Chapter 2

 In chapter 2, we begin to see more of the domestic life of Airstrip One. We're going to take a closer look at thoughtcrime and family. Winston describes Parsons with some disgust, and considers his children with disdain.

• First - family. The children accuse Winston of thoughtcrime, and are very active. Mrs Parsons even expresses her exhaustion. The kids are dressed in a uniform for a youth club associated with the Party's values. What is the role of children in Airstrip One? The role of filial piety (love and loyalty of family)? Reflect on children and family and write an extended paragraph on these questions.

Winston states that "Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death." (p. 30)

• One of the goals of the novel is to persuade us that even the capacity for free thought can be controlled and regulated. What exactly is thoughtcrime, and why is the Party interested in it? What does Winston mean by the quote above? 

Remember - as we read, we should keep an eye out for a passage that may work for a close reading anaylsis!

Chapter 1

1. Examine the Party’s three slogans: “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” At this point in the novel, what do you think they mean?
2. Generalize what the film Winston watched says about the Party, how it controls the populace, and how it views its citizens.
3. Why is the Two Minutes Hate a success?
4. Infer why Winston frightens himself when writing, “Down with Big Brother,” in his diary and how he could be guilty of thoughtcrime.
5. Describe Winston's thoughts about the dark haired girl. In one moment he's distrustful, in another he's misogynistic. Why does this change occur? How does this society alter the ability for people to form meaningful relationships?

Dystopia. Find evidence in chapter 1 that supports this novel as a dystopia. Structure your response with evidence in these categories:

• The Personal (how people consider and live with themselves)
• The Social (how people interact with each other)
• The Political (how society is structured)

English 12

 Greetings Englishers!

We're getting into some of the big work of English 12. We're going to start off taking a close look at Edgar Allan Poe. Indeed, you've probably red The Tell-Tale Heart back when you were younger. Now, we're going to read "Masque of the Red Death". There's a copy of the story in the TEXT section.

This will be our first DEJ.