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.
CONNOTATION V.S. DENOTATION
Denotation - The literal or primary meaning of a word, in contrast to the feelings or ideas that the word suggests. It refers to the literal meaning of a word or the “dictionary definition.”
Examples:
❖ Blue → A color.
❖ Dove → A small bird.
❖ Home → A place where one lives.
Connotation - An idea or feeling that a word invokes in addition to its literal or primary meaning. It refers to the associations that are connected to a certain word or emotional suggestions related to that word.
Examples:
❖ Blue → A feeling of sadness.
❖ Dove → Suggests peace and love.
❖ Home → Suggests family, comfort, and security.
PARADOX
Examples:
❖ “I can resist anything but temptation.” – Oscar Wilde
❖ Truth is honey, which is bitter.
❖ “I must be cruel only to be kind.” - (Hamlet: Act 3 Scene 4, page 8)
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?
I think that George Orwell would think we were crazing to some extent. Orwell did not write this story from the perspective of a high school English teacher. Therefore, spending so long on the idea of “doublethink’ was never his intention when he was writing “1984”. Instead, he was just trying to show that “doublethink” exists and its importance. However, we can also see, to a great extent, that the fact he keeps on repeating the same type of information, such as “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength,” suggests that there is a purpose. He wants us to see how manipulative languages can be, and this is why he keeps on repeating the same themes and ideas over and over again, whether in “Animal Farm” or “1981”. Orwell wants us to pay attention to the very things that are being told in our world and not to take those statements exactly the way it is being presented. He wants us to be smart about our surroundings and to always question everything instead of taking it word for word.
Enrichment:
- “1984” Part 2 Chapter 1 Analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYocWYU6LaQ&t=3s
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Aim: How can we analyze the symbolism in Winston Smith’s name?
Turn and Talk
Why did Orwell name his protagonist partially after Winston Churchill? How do they compare (Winston Churchill and Winston Smith)?
Winston Churchill was the British prime minister during the mid-1900s, and he was best remembered for successfully leading Britain through World War II. One reason I think that George Orwell named his protagonist partially after Winston Churchill was because Churchill was brave enough to speak out about the oppression and the lack of freedoms that was happening to them. In his speech, “The Lights are Going Out,” he talked about being overpowered because they were unable to say the word “NO”. Because of their inability to formulate their own ideas and to speak their thoughts, the result was the loss of their rights. The power-hungry people are afraid of ideas and words, so they will do anything to suppress the people of those actions. However, Churchill believes that the existence of the tiniest thoughts can throw the mightiest ruler into fear and panic. Therefore, he resisted and fought back against the oppressive Nazi regime in Germany, and he was successful. Churchill’s wish to bring freedom and peace to his country is similar to how Winston Smith wants to gain his own freedom and independence from the government, who is keeping the citizens in Oceania from forming their own thoughts and beliefs.
Group Work
After analyzing the symbolism of “Winston,” what deductions can you make about “Smith”? Why these names together?
The last name, “Smith”, is very common. George Orwell, putting these names together to give to his character, suggests that, within Winston, he is very unique among the population due to how he’s feeling, but on the outside, he seems just like everyone else. Winston Smith is very much against the party, making him different among the majority of the people, but he was not able to vocalize his ideas and opinions that much, making him just like everyone else. Orwell’s usage of the combination of these two names allows the readers to see Winston Smith as just a normal man who finds the strength to attempt to create a better living condition for himself.
What is Orwell’s message to the reader by creating the character of Winston?
George Orwell’s message to the reader by creating the character of Winston is that individualism and the ability to take actions are characteristics that everyone should be able to have. He wants us to really question the world around us instead of blindly taking in and accepting everything that is being presented to us.
