Language ArtsLanguage Arts

1984Study GuideStudent Name:Dystopian ClassicDo you like Suzanne Collins’s Hunger Games series? If so, you will most likely enjoy George Orwell’s 1984 since they are both classified as dystopian literature. Dystopian works occur in anti-utopian (or the opposite of perfect) societies that often feature totalitarian governments bent on corruption, terror, and sometimes mind control. While reading 1984, see if you can think of other dystopian books you have read or movies you have seen.Be a Better ReaderAs you work through the study guide for 1984, you will also practice these skills, which will help as you read novels in the future, for school assignments or just for fun. 1.Describe the development of the main character.2.Discuss how the plot develops throughout the novel.3.Describe themes in the novel and trace their development throughout the text.4.Cite textual evidence to support discussion of the novel.5.Discuss how point of view affects the content of the novel.Behind the ScenesGeorge Orwell’s 1984 was published in Great Britain in 1949 following the end of World War II, a war which saw the rise of fascism in Italy, Adolf Hitler in Germany, the Holocaust throughout mainland Europe, and the United States dropping two atomic bombs on Japan. Due to a bout of tuberculosis, Orwell was unable to fight in the war, but served instead as a producer for the British Broadcasting Company. When Orwell began writing the novel in 1945, world peace seemed to be growing nearer, yet hampered by the rise of communism and the Cold War which resulted from the settlement of World War II which created Soviet-controlled communist countries and democratically-inspired countries led by the United States and Great Britain. These historical events influenced Orwell, born Eric Arthur Blair, so heavily that numerous parallels exist between World War II and 1984. Get This!1. Look for reasons why Winston Smith, the main character of the novel, is classified as an anti-hero, a character that is morally flawed and sometimes unlikeable.2. Notice how Orwell uses songs and poems, a room, a paperweight, and a slogan to symbolizespecific aspects of the novel.3.1984 possesses a tone of frightening uncertainty and unrest. Look for how George Orwell,the author, creates the novel’s mood and tone.

1984Study GuideStudent Name:The PlotGeorge Orwell’s 1984 focuses on government employee Winston Smith’s growing wariness about the propaganda he sees daily and his eventual arrest for thought crime. As you read the novel, fill in the boxes for each element of the plot.

 

Understanding “Folsom Prison Blues”

 

Look at the song lyrics the way you would at a poem, and identify the elements below (as many as are present in the song).

 

1. Number of stanzas:

 

2. Refrains or other forms of word repetition:

 

3. Rhyme scheme:

 

4. Meter:

 

*If you need help with meter, go to: http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xmeter.html#top

 

5. Example of alliteration or assonance:

 

6. Example of metaphor, simile, or personification:

 

7. Example of imagery:

 

8. Example of allusion:
9. The speaker in the song:

 

10. The song’s central theme?

 

 

Analysis “An American Draft Dodger in Thunder Bay” by Sam Roberts

 

Look at the song lyrics the way you would at a poem, and identify the elements below (as many as are present in the song).

 

1. Number of stanzas:

 

2. Refrains or other forms of word repetition:

 

3. Rhyme scheme:

 

4. Meter:

 

*If you need help with meter, go to: http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/xmeter.html#top

 

5. Example of alliteration or assonance:

 

6. Example of metaphor, simile, or personification:

 

7. Example of imagery:

 

8. Example of allusion:

 

9. The speaker in the song:

 

10. The song’s central theme

 

 

 

 

 

Analyzing “The Choice”

 

“The Choice” appeared in a book of Dorothy Parker’s poems entitled Enough Rope, which was published in 1925. Most people of Parker’s time would recognize the title phrase as a shortening of the sentence: Give someone enough rope, and they will hang themselves. A rather dark sentiment, to be sure, but then, as you know, Dorothy Parker had a rather dark sense of humor.

Does “The Choice” belong in a book of poetry titled Enough Rope? Does it extend or support the ideas behind this title, or seem to go in a different direction? In the space below, write a paragraph in which you support placing this poem in a book of this title OR argue against the suitability of the poem for a book about unwise choices. Use specific evidence from the poem to support your position.

 

 

“The Road Not Taken” Analysis

 

1. Do you think the speaker in the poem really took the road less travelled? Why?

2. Do you think it likely or not likely that the speaker will come back someday and take the other road? And why do you think that?
3. The poem leaves us in doubt about the wisdom of the choice the speaker made that day. Do you think he or she made the right choice? What are your reasons?

 

 

Newspaper Article

 

One of the most significant events in the first part of Jane Eyre involves changes that occur at Lowood School as a result of things that happen there. Compose a report in the style of a local newspaper article, describing the events that led to the reformation of Lowood School. Describe the new school using “quotes” from fictional interviews, eyewitness accounts, and school authorities. Make your article seem as authentic as possible.

 

 

 

Alluding to Gender and Class in Jane Eyre

 

 

Allusion	Definition or Description	Location	Connection to Gender and/or Class
		Chapter:   Page:
		Chapter:   Page:
		Chapter:   Page:
		Chapter:   Page:
		Chapter:   Page:
		Chapter:   Page:

 

 

Advertisement

 

Jane took a proactive approach — she placed an ad seeking employment as a governess. If she had been replying to a “help wanted” ad, instead, how might that advertisement have been worded? Use the template below and to create a formal description of the position of governess at Thornfield.

 

Job Listing Template

 

 

POSITIONS NOW AVAILABLE AT

 

Experience in

 

We are seeking . Applicants must be able to work . Our salary is competitive.

 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

 

 

To apply, please send an email to  which includes:

– Your name & contact information

– A resume or description of your relevant experience

– Your reasons for applying

 

Thank you.