"Between the Pages" -- Period 1

W11, #5: If I Can, I Will

Well, here we are.

Down to the final 'month' or so before exams (and summer) arrive.

With that in mind, I'm curious about what you'd like to accomplish between now and the end of Eng II (as you prepare to become an 11th grade/Junior English student).

Challenge:

• Identify (1) way you still want to improve (or learn) in the final 4 weeks of our class.  It can be a writing skill, better understanding anything we've read this 2nd semester (as you think about the semester exam, or whatever comes to mind related to this class).
• Explain why this is still a challenge for you...and how you want to pull this off.
• Bonus:  Tell me -- in your reply -- if you'd like to meet sometime (or several times) to help you work on this.
• 5+ sentences.

W11, #4: What Would Your Paperweight Be?

As you all remember, Winston purchases a glass paperweight -- with a piece of coral in it -- from the antique shop...and sneaks it home.  When he later rents the apartment to hide with Julia, he keeps it there, too.  It becomes a symbol of something he is trying to understand/remember, even more than just being something beautiful.

For Winston, his glass paperweight represents a link to a 'missing history' he does not want to forget. It is also a link to an 'imaginary future' he dreams about.  In some ways, it helps him keep sane when everything around him seems beyond understanding.  Maybe this is what matters most to him.

Imagine this:

• Imagine you suddenly woke up to find yourself in an apartment like Winston, with a blue uniform on, listening to a telescreen in the background.  In other words, you found yourself as a character in the book itself.  And there is no escape.
• Imagine that you knew the 'truth' about Big Brother's world...but you also realized that you'd be a 'thought criminal' (and killed) if you told anyone what you knew.  There would never be a way to change this. Again, there is no escape.  Your only choice is to find some way to let your imagination continue to live.
• Imagine you could buy or find (1) object -- like Winston's glass paperweight -- that would help you remain 'sane' and maintain 'hope' for the future.

Challenge:

• Identify what the (1) object would be.  Be creative.  Anything is possible.
• Explain why this (1) object would help you keep sane and maintain hope.
• 5+ sentences.

W11, #3: Identify 3 Parts of Goldstein's Book

Note: 

Wait until you have finished all of Goldstein's book -- The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism -- before you do this entry.  You'll need to read through page 217.

***

Challenge: 

• Identify (3) different quotations/ideas you find interesting from Goldstein's book (history, etc., of the world Winston lives in). 
• Explain why you found each quotation/idea interesting.
• 2+ sentences for each quotation/idea you choose.

Please follow these directions:

1. Choose one quotation/idea from pages 184-195
2. Choose one quotation/idea from pages 196-208
3. Choose one quotation/idea from pages 209-217

W11, #2: Did Hollywood Get It Right?

Now that we're reading Goldstein's secret book -- The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism -- let's take a look at how Hollywood tries to explain this part of the novel (including when O'Brien gives him the book):

Challenge:

• Do you think that this part of the film is an accurate portrayal of the book as your mind is picturing it?
• Did they explain enough of Goldstein's book (and ideas) to help a person watching the film (who has never read the book) understand what you now know?
• What should they have added?  What should they have left out?

Here's the clip (about 10 minutes long):

W11, #1: Photo Vocab Story

Here are your words for Week 11.  Note: the quiz will be on Monday, May 4th.

oligarchy (n) | equilibrium (n) | to comprise (v) | chivalrous (adj) | latent (adj) | empirical (adj) | besieged (adj) | preponderance (n) | inimical (adj) | ruminant (adj) | to perpetuate (v) | collectivism (n) | subsidiary (adj or n) | to ossify (v) | fanaticism (n) | pretense (n) | denunciation (n) | forlorn (adj) | inveteracy (n) | circumstantial (adj)

You know the drill. Select a photo.  Tell a story. 

Use 10 of the words to do so!

W10, #5: Curious about Epiphanies

This is a wide open question that allows you to consider anything we've discussed in class this year. Absolutely anything.

All of you are extremely bright and have figured out a remarkable range of ideas along the way.

Sometimes the realizations -- or 'epiphanies' -- may have been purely based on the plot or text. Other times they may have been about something that is in the real world. Whatever it is, I'm curious about one 'big idea' or realization you've had this year (that continues to stick with you) because of anything that was discussed in class. Sometimes they've been a mixture of both plot and real world.

Challenge:

Tell us about one thing that really made an impact on you as a person (and student).

It is up to you how long the response is.

My guess? The more important it was, the longer your response. Just a guess. I'm funny that way.

