Aim: How are the readers of 1984
warned about the power of manipulation
Do Now: THINK/PAIR/SHARE
Winston thinks, “they could not alter your feelings; for that matter, you could not alter them yourself, even if you wanted to.” Think about and discuss the nature of feelings and emotions.
Can you alter your own feelings by force of will? Why/Why Not?
Emotions are almost impossible to alter by force of will, usually you will need to use an outside source to alter your feelings. For example, when you are upset, you cannot tell yourself to become happy, but you can listen to your favorite song and grab a cone of your favorite ice cream to cheer yourself up.
Can someone else alter another person’s innermost feelings?
Yes, it is possible for someone else to alter another person's innermost feelings. People can easily manipulate your emotions depending on their relationship with you and how you view them. One of your closest friends can brighten your day instantly, while an intimidating authority figure can make you feel fear and discomfort.
In the case of “1984”, Big Brother has the power to influence the peoples feelings since he has absolute power and those underneath him respect him out of fear.
Notes For the Day:
During this lesson, we review Chapters 4-5 of “1984” and how the book warns its readers of manipulation. In the “Do Now” we discuss how outside forces can control our emotions and feelings. This connects to the topic of manipulation since even everyday advertisements on TV use emotions to manipulate their viewers, this is known as “Pathos”. One exercise pertaining to manipulation asked the students to recall what they did last Friday morning. Many could not identify what had happened and this poses a great threat. We discussed during our reading of “Animal Farm” how memories can be altered and used as a form of manipulation, in this experiment we can see that the majority of people forget even the most recent events leaving us vulnerable to manipulation. If we cannot recall what we have done, we are likely to accept whatever the authority claims we did, which may not always be accurate. This is the exact problem that is occurring in Oceania with Big Brother and his citizens. Winston Smith states, “It appeared that there had even been demonstrations to thank Big Brother for raising the chocolate ration to twenty grams a week. And only yesterday it had been announced that the ration was to be reduced to twenty grams a week.” The people cannot remember that their rations were reduced, so Big Brother takes advantage and claims he increased the rations. But even if someone were to notice, they would never speak up since it could mean death for blasphemy against the party.
Reflection:
What did I learn?
Because of our connections to the media and our Inability to remember even the most recent of events we are easily manipulatable. Emotions and feelings can be dictated by what you view online making you under the control of the media. Elements like ethos, pathos, and logos are used in our everyday lives to persuade and manipulate us into viewing a company a certain way, or donating to a cause. Our own lack of memory can also be used against us. Since I could not remember what I had done Friday morning during the activity, I would most likely ask my parents what I had done. Even if what they said was inaccurate I would believe It since they were awake with me during that time. For the same reason, we may believe the government when they claim to have bettered society, even though we aren't sure if that is entirely true.
Why did I learn it?
I learned about manipulation of memory, feelings and emotions, and dishonesty from authority figures so that I can better understand the situation present in Oceania in “1984”. Similarly to how I cannot remember what had occurred Friday morning, the people of Oceania cannot remember what rations and regulations the government had placed just less than 24 hours ago. They turn to the party to recall what happened, just as I look to my parents to tell me what I had eaten Friday morning. This is a major problem for the citizens and one of the main reasons why they are so loyal and manipulatable. If only the citizens could remember, they would not only be discontent with the party, but maybe even revolt. This is also an example of an outside force manipulating one's feelings. The people of Oceania are manipulated to feel happy and praise big brother. Sadness is not well viewed by the party and could get you killed so the people must stay happy and content with their life in order to survive in Oceania.
How will I use what I learned?
I will use what I learned from today's lesson to focus more on what is occurring both around me and in the world of Oceania in “1984”. Manipulation of emotions and memories is all around us in present day America, yet we seize to think about what is real and what is fabricated. Not everything the media, your friends, and the authorities say is completely accurate.
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