Blog #57 Michael Tarkovsky Period 3 6/11/20 Sophomore 2020

Aim: How do historical allusions and connections in 1984 contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole?

Do Now:

1. Why do new and different ideas often provoke fear? 

The class discussed how throughout history, people have always feared change because it indicates a loss of confidence that results in a loss of power.  Paul spoke about how change leads to unfamiliar situations in which people lack knowledge, which in turns causes them to fear loss of power.

2. Is Julia good for Winston?

The overall class consensus was that Julia is indeed good for Winston. Holen mentioned that she brings out a more carefree side in him and pushes him to take more risks which benefit his end goals. It is also pointed out that since he has been with Julia, his physical health improved, with his varicose ulcer acting up less, and him  smoking and drinking less as well.

WHAT ARE ALLUSIONS?

The definition we explored was that an allusion is a reference to a prior work or event that is not explained.

Here is a video that explains allusions and provides examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLE7-02DX-c

Group Work: Allusions

1984	Allusion
Proles	Proletariat (working) class
Ingsoc’s social class system (English Socialism  - as originated by Goldstein and Big Brother)	Inner Party- Upper class Outer Party- Middle class (most dangerous) Proles- Working class
Big Brother	Stalin was called “Uncle Joe” and ruled over communist Russia with an iron fist
Emmanuel Goldstein	Leon Trotsky, Stalin’s main adversary, who was also Jewish,  was crucial in the emergence of Communism but was later exiled and painted as an enemy of the party
Telescreens	Alludes to both the Secret Police (KGB), which spied on citizens, as well as the propaganda channel
Junior Spies	Hitler’s Youth was an organization of children indoctrinated into the Nazi ideology who spied on adults they believed to be against the party
Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherord	Victims of Stalin’s purge of party members

The class reviewed the definition and description of allusions as well as the types of allusions which include biblical, classical, literary, and historical.

We learned that allusions are all around and are present in our everyday lives, but we need to be familiar with underlying references to fully grasp their meaning. With this in mind, we looked at different examples across popular culture. Here are some of them:

The first image alludes to the famous TV show “The Sopranos” with its staged black and white cover, while the second one alludes to “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

An interesting example of allusions that I found in 1984 was the concept of the Ministry of Truth which alluded to the Nazi Propoganda Ministry run by Joseph Goebbels.

Additionally, we explored why artists and writers use allusions. First and foremost, allusions allow them to set the mood in just a few words as well as connect instantly to their audiences through the underlying cultural reference. 

For homework, the class was asked to identify unique examples of allusions:

Blog Content

1. What are the updates around the world/ community regarding the virus?

Since my last blog on April 24, a lot of things have changed. most countries have begun to emerge from lockdowns and reopen their economies. In the United States, the rates of infection in New York have reached their peak and have been steadily declining as the city plans to reopen in phases with  the first phase occurring June 8. Of concern, there have been viral breakouts in some countries that loosened lockdown restrictions and social distancing rules. 

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

We are seeing that people tend to have a short memory, and once they perceive the danger to be behind them, they go back to their old ways. Time will show if we all will have to pay the ultimate price for our forgetfulness.

3. What are your personal feelings about what is happening right now?
   
   
   The reopenings are giving me feelings of hope. Although I understand that society will most likely never go back to the old “normal” I am optimistic that over time things will return to a somewhat similar state as before.
   
   

Student Reflection

1. What did I learn?

Today I learned about the importance of allusions and their use in everyday culture. I realized that allusions are all around us and that they serve an important purpose in modern society.

2. Why did I learn it?

I learned about allusions in order to be able to identify references and underlying context that is present in the world around us.

3. How will I use what I learned?

I will be more attentive and aware of hidden meanings that allