June 2nd, 2020
Artem Lavrov
Sophomore English Pd 3
Blog #2
Aim: How is connotation, denotation, and paradox explicated through Orwell’s “doublethink”?
Do Now:
- Analyze the images below. Record the feelings you have/associate/identify with each of the “6” images.
Images:
- The moth is associated with dullness and hideousness. It is also associated with destruction.
- The white car is associated with an average income and is not considered to be beautiful.
- The house in the top row is associated with wealth, modern art, and beauty.
- The butterfly is associated with beauty and vibrance. It is also associated with gentleness.
- The sports car is associated with wealth, beauty, and speed.
- The decaying house is associated with disrepair, poverty, and hideousness as well.
Connotation and Denotation
We learned that even though the images from the do now have the same purpose (denotation), they have different connotations, which changes our view of them.
Connotation represents the various social overtones, cultural implications, or emotional meanings associated with a sign.
Connotation is the feeling you get from a certain thing.
Denotation represents the explicit or referential meaning of a sign. Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, the ‘dictionary definition.
Examples of connotation vs. denotation.
Plain Vs. Dull
Plain has a negative connotation while dull has a neutral connotation.
Slender vs. Skinny
Slender has a positive connotation while skinny has a negative connotation.
Paradoxes
The term paradox is from the Greek word paradoxon, which means “contrary to
expectations, existing belief, or perceived opinion.”
A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself and makes no sense but has a certain truth to it.
Examples:
War is peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is strength
All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.
What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.
Sarah’s Certain Death Riddle
One paradox in Sarah’s certain death riddle is that one of the goats said “One of them will always say the truth and one of them will always lie”. This means that the goat who said that had to have been telling the truth or this would create a paradox.
Oceania Times Activity
Class Discussion
Consider all of the emphasis we have been placing
on “Doublethink.”
Do you believe that George Orwell would think we were crazy or just wasting a great deal of time focusing on this topic?
Why/Why Not?
George Orwell would not think we were crazy because Orwell puts such a large emphasis on doublethink and brings it up multiple times, signifying it is important. He wants us to see that doublethink is everywhere, even in our modern day society, and that we need to see it to avoid being manipulated by it.
Active Listening
Winston Churchill’s speech talks about the uselessness of appeasing the Nazi’s and proclaims the Nazi’s to be enemies of freedom and peace. His speech is rallying the people to stand up against the German tyrant.
Turn and Talk
Why did Orwell name his protagonist partially after him? How do they compare (Winston Churchill and Winston Smith)?
Orwell named his protagonist partially after Winston Churchill because they both are seeking the truth and appossing tyranny. Both Winstons also smoke a lot.
Group Work
- After analyzing the symbolism of “Winston,” what deductions can you make about “Smith”? Why these names together?
- Smith is a common last name, showing that Winston will stand up for the commoners and defend them against the tyrannical government, just like Winston Churchill defended his country against the tyrannical Nazi’s in WWII.
- What is Orwell’s message to the reader by creating the character of Winston?
- By creating the character of Winston, Orwell is showing that Winston will stand up for the poor and oppressed and start a rebellion against the tyrants.
Blog Content
- What is it like working from home?
- Working from home allows me to disperse my work over more time and allows me to relax between assignments. I also get to wake up an hour later which is always nice and take a nap. I also like the fact that I do not have to commute because it saves me a massive amount of time. I can also eat while doing assignments, drink tea, and sit in a more comfortable chair, which calms me down a lot. Overall, working from home is a lot more enjoyable than working from school.
- Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.
- The virus is causing a lot of problems around the world and many people are dying. I feel bad for anyone who has been affected by this outbreak but luckily I have not been affected that much. All I have to do is stay inside and stay more sanitized than usual, which is a good thing anyway.
- What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?
- I am learning that many people in my community still go outside and interact with others in person despite this having the ability to put their lives in danger. Why they do this, I do not know, but I think it is because they are over confident and feel invincible. Personally, I do not interact with others outside my own home in person but I still talk to my friends online. I also realized there are a lot of brave essential workers in our community who are risking their lives to keep our country running.
Reflection
In today’s lesson we learned about connotation, denotation, paradoxes, and symbolic names. We learned this because it is relevant to Geroge Orwell’s books and knowing this information allows us to connect 1984 and Animal Farm to the outside world. For example, through paradoxes, we saw how doublethink is essentially a paradox and is used to manipulate people. We also learned how different connotations can cause a different effect on people despite having the same denotation. This allows us to be more critical of the information given to us and analyze it so we don’t get manipulated like the residents of Oceania. I will personally use this information to convince people of my points in arguments and to protect myself from propaganda and misinformation.
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