The Examined Life

 English 12

In our final unit, you will be challenged with some high-level thinking through existentialism. We'll figure out some new terms, learn about Joseph Campbell and watch a film, Apocalypse Now - based on his novel The Heart of Darkness. 

Beware, this is a rabbit hole that will have you ask questions about yourself. The ideas in this unit will challenge your thinking about identity, faith, and the meaning of life. This knowledge can be used to begin understanding how you can accomplish self-actualization. Sound familiar?

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

ESSENTIALISM vs EXISTENTIALISM (this idea rejects essentialism):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaDvRdLMkHs

Video on Existentialism, Absurdism, and Nihilism:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaIbUAkSYEU

*Note - the sponsor for the above video is in hot water. Please skip over the sponsored segment from  1:17 - 2:17.

First, answer these questions. This will show you how existentialism affects you.

1. Do you have particular worries about the future?
2. Have you been through a major event that had you rethink your values, beliefs, and goals?
3. Consider your educational goals for next year. Have they been defined by someone else, or yourself?

Now, after watching the videos, answer these.

1. What is 'the absurd'?
2. What is nihilism?
3. How does an existentialist find meaning?
4. How does existentialism differ from essentialism?

Brian's Struggle

 In Chapter 15, things go fairly well for Brian, for chapter 16 - well it's not so great. With the crisis that takes place...

Write a journal entry as Brian after the events of Chapter 16. Think about how he might be feeling? What will he do next? Is there really anything he could have done differently?

ELL3

To help with today's work, we'll use the blog to guide our steps. First we'll break into groups, then assign roles:

• Mental Resilience Coaches (Ch. 5–8): How does Brian’s mindset change? Create a "survival pep talk." (A pep talk is supposed to be encouraging and supportive. It's meant to put people in tough times into a better mood about themselves).
• Think about the encouragement his teacher had given him.
• Think about Brian's realizations after facing a difficult problem (Porcupine)

After, find 3 key quotes/passages related to the topic. Once you have this, it's time to evaluate Brian's approach to his mental resilience. How does Brian's ability to reflect on his challenges helping him to survive?

English 12: Synthesis

 Greetings grads! 

First of all, thank you for your wonderful topic ideas and research. I have reviewed these items and determined some topics for our selection, including the supplementary text to support your preparation. This will be a lengthy post including abstracts and context. Here we go.

Synthesis Prep

Today we're going to do a practice run in synthesis writing. To do this, we will use 1984 as our primary text and Zimbardo's The Lucifer Effect as our supporting synthesis text. Feel free to collaborate as we brainstorm a claim and argument.

The Lucifer Effect is where Philip Zimbardo wrote on the Stanford Prison Experiment. In this experiment, subjects were assigned roles as prisoners and prison guards. It had horrific outcomes; in short, it revealed that people will easily conform against their own morals in the presence of an authority figure. First, a practice topic:

How do both Orwell and Zimbardo demonstrate that oppressive systems rely on institutionalized roles and controlled contexts to enforce conformity?

For each of the following quotes from The Lucifer Effect, find specific examples in 1984 that may be explained by this new evidence.

Systemic Power and Dehumanization

"The System’s power comes from its ability to control the social context... Once you institutionalize roles and rules, you create a situation where people mindlessly follow scripts handed to them by authorities." (Chapter 12, p. 210)

Connection to 1984:
The Party’s control over language (Newspeak), surveillance (telescreens), and rituals (Two Minutes Hate) mirrors Zimbardo’s "scripts."

Winston’s job at the Ministry of Truth is a "role" that forces him to conform, even when he resists.

Conformity and Peer Pressure
"The normative influence of groups leads individuals to conform, not out of fear of punishment, but because they want to belong. This is how ordinary people can endorse atrocities—not because they are evil, but because the system rewards compliance." (Chapter 5, p. 89)

Connection to 1984:
The Spies and Junior Anti-Sex League indoctrinate children to report "thoughtcrimes," showing how peer pressure sustains the Party’s power.

Winston’s coworker Parsons is proud when his daughter denounces him—a chilling example of conformity overriding familial bonds.

Obedience to Authority
"The Stanford Prison Experiment revealed that when people are given unchecked power, even for a short time, they readily adopt abusive roles... The situation, not individual pathology, drives cruelty." (Chapter 11, p. 193)

Connection to 1984:

O’Brien tortures Winston not out of personal hatred but because the Party demands it.

