Blog #49 - Ray Lian - Period 3 - 06/04/2020

Ray Lian   Sophomore 2020     Period 3   6/2/20      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.

1. It represents dullness and lifelessness. Fear and anxiety.
2. The white car represents the norms and transportation. Middle class.
3. The well built home represents comfort and relief. Protection
4. The butterfly represents beauty and nature. Grace. 
5. The blue car represents wealth and the rich. Status.
6. The older house represents the typical lifestyle and home. 

Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, the "dictionary definition."¨ It’s when you mean what you say, literally.

Connotation, on the other hand, refers to the associations that are connected to a certain word or the emotional suggestions related to that word; i.e, Feelings. Think of Positive or Negative Feelings. Ex.

• thin . . . . . . . slender, skinny, beanpole, gaunt
• unattractive . . . plain, dull, ugly
• Illiterate . . . uneducated, stupid, ignorant, foolish

NOTE: Think of “denote” as the “dictionary,” and “connote” as “feels.” or “emotions.” If you could

choose, which would you prefer: Assertive of Pushy?

I would choose assertive. It just sounds more professional and it has more emotional meaning to it than just its normal definition.

Paradox - The term paradox is from the Greek word paradoxon, which means “contrary to

expectations, existing belief, or perceived opinion.”

• It is a statement that seems to ​contradict itself.

Ex.

• “War is peace.”
• “Freedom is slavery.”
• “Ignorance is strength.”
• (George Orwell, 1984)
• “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”
• George Orwell
• “Fair is foul and fouls is fair: Hover through the fog and filthy air.”
• (Macbeth, Act I- Scene I, 12-13)
• “What a pity that youth must be wasted on the young.”
• George Bernard Shaw

He is saying the lie by saying his nose will grow now but then it will be the truth and so it will go back and forth between the truth and the lie.

This is a statement that constantly contradicts itself.

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 wouldn’t think we are crazy because he is trying to expose to us that doublethink is everywhere and all over the place. He is trying to inform us constantly throughout his books about it. He puts such a large emphasis on it throughout their stories. He is trying to tell us that it is not just a problem in his books but it is easy to manipulate people in real life with doublethink. Doublethink is used throughout advertisements and news all the time. 

Aim: How can we analyze the symbolism in Winston Smith's name?

Active Listening:

Winston Churchill’s speech is used to raise the moral of his people and that they have to stand up against the Nazi’s and fight back.

Turn and Talk

Why did Orwell name his protagonist partially after him? How do they compare (Winston Churchill and Winston Smith)?

• Winston Churchill was the prime minister of Britain during WWII. He was seen as the hope of the country and gave speeches to keep British spirits high during the hardships of the war. Churchill spent a great deal of time warning his people about the Nazis and resisting against them, never giving up. He acts as an idea of resistance and endurance against an oppressive government. He is similar to the protagonist Winston Smith because both characters are enduring the oppressive rule of the government. Also, both of them smoke. 

GROUP WORK

1. After analyzing the symbolism of “Winston,” what deductions can you make about “Smith”? Why these names together? 

Smith is a common last name and it can be symbolized to mean the proles or the less fortunate people in 1984. This is to show that Winston, a name held by one of the most resistant leaders, paired with the last name Smith is to show that the common people, the proles, still have hope in overcoming this oppressive government.

2. What is Orwell’s message to the reader by creating the character of Winston?

Winston Smith will be the person standing up for the proles and he will be fighting with them against the government.

Blog Content:

1. What is it like working from home?

Working from home is somehow harder than working from school because some days I honestly just forget what work is due in the next few days since it is too relaxing at home. 

2. What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?

I am learning that some people are really fighting for their causes but there are also people that simply go on protests for their own good, such as the looters and rioters. They are stealing things from shops because they want those things. There are also people who simply destroy things for their own goods. I also learned that we cannot always trust our government that much.

3. Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.

I support the black lives matter movement but I do not condone the looting of stores, vandalizing of buildings, and the burning of business buildings as well. It just seems cruel and strays away from the peaceful protest everyone is talking about.

Reflection:

In today’s lesson, I learned about denotations, connotations, paradoxes, and more about 1984. George Orwell uses a lot of connotations and paradoxes in his novels and we must be able to identify them to further understand the book. I also learned that doublethink is still very prevalent in today’s time. It is an idea that is heavily portrayed in George Orwell’s novels. Through his novels, Orwell is trying to tell us that doublethink is all around us still in real life. He puts a heavy emphasis on them to show how they can be used in real life. For example, in Animal Farm, we saw how Napoleon constantly twists the laws to his own liking and the animals are easily manipulated by his doublespeak. In 1984, doublethink is shown through paradoxes such as the slogan, “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength” and that 2 plus 2 makes 5. These are his ways to show that doublethink can be used easily in real life to easily manipulate and control how people think. We learned this because it is important to understand what is the truth and what is the lie. The governments in our world use a lot of propaganda to their own likings to twist the reality of the world. We are learning this to be able to not be tricked and taken advantage of.