1. FACT OR FICTION
Dystopian Novel

2. FICTION Dystopia is an anarchic society based on history.
Dystopia: A futuristic, imagined universe in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through corporate, bureaucratic, technological, moral, or totalitarian control.
Dystopia is an anarchic society based on history.
FICTION

3. Dystopias, through an exaggerated worst-case scenario, make a criticism about a current trend, societal norm, or political system.
Fact

4. FICTION George Orwell wrote 1984 based on Nazi Germany.
1984 is a futuristic novel based on Russian communism.
FICTION

5. The United States today is an “Orwellian” society alarmingly similar to 1984.
Many political commentators believe that North Korea most closely resembles Oceania of 1984.
FICTION

6. The idea of utopia is a twentieth century idea that evolved from the social and political discussions following World
War I.
The idea of utopia has been around since Plato.
FICTION

7. FACT Characteristics of a Dystopian Society
Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society.
Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted.
FACT

8. FACT Characteristics of a Dystopian Society
Citizens have a fear of the outside world.
Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality and dissent are bad.
FACT

9. FICTION Characteristics of a Dystopian Society
Citizens live in a humanistic state.
The natural world is celebrated and viewed as a teacher.
Citizens live in a dehumanized state.
The natural world is banished and distrusted.
FICTION

10. In a dystopian society, worship is outlawed for the citizens of the society.
In a dystopian society, a figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society.
FICTION

11. Plot Characteristics of the Dystopian Novel
Plot lines follow one of two directions: terrible things happen to the characters, but the characters either
A) escape their fate or
B) the establishment wins
Plot

12. structure Usually divided into 3 acts
Act 1---Exposition establishes the parameters of the society and introduces the characters.
Usually a precipitous event occurs toward the end of act 1 that introduces the conflict and begins the rising action.
structure

13. Act 2
Rising action follows attempts of the main character to either escape or change the society.
Climax , the point at which either the character or the society must win, occurs at the end of act 2 or the beginning of act 3.
structure

14. structure Act 3—falling action and the resolution of the plot
If the escape attempt is successful or the dystopian society is changed, the novel has a positive theme.
If escape attempts fail or change is thwarted, the novel has a negative theme.
structure

15. Disenfranchised character
Character desires to escape or change the society
Sometimes the character initially accepts, even loves, the society but something happens to change that belief.
Sometimes the character initially dislikes the society but feels powerless to create change. This may be a result of events prior to the start of the novel or a trait inherent within the individual.
Disenfranchised character

16. Philosophical and thematic traits
Individual has value only as part of the governmental machine
Power can reside either with a single individual or a larger governmental organization
Control is achieved through communication, education, mass media, and popular culture
Philosophical and thematic traits

17. Philosophical and thematic traits
Military control can be a factor in the dystopian novel, but other, more subtle forms of social control have greater influence
Philosophical and thematic traits

18. Philosophical and thematic traits
Controlling body (person or party) uses pop culture to control the masses--- allowing, even encouraging drug and alcohol use, sexual promiscuity, rampant consumerism
Controlling body finds and uses a scapegoat to deflect blame for the suffering of the people
Examples of scapegoat—disenfranchised group within the society, foreign power
Philosophical and thematic traits

19. 1984 vocabulary 1. febrile 11.sanguine 2.Impudent 12.austere
3.Flagrant 13. credulous
4.Simian spurious
5.Pilfer tenet
6.Reclamation 16. execrate
7.Demur titular
8.Persiflage 18. respite
9.Feral vilify
10. tepid seditious
1984 vocabulary

20. 1. How is the Junior Anti-Sex League sash an example of irony
1. How is the Junior Anti-Sex League sash an example of irony? Is it a paradox? (chapter 1)
2. What is the source of the power behind the hatred that the viewers feel during the Two Minute Hate? (chapter 1)
3. Explain the allusion in Winston’s thoughts about Julia (p. 15). What is the effect of the allusion? (chapter 1)
4. How does Winston’s descent into thoughtcrime give his life more urgency?(Chapter 2)
5. What is the metaphoric meaning of the memory holes? (chapter 4)
Questions for Part One

21. 1. What is ironic about Winston’s thoughts when Julia hands him the note?
2. What does Winston find most erotically attractive about Julia?
3. According to Julia, why does the Party frown on sex for pleasure?
4. What elements of foreshadowing appear in this section? (chapter IV)
5. What is the effect of the increased bomb raids leading up to Hate Week?
Questions for Part Two

22. 6. What might the following sentence foreshadow
6. What might the following sentence foreshadow? “Wandering about among his worthless stock, with his long nose and thick spectacles and his bowed shoulders in the velvet jacket, [Mr. Charrington] had always vaguely the air of being a collector rather than a tradesman” (151)
7. What is the effect of diction in the paragraph that begins “Sometimes he talked to her. . .” (154)?
8.Winston interprets O’Brien’s oblique reference to Syme as a shared act of thoughtcrime. How is the later shown to be an example of irony?
9. How is the following statement ironic? “ [The Party] can make you say anything----anything--- but they can’t make you believe it. They can’t get inside you” (166).
Questions for Part Two

23. 10. How is the Brotherhood similar to the lottery?
11. According to Chapter 3 of Goldstein’s book, why is War Peace?
12. What makes the ruling class of Ingsoc different from ruling classes in prior eras?
13. What is the primary reason that groups revolt?
14. What is ironic about Winston’s attitude after reading Chapter 1 and 3?
15. How does the tone in the first half of this section belie the second half?
Questions for Part Two

24. Questions for Part Three
1. Why doesn’t Winston explore further the possibility that the woman in his cell might be his mother?
2. Does Winston truly love Julia?
3. What does O’Brien mean when he says, “They got me a long time ago” (238)?
4. What is the significance of this sentence “He was the tormentor, he was the protector, he was the inquisitor, he was the friend” (244)?
5. According to O’Brien, what is the true purpose of the Ministry of Love?
6. How is punishment in the Ministry of Love equivalent to execution?
7. Why does O’Brien tell Winston the truth about the Party’s motives?
8. What is significant about Winston’s recognition of his own physical degradation? Why does O’Brien refer to him as “the last man”?
Questions for Part Three

25. Questions for Part Three
9. What fact does Winston believe saves his humanity?
10. What betrays Winston’s last level of resistance to Big Brother?
11. How does Winston know how to escape the rats, ultimately?
12. Why is it significant how he escapes the rats?
13. What is the most significant change in Julia’s body, according to Winston?
14. What is the significance of Winston’s increased consumption of gin?
15. Near the end, Winston daydreams about the “long-hoped-for bullet. . .entering his brain” (297).
What is this bullet?
Questions for Part Three