The Thought Police act as enforcers of the system, much like Zimbardo’s "guards."

Cognitive Dissonance and Doublethink
"When people are forced to act against their beliefs, they often rationalize their actions to reduce mental discomfort. This is how oppressive systems sustain themselves—not just through force, but through the victims’ own psychological adjustments." (Chapter 14, p. 255)

Connection to 1984:

Winston’s eventual acceptance of "2 + 2 = 5" mirrors this idea.

The concept of doublethink (holding two contradictory beliefs) is a direct parallel.

 

Hatchet Chapter 1 - 4 writing!

Here's our writing prompt for the first part of the book! (Chapter 1 - 4)

1. Internal Monologue: Imagine you are Brian right after the crash. Write a journal entry from his perspective, describing his immediate emotions, fears, and first thoughts about survival. Think about how you might process what has happened.

1984: Chapter 3 & 4 Part 3

 

1. How does O’Brien’s explanation of power and control in Chapter 3 reflect the Party’s ultimate goals?

Consider O’Brien’s statement: “Power is not a means; it is an end.” How does this philosophy justify the Party’s use of torture, manipulation, and the destruction of objective truth? Does this view of power make the Party’s rule sustainable, or does it contain inherent flaws?

1. In Chapter 4, Winston is forced to confront the idea that reality exists only in the mind of the Party. How does his resistance (or eventual acceptance) of this idea demonstrate the effectiveness of the Party’s psychological control?

Winston initially clings to the belief in objective truth (e.g., “2 + 2 = 4”), but O’Brien insists that the Party controls reality. Does Winston’s struggle suggest that total mental domination is possible, or does his internal conflict reveal a limit to the Party’s power?

1984: Part 3 chapter 1-2

In Part 3, Chapter 1 of "1984," Winston is taken to the Ministry of Love. How does Orwell use the setting to reflect the themes of control and oppression? Provide specific examples from the text to support your analysis.

How does Orwell use the character of Parsons in Chapter 1 to illustrate the effects of Party indoctrination? Analyze how Parsons' behaviour and beliefs reflect the Party's influence on individuals.

In Chapter 2, how does the Party's manipulation of truth and reality affect Winston's perception of himself and the world around him? Explore how this manipulation challenges Winston's sense of identity and reality.

Discuss the significance of the phrase "2 + 2 = 5" in Chapter 2. How does it relate to the theme of control over thought? Analyze how this phrase encapsulates the Party's power to dictate reality.

To Build a Fire: ELL3

This story was so tragic!

1. What are the big mistakes that the main character makes on his journey?
2. Why did the man need to build a fire? (each time)
3. Why did the last fire go out?
4. How do we know that the man is too confident? Find examples in the story.
5. What emergency happens that causes the man to build a fire? Why is this event an emergency?
6. Why did the main character ignore the old man? (Use your own thinking!)
7. Where does this story take place and why is the man here?
8. Why does the man try to kill the dog, and why is he unable to do it?
9. In this desperate situation, how do the dog and the man differ in their ability to survive the cold?

Longer answer:

Can overconfidence ever be good or helpful?

Could this story have ended with the man's survival? What could he have done differently in order to survive?

PARAGRAPH(s)

PARAGRAPH(s)

Describe an ideal vacation. Think about these questions in your answer - why would you travel there? What activities would you plan? Who would you bring? 

Freud and Owell

Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis had much to say on the operation of our psychology. With a close look at Winston Smith in 1984, we see many opportunities for parallels. Check out the diagram in class for a little overview of his ideas.

All of the following quotes belong to Sigmund Freud:

• "Repression is the foundation on which the whole structure of psychoanalysis rests."
• "Dreams are the royal road to the unconscious."
• "Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth later in uglier ways."

Find a parallel in part 1 for each quote. No need for citations from 1984 for this one. Simply identify a chapter and explain in a few sentences and elaborate on similarities.

And a tough one:

• "Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility."

You may have to interpret a little :)

ELL3: Choose 1!

PICK ONE!

1. In A Knight’s Tale, William pretends to be a nobleman to compete in jousting tournaments. How does the film show the idea of changing who you are? Do you think William’s actions are right or wrong? Use examples from the film to explain your answer.
2. William works very hard to go from being a peasant to a knight. How does the film show the challenges and rewards of following your dreams? Do you think hard work is enough to succeed, or do you also need luck? Explain your answer.