Enrichment:
- “1984” Part 2 Chapter 2 Analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5ODRmO2WFY&t=1s
- “1984” Part 2 Chapter 3 Analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cvr5JGd1zxk
My thoughts regarding the reading:
Personally, I really like the book. I haven’t read many dystopian stories, but I find this one very interesting and different from all the “happily ever afters” I’m used to reading. What made it interesting to me is that such a world could actually exist if the people don't do anything and follow a leader blindly. With events such as the public execution and the constant watching of the government, it really makes the story more fascinating. However, in a way, it scares me to think that such a thing could happen. There is almost no genuine happiness in the story. People are being brainwashed by the government so the government can have complete control, kids are tattling on their parents to the thought police, and they are living in a suppressed state, having absolutely no freedom and no knowledge of any truth. All these things shock me, and I am excited to continue reading to find out what’s next.
What is it like working from home?
Working from home has been both good and bad. The good part is that I have much more time to do my work and do the things that I want to do. For me, I am an extremely slow worker, so being able to work at my own pace is very relaxing. Additionally, I have more time to just relax and do things that I want. For example, I have been wanting to learn the guitar for the longest time, and now, I finally have the chance to learn. However, the bad part of working from home is that sometimes, I won’t feel like doing anything except to lay in bed and play on my phone. It’s very difficult for me to create a set schedule for myself, so sometimes, I will procrastinate and leave all my work until the last minute. However, I usually try to finish my assignments the day I get them, so that isn’t really much of a problem.
What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?
Recently, Governor Cuomo announces that New York City will begin reopening on June 8 from the lockdowns. Since late March, the economy of the city has been devastated by the heavyweight of the outbreak. Nonessential businesses were closed and restaurants were only allowed to open if they do takeout and delivery. This caused nearly 900,000 jobs to disappear. In the middle of May, other parts of the state were allowed to reopen if they met the seven public-health benchmarks set by the governor, but New York City is the only region that had not met those criteria due to being one of the global centers of the pandemic. However, Governor Cuomo announced last Friday that by June 8, he expects the city to be able to meet the benchmarks. Mayor Bill de Blasio said that at least 200,000 workers would be able to return to their jobs once the city begins to reopen. With the economy reopening, more precautions would definitely need to be taken in order to keep the virus in check. More than 5,000 people in the city tested positive for the virus last week, which is a steep decrease from early April when 40,000 people were tested positive a week. However, 5,000 is still a significant number, so if people don’t take the necessary precautions and safety practices, the number could increase very rapidly again.
Reflection:
During this lesson, I learned about connotation and denotation. These two elements of literature are important because one word can have so many different meanings, whether it is the literal dictionary translation (denotation) or the emotional aspect that the word creates within you (connotation). Being able to fully understand all the possible “definitions” allows people to completely grasp the ideas and thoughts that are being presented to them instead of following it blindly. I also learned about the importance of paradox and how everything has an underlying meaning. The author’s usage of paradoxical statements suggests to the readers that they need to put further attention to what is being said. All of this relates back to the idea of “doublethink”. I learned that there is always a deeper meaning to things than what is being presented on the surface, and we need the ability to be able to recognize those lies from the truths. Languages can be very manipulative, and George Orwell’s constant repetition of the usage of doublethink in his stories demonstrates the idea of how easily people can be manipulated by words. I learned that we need to question everything being said or done instead of accepting it without knowing the true meanings. It’s natural for some people to follow a leader, myself included, but we still need the power to be able to voice our opinions and ideas on what really matters to us. Additionally, I learned that names given to a specific character can also have a deeper meaning. In 1941, Orwell named his protagonist Winston Smith because he wanted us to see that such an ordinary man, by the very common last name of Smith, can also be someone strong enough to attempt to create a better life for himself under the oppressive regime in Oceania, which is similar to how Winston Churchill successfully fought back against the oppressive Nazi regime in Germany during WW2. Learning all of this will allow me to know to try and look deeper into what is being presented to me because everything has a double meaning. Blindly following a certain authority without questioning anything they say or do will only result in the exploitation of the people by the leader.
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