NO Vocabulary Quiz on Monday

Consider it a small gesture.

There will be NO vocabulary quiz next week. Thus, there will be no vocab entry, either.

As the year begins to wind down, I remain very impressed by the quality of work all of you are doing.

Keep it up.

And enjoy 'one less thing' to do over the weekend.

W10 #4: Going Back in Time

Speaking of movie versions of 1984 (see W10, #3), I'm curious what you think of the way Hollywood advertised the original film version of the novel back in the year 1956.

Certainly an interesting visual way to attract people to watch the film.

Challenge: In 5+ sentences, analyze this film poster.

Does it work?

Does it surprise you?

Why do you think this is the way they tried to advertise the film back in 1956, only 7 years after the novel was first published?

W10, #3: Did Hollywood Get It Right?

While we haven't read the entire novel yet, all of you have a certain 'image' (in your heads) of what this story 'looks like'. You might even have a vision for how you'd create a film version, too.

A few years ago, Hollywood created their own film version of the novel, 1984. Note: the film was originally done decades ago (see W10, #4 to learn more).

Below is the original 2-minute trailer/advertisement.

I'm curious what you think.

Challenge: In 7+ sentences, do you think that this film trailer accurately portrays the 'atmosphere' and 'ideas' of the novel as you understand them? How did Hollywood get it right? And how did Hollywood get it wrong?

W10, #2: A Surprising Pop Culture Moment

Almost a decade before you were born, a young technology company released one of the most famous television ads in modern history as an 'attack' on a larger technology company:

It featured a striking visual image that almost riveted viewers to the screen.

It featured a familiar film theme (can you name it? he smiles).

It also featured a stunning 'message' to customers of a competing technology company (that many of you may also be familiar with) that they should 'revolt' and consider a different company's technology (that many of you are also very familiar with).

Challenge: 5+ sentence reaction to the video (on YouTube) that includes...

part 1: what you think of the actual television ad

part 2: any connections to 1984 that catch your attention

W10, #1: How Big Brother's Control Began

We're soon going to be learning a bit about the historical creation of the 'party' and Big Brother's government. In fact, we're actually going to read one of the documents that helped create this world.

With that said, what is the one rule, Big Brother slogan, or piece of 'party' propaganda that you'd like to learn more about?

Challenge: In 5+ sentences, tell us.

Image: One of Orwell's original hand-written manuscript pages.

Vocab for Monday, 4/21 (Not an entry)

Thanks to 2 great weeks in a row, I'm going to give everyone a 'break' this week.  There are NO on-line entries for this week.  Concentrate on your other work -- reading 1984 -- for class.

At the same time, there will be a WordMasters Vocab Challenge on Monday, April 21 in class.  For those who may have forgotten, this is a new story you'll read for the first time in class so that you can answer a series of multiple choice questions.  Top scores will be submitted nationally (as we've been doing all year).  Here is the list. Only study the words that seem unfamiliar.

Words found in the story:

1. fleeting
2. glower
3. oafish
4. homely
5. fastidious
6. animosity
7. prelude
8. succumb
9. barbarous
10. demeanor
11. phenomenon
12. intimation
13. conjecture
14. reminiscence
15. indifference
16. aloof
17. grim
18. brocade
19. impetus
20. dispel
21. flighty
22. filch
23. quandary
24. slack
25. chronic
26. disengage
27. cosset
28. toll
29. pikestaff
30. grave
31. yearning

Words found in the questions:

1. punctilious
2. duplicitous
3. sentimentalize
4. subdue
5. slovenly
6. poverty
7. melodrama
8. bathos
9. misconception
10. fidelity
11. reserved
12. stoicism
13. stratified
14. reproach
15. vitality
16. irony
17. satire
18. symbolism
19. malice
20. intrusion

W9, #6: Predicting the Future

So, it dawns on me that 'nothing' has really happened in the story so far. Odd. Because even though very little has happened, the discussion ideas are limitless. Kind of fascinating, huh?

But something must happen. Right? Eventually, Winston must 'do' something in terms of plot action. Right? Or not?

Will he rebel against Big Brother?

Will he fall in love?

Will he be put in prison or killed?

Or will something else happen that is beyond our understanding at this point?

Now that you've read 7 chapters of 1984, what do you think is going to happen to Winston once he moves beyond just learning to 'think' again?

Response: You have 2 choices:

a) A 5+ sentence explanation/proof of one idea, or

b) List 5 predictions that are different but logical based on the first 7 chapters

Image of the actor who played Winston in the original film.

