Aim: How is connotation, denotation, and paradox explicated through Orwell’s “doublethink”?
Do Now: Analyze the images below. Record yet he feelings you have/associate with each of the six images.
For the do now, we analyzed two similar pictures in juxtaposition with one another, and found that the associated thoughts between the two were completely different. This is because while the denotations describe things at face value, the connotation we associate with each image reflects the true image of each picture. I posted my personal associations above.
Notes for the day:
Denotation- the literal meaning of a word…. the dictionary definition
Connotation- the associated meaning of a word. (Positive or Negative feelings associated)
We noticed that in George Orwell’s 1984, the concept of doublethink is a paradox in itself. This means that the importance of the Oceanian government implementing doublethink is that it was designed to contradict itself, not only to confuse its citizens, but to cover up their lies with a self contradictory truth. Orwell included this into the story to spark up the conversation of how the government uses similar antics to try and control our government, especially during his lifetime.
I don’t think he’d believe we were crazy for analyzing it since he implemented the concept of double speak throughout the entirety of the novel- from the government institutions and propaganda to the brainwashed state of the citizens.
Aim: How can we analyze the symbolism in Winston Smith’s name
Do Now: turn and talk- why did Orwell name his protagonist partially after Winston Churchill? How do they compare?
During ww2, Winston Churchill was the prime minister of Britain. He led the country through the East by being a hopeful figure, and promised to lead the country to victory with ease. Since smith is an extremely common name, renaming Churchill as Winston smith might mean that George Orwell thought he was just a regular guy. He knew that Churchill wasn’t better than any other ruler, and was probably ill equipped to rule.
Notes for the day:
Reflection of the lesson:
In these two lessons, we analyzed and closely evaluated the small details in 1984 that ultimately connect to a bigger and broader theme common to Orwell’s literature. We noticed the paradoxical significance of “doublethink” - which was crucial to the fascist party’s survival since it ensured that all of their citizens had little knowledge or comprehension of anything that was going on. It helped conceal the governments evil schemes from the public and played into the government’s manipulation, which was powerful enough to turn their own children against them.
Another detail we analyzed was the choice of Orwell’s to name the protagonist “Winston smith”. This was seen as an insult to the ww2 prime minister of Britain, Winston Churchill, who portrayed himself to be an unstoppably fierce and successful leader in the war. All of the things mentioned today connect to Orwell’s overall theme in literature- the extreme danger of totalitarianism and power hungry government.
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