understand the motives for maintaining inequality: "why should human equality be averted?" (216).  

Why do you think that The Party - and ruling classes in past ages - have made an effort to maintain inequality?

Activity 1: Chapter 10 hand out and discussion

Homework: Read through page 239 (Part 3, chapter 1).

Share your journal entries on war, social hierarchy, and the economy in 1984 

• Either read them aloud or paraphrase them with sufficient detail and textual evidence to give groupmates a full picture of your insights, logic and evidence 
• Clearly and try to project so groupmates can here you; don't mumble.  Listen actively and then comment and ask questions of each person

When you are finished sharing...

• Take out a sheet of paper and put all of your names on it, today's date, and the period.

• Each group should come to a consensus about the three most important points in the chapter so far.

• Write each key point down along with a piece of textual evidence/ a quote to support each point

• Finally, discuss and write down one connection between the issues raised in this chapter and the world today.

Army document providing evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq from 2003-2011

Army FOIA documentation of chemical weapons in Iraq from 2003-2011

Report on US helping Iraq during 1988 chemical/biological attack on Iran

Video news report on Army documents proving US found chemical weapons in Iraq from 2003-2011; however, they did not find active chemical weapons plants, just stores of old weapons built in part with US and European assistance 

Ms. Gutierrez made this, but we’re also going to use it because it’s good and she was nice enough to share it!

How does Orwell set up a series of contrasts/opposing ideas, sometimes within the same sentence and for what larger purpose, to what end, for what thematic point? Write one good, hefty paragraph. Due in 15 minutes.

Reminders:

Diction: word choice

Syntax: arrangement of words

Juxtaposition: placement of two things closely together to emphasize similarities or differences

Oxymoron: paradoxical juxtaposition of words that seem to contradict one another

Connotation: Meanings or associations that readers have beyond its dictionary definition

Personification: lifelike qualities given to an inanimate object

Example:

“The bluebells were so thick underfoot that it was impossible not to tread on them. He knelt down and began picking some, partly to pass the time away, but also from a vague idea that he would like to have a bunch of flowers to offer to the girl when they met. He had got together a big bunch and was smelling their faint sickly scent when a sound at his back froze him, the unmistakable crackle of a foot on twigs. He went on picking bluebells. It was the best thing to do. It might be the girl, or he might have been followed after all. To look around was to show guilt” (118).

My Paragraph: In this passage Orwell contrasts the innocence and optimism of bluebell picking with the harsher reality that is Winston’s life: if he is caught he could be vaporized, killed, tortured. The juxtaposition of “bluebells” which were “thick underfoot” with the more frightening sound of an “unmistakable crackle of a foot on twigs” is Orwell’s way of using language to show that the innocence of lovers meeting, of sharing time together, of being alone, of a man making the independent thought of gathering lovely flowers for a woman who has professed her love for him is saddled up against the panic and terror of the being followed, of being seen. In Orwell’s new world, the telescreen dominates, and Big Brother sees all; Winston thinks, “he might have been followed after all” and yet in this moment, Winston continues doing this rebellious act, and “picked another and another.” The simplicity and beauty of picking flowers for a woman is contrasted with the horror of a world where love, solitude and sexual pleasures are outlawed. 

Note that I use parallel structure, repetition, integration of short quotes and most importantly, I discuss the ways in which Orwell uses contrasting images to get at a larger thematic idea! It’s not enough to just note the devices writers use…you have to begin to use language yourself in more complex ways. If I showed you a yoga video and asked you only to note the yoga positions and never asked you to get on a mat and try them yourself, it would be an empty exercise. Get on the mat and try the positions! Child’s Pose.  There’s also so much more I didn’t cover in the passage. I might discuss the “faint sickly scent.” Why “sickly”? Is this a contrast too? I might look at the word “froze” as a contrast to his kneeling down. These are two completely different gestures. Wouldn’t you rather kneel down and pick bluebells for a love interest than have your back freeze in terror? Yes. Me too.