"War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. And Big Brother is Always Watching.

"George Orwell's classic novel 1984, is the story of one man's nightmare odyssey through a world ruled by warring states and a power structure that controls not only information, but also individual thought and memory. A minor functionary named Winston Smith joins a covert brotherhood and pursues a forbidden love affair against the cold, gray backdrop of the Republic of Oceania - only to become a hunted enemy of the state... and of Big Brother.

"Now, more than half a century after it was written, Orwell's prophetic, haunting tale of conformity, repression, and identity strikes a disturbing chord. As we follow Winston Smith through his rebellion, imprisonment, torture, and reeducation, we witness firsthand the destruction of the truths and freedoms that makes us who we are, and the creation of a world where black is white, two plus two equals five, and evil is good".  - Citation is provided below!

In our class, students will have the opportunity to read George Orwell's controversial and intriguing dystopian where truth cannot be trusted and where everything is monitored from everything you say, do, and even think. Imagine a world where not even your most secretive thoughts and emotions can be exposed at any moment. It is uncomfortable, unthinkable, and yet, possible. Orwell's terrifying novel foreshadowed the shocking history of the Soviet Union, the Cold War, and many of the events and technologies of our modern society. Our discussions in class will seek out these connections together through a study of historical events, current events, and literary analysis to show the importance of this novel and the future it is ultimately warning us about. Our class will participate in group, Socratic discussions, (optional) mini-writing prompts and assignments, and an optional final constructed response at the end of the course which analyzes the novel, its characters, its events, and its messages. If they do the writing components, each student will receive complete feedback on their writing (grammar, organization, argument, etc.) so that they can see how their writing can improve!

Listed below is a weekly schedule for our class. While the topics and skills will be covered, please note that some of the topics or skills might overlap into multiple weeks to make sure that students are getting the most out of the novel and our discussions. If you have any questions about that, please feel free to reach out!

Weekly Schedule:
Week One: Introduction
     - Welcome and Introduction!
     - Introduction to the Novel and the Author
     - Introduction to the Dystopian Genre
     - Introduction to History
          - World War II, the Soviet Union, and The Cold War
Week Two: Part One
     - Introduction to Oceania and The Party
     - Introduction to Winston Smith
     - Who is Goldstein and Big Brother?
     - Party Slogans and Paradoxes
     - "Down with Big Brother"
     - Connections to Modern Day
Week Three: Part One Continued
     - Newspeak Language
     - The Party, the Proles, and the Brotherhood
     - The Two Minutes of Hate
     - Propaganda in The Party
     - Introduction to O'Brien and "The Dark-Haired Girl"
     - Connections to the KGB and the Hitler Youth
Week Four: Part Two
     - Julia's Rebellion
     - "I love you"
     - Inconsistencies within The Party
     - Symbols: Singing Birds and Proles, the Shop, the Paperweight
     - Hate Week
Week Five: Part Two Continued
     - Dreams and their Symbols
     - Reality of Emotions
     - "The Book" and the Brotherhood
     - Connections to the Cold War
     - "We are the dead"
     - Cliffhangers and Suspense
Week Six: Part Three
     - The Ministry of Love and Room 101
     - Tactics of Interrogation
     - The People Inside the Ministry of Love
     - Connections to the Soviet Union, the Cold War, and Modern Day
Week Seven: Part Three Continued
     - Elements of the Dystopian Novel
     - 2 + 2 = 5
     - Changing Mindsets
     - Connections to the History and Modern-Day
     - Symbolism and Connecting Themes
Week Eight: Writing Prompts (If Requested)
     - Final Themes and Messages
     - Character Development
     - Climax and Resolution
     - Cover Art Analysis

Citation:
          Orwell, George. 1984. New York, Berkley, 1949.