Part 1 chapter 4

1. How does the Party use language and memory to maintain power? Find at least two examples (with quotations) from Chapter 4 that demonstrate how the Party manipulates language and memory to control the population.
2. How does Chapter 4 develop the theme of truth and reality in 1984? Find at least three quotations that show how the Party distorts truth and creates its own version of reality. What is Orwell suggesting about the nature of truth in a totalitarian society?

English 12

 

We'll be writing a synthesis essay in the later stages of 1984. Going forward we'll be reading quite quickly. Complete the comprehension handouts and we'll look over these items in class to begin our overview.

1. Essay arguing the current validity of 1984 (Kakutani)
2. Why Nobody Cares The President is Lying (Sykes)
3. All of the Passages in 1984 that relate to you right now (Temple)
4. Letter that explains why Orwell wrote 1984 (Orwell)

Also, here is Orwell's Essay: Politics and the English Language cited from the video.

A Sound of Thunder

ELL3: Here we go!

1. How does the story show that people want to control nature? What are some good ways and bad ways that it shows this?
2. The "path" in the story is an important symbol. Think about why Eckels steps off the path and why Travis says we must not step off the path. Eckels thinks he is brave and courageous, but when he sees the dinosaur, he loses his courage. Of course, we don't want to change the past, but Eckels does it anyway. What does the path represent in the story?
3. In what ways does the story warn against using technology in bad ways?
4. Look at the part of the story that describes the tyrannosaurus rex. Find 3 examples that describe it in a scary way. Use quotation marks! After you find 3 quotes, explain how each one creates a scary effect.
1. Example: "Eckels swayed on the padded seat," (p. 363)

Post-Presentation: TYFUB Reflection

 Greetings Grade 12s! After your presentation, please submit a brief reflection on the process and production of your presentation. Answer the questions and put your name at the top:

1. What was your role in the development of the project? What did you contribute?
2. During the presentation, what portion did you present? 
3. Did you feel the work was fairly distributed and balanced within your group?

All Summer in a Day

 

Here's our short story, ELL3!

All Summer in a Day

Once we read we'll do some questions! Please use several sentences for each one. Explain your answer with evidence from the story.

1. Why do the other children resent Margot? How do they express their jealousy?
2. How does the story explore the theme of jealousy? How does jealousy influence the children’s actions?
3. What does this story teach about jealousy? Explain.
4. The sun is an important symbol in the story. What does it represent? How does it affect those who have never seen it before, how has it made Margot different than the others?
5. What might this story suggest about how society treats people who are different.

Omelas Topics

1. By imagining and co-creating this city of Omelas with Le Guin, do we share a responsibility for the suffering of the child in the basement? (this is an allegorical question; obviously we don't lock a child away in a basement somewhere in Richmond)
2. How might the contrast of childhood and adulthood (or at least puberty), be represented through the coming of age in Omelas? Why are youth the first ones to consider walking away?
3. Is the sacrifice of something precious a worthy trade-off for the pleasure and comfort of thousands?
4. Why does Le Guin use such thoroughly exaggerated pleasures to allegorize our own? How do these pleasures echo the kinds of pleasures we pursue?

ELL3

 Raymond's Run.

1. How does Squeaky’s personality change throughout the story? What events contribute to this change?
2. What does Raymond’s Run suggest about competition and personal growth?
3. What message does the story convey about disability and inclusion?

Omelas Prep

 Here you go grade 12s! Find quotes to support these topic areas. These are not the essay topics but your essay topics will be connected to them.

The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas.

• Our Imagination as a vehicle for Complicity: As the narrator invites the audience to create an image of Omelas, we become complicit in the moral consequences of its greatest crime: the agreement to allow a child to continue suffering in order for everyone else to be happy. By reading this story, Le Guin pulls us in to its creation, generating consensus and understanding of our circumstances.
• Coming of Age and the Loss of Innocence: All children between 8 and 12 learn about the child in the basement. At this discovery, the narrator states that everyone is disgusted and horrified at first. 
• The utilitarian scapegoat. A child suffers in a basement somewhere in Omelas so that thousands of citizens can live in bliss and comfort. Evaluate the pleasures of Omelas' citizens in light of the suffering that this child must endure. 
• The absurd pleasures we desire. Many pleasurable behaviors described in Omelas come across as bizarre. Motifs such as nudity, music, drugs, and plenty of contradictions populate Le Guin's narrative.