by Lisa Leake, University Of Massachusetts At Boston
The purpose of this site is for high school students to identify specific features and characteristics of dystopian literature, through an in-depth study of George Orwell's "1984," then through numerous multi-media and written projects, construct information and create their own dystopian short story. Students will also learn about characterization and theme through this four week, multi-modal investigation. Online sources include: two online biographies, one autobiographic essay, one historic document, one online book, two online encyclopedia definitions, one Youtube "picture" log, and one online movie. Projects include: close reads of 1984 text, essays, biographies, and historic documents, emanating descriptive, persuasive and comparative writings, two visual representations of themes/ideas, and one final presentation of the group's newly invented "dystopia."
What is Dystopia and how do authors reveal social, political, cultural, and personal (emotional) aspects of it in their writing? How can you discern probable influences that contribute to the concept of dystopic literature?
"You will get no comradeship and no encouragement. When finally you are caught, you will confess, and then you will die. Those are the only results you will ever see. There is no possibility that any perceptible change will happen in our own lifetime. We are dead."
Why might George Orwell have written such a passage? What events in his life, or in the world, may have influenced him?
go to "Task" page