Michael Malak PD 7
6/8/20
Sophomores 2020
Blogger #54
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.
We discussed the certain feelings one would have from looking at these images
Some points that were brought up
A moth is generally thought of as a dull creature with not many colors.
Butterflies are generally colorful and vibrant. They have an associated magical feeling to their essence. They are used frequently to create symbolizations of transformation.
A normal civilian car not very special. Plain.
Very expensive, luxurious, premium, top quality, exclusive to a small amount of people.
Home, very welcoming and warm
Old broken down, poor, creepy, unreliable.
Denotation vs. Connotation
Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, the "dictionary definition."¨ It’s when you say exactly what you mean.
Connotation refers to the associations that are connected to a certain word or the emotional suggestions related to that word; Feelings or emotions that come up when you refer to the word. Positive or negative.
Examples: happy, cheerful, contented, delighted, ecstatic, elated, glad, joyful, joyous, jubilant, lively, merry, overjoyed, peaceful, pleasant, pleased, thrilled, upbeat
“denote” as in“dictionary,” and “connote” as “feels.” or “emotions.” Connotation, Emotion
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 appears to be self-contradictory or silly, but which may include a latent truth. It is also used to illustrate an opinion or statement contrary to accepted traditional ideas. A paradox is often used to make a reader think over an idea in innovative way. A statement that seems to contradict itself.
We then looked at examples of paradoxes-
“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
We then watched a short clip called “Sarah’s certain death riddle”
INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY
The Oceania Times
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Google Classroom
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?
Our class answered no. We believe that George Orwell would think it’s important for us to understand “doublethink” because it’s one of the main themes in the novel. George Orwell purposefully made it a major theme in this novel to highlight its importance. It’s how the party controls and manipulates the residents of Oceania, and George Orwell would most likely want us to be able to apply it to our own lives and avoid the manipulation in our own lives.
Aim #2: How can we analyze the symbolism in Winston Smith's name?
ACTIVE LISTENING
Listen, and read “The Lights Are Going Out” by Winston Churchill.
TURN AND TALK
Why did Orwell name his protagonist partially after him? How do they compare (Winston Churchill and Winston Smith)?
George Orwell decided to name and model his protagonist, Winston Smith, after the famous war leader and Prime Minister of Britain, Winston Churchill. Britain was one of the last countries standing against nazi Germany and was being led by Winston Churchill. They were fighting for the freedom of the world in a world that was void of freedom. The name Winston Churchill evokes an idea of resistance and the fighting back of an oppressive regime. Winston Churchill wanted to bring peace and freedom, whereas Winston Smith wanted to gain his own personal freedom.
GROUP WORK:
1) After analyzing the symbolism of “Winston,” what deductions can you make about “Smith”? Why these names together?
Smith is a very common English name, Orwell is trying to portray Winston as an ordinary person. The author is spreading the message that anyone is capable of fighting for change.
He wants to emphasize the point that normal people can push for freedom.
2) What is Orwell’s message to the reader by creating the character of Winston?
Orwell wants to inspire people to stand up and take action, he wants to make the point that anyone can insite change.
Reflection
What is it like working from home?
At first, anyone would jump at the chance to do work from home. I found however that it honestly isn’t really worth it. A few of the benefits are a shortened commute and I can work on my own time. But the work load does feel heavier because there’s a lot more preparation that we have to do since we don’t have our teachers for guidance. All in all I think the experience is one we can learn from. I don’t think I’ll take a class lecture for granted anymore.
My own personal thoughts and feelings on what is happening right now.
It amazes me how something like this happens. We are very fortunate to be living in a time where we know how to deal with it. Modern technology has helped us mitigate the problem but I feel that it is also the root of it. If the same scenario were to occur 200 years ago, I don’t think we would have that bad. Yes we wouldn’t know exactly what was happening but I don’t think that the problem would be so far reaching as it is now. Maybe a whole village would have gotten infected but I don’t think it would have spread to other countries as rapidly as it has now because the fastest mode of transportation was a boat, which took weeks to travel between countries. But now, all it took was one person from wuhan to board a plane and in a matter of hours, bring the virus to the other side of the planet. All in all I’m thankful to be living in the now because there are treatments and developments that we can use to our advantage to help save lives.
What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?
During these tough times, we see the true intentions of the people around us through their thoughts and actions. Some people’s reaction to this situation is to just stay at home and follow the rules. But we also see other people going out and having fun as if nothing ever changed. This shows a lot about the character of these individuals. One of them realizes the weight of their actions and chooses to limit their impact. The others have a selfish outlook on the way they live. They don’t see the impact of their actions. Their personalities are brought to light when we look at their actions. My community has been one to be very careful for the most part. Most people stay home and follow the rules. That shows how when in times of crisis people are able to put the needs of others over their own and bite the bullet.
What are the updates around the world/community regarding the virus?
New York State has a record low amount of deaths from the virus while other states are experiencing record level highs. New York has remained closed since the beginning of April. While other states have decided to reopen and have seen their case numbers spike. This is important information to consider as we are reopening because if we just reopen and not change anything, the case numbers will spike. We should learn from the mistakes of others and remain closed. And when we do reopen we have to take certain cautions to ensure that we limit the damage done. We are working on getting a vaccine and some companies already in the testing phase. No one really knows how long it will take but it might end soon.
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