W9, #5: The Irony of Pleasure

In chapters 6 and 7, Orwell spends quite a bit of time discussing the ironic idea of removing pleasure or desire from any intimate/sexual act.

As many of you have already asked, this makes it difficult to increase the population, but Big Brother seems to have that figured out. At the same time, the government also allows certain parts of society to have pleasures in a way to 'control' them.

What do you think Orwell is trying to say about the issue of a) pleasure, b) letting only certain types of people have pleasure, and c) controlling all parts of society in these ways?

Response: 5+ sentences. Try to use a specific part of the text (a quotation!!!) to make your point. But feel free to expand creatively, too.

BTW, this was a real cover for the book in the first few years it came out.

Why do you think the publishers went with this cover design given what you've already read?

Feel free to add to your original answer if you'd like.

Hint, hint, hint.

W9, #4: Where Do You Want to Go?

One of Mr. Long's favorite stories of all time -- whether for fun, for serious intellectual play, or for simply confused wonder -- is "Alice in Wonderland". Hands down, this is as good as it gets both in terms of childlike imagination and pushing the brain to work very hard to 'get it'.

As most of you know, a young girl named Alice ends up falling down a 'rabbit hole' into a 'wonderland' of oh-so-strange creatures, conversations, and ideas.

One creature she meets on her adventure is the Cheshire Cat. Alice is lost and meets the odd cat perched on a tree limb. The larger-than-life grin on the cat's face suggests that anything he says must be looked at in a wide range of ways if you want to make sense of it.

The following 'conversation' takes place between the Cat and a lost Alice:

Alice came to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" she asked. "Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat. "I don't know," Alice answered. "Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."

Response of 5+ sentences:

Part 1: What do you think the cat's words really mean?

Part 2: And how can you apply this idea/theory to your own life -- either past or future?

Image link.

W9, #3: Vocab Photo Story

This week's vocabulary list:

habitual (adj) | to compound (v) | alluring (adj) | inextricable (adj) | debauchery (n) | furtive (adj) | aquiline (adj) | cavernous (adj) | to conspire (v) | formidable (adj) | to indoctrinate (v) | racketeer (n) | listless (adj) | tenement (n) | braying (adj) | rendezvous (n) | oblong (adj) | camaraderie (n) | din (n) | to flog (v) | bourgeoisie (n)

Please use 10 of the words to write a story about one of the these images:

Image 1:

Image 2:

Image 3:

W9, #2: "It's All In Your Head"

In class, we read a Wired magazine article by Clive Thompson entitled "It's All in Your Head: Why the next civil rights battle will be over the mind."

Clearly there is a connection to 1984 for us to think about.

Response:

Part 1: Identify the part of the article that grabbed your attention the most.

Part 2: Tell us whether you agree or disagree with the author's theory/idea(s).

Part 3: Briefly explain whether you think Orwell (the author of 1984) would find this article similar to his own novel's ideas.

Image link.

W9, #1: Pushing Your Thinking Forward

Of all the books and stories we've read this year, which one really developed your thinking -- as a student, as a reader, and as a writer -- more than any other?

Answer:

Identify the book or story.

In 5+ sentences, explain why this book or story truly developed your thinking as a student, as a reader, and as a writer.

Get beyond the plot. Talk about how reading it affected your thinking as a 'thinker'.

Image link.

W8, #6: Expanding on Harrison's Life

Share with the class what your idea was for writing an 'extra' chapter to the "Harrison Bergeron" story.

Challenge:

Write 7+ sentences.

Make sure it is a summary.

Include an example of your story (a short quotation of 5+ sentences that you simply copy from your essay is fine).

W8, #5: With Time Comes Wisdom

Your dream college happens to believe the making 'mistakes' is an important part of evolving as a person and student.  In fact, the only application essay question they want you to answer is as follows:

Part 1: Tell a brief story of a time when you allowed a rumor or an assumption of a rumor to negatively affect your thinking/decision process.  Note: it does not have to be 'about' you.  It could have just been something you heard and initially believed. 

Part 2: Follow it up by explaining how after enough time passed (days or months), you had a change of heart and saw everything in a new and more positive light.  Explain how/why your thinking changed and how you had grown as a person because of this.

Challenge:  7+ sentences

W8, #4: If You Could Ask The Author...

Based on having read the first 3 chapters of 1984 (due by Friday, April 4), what questions would you ask the author, George Orwell, to help you better understand the world he has created?

Challenge: Ask 5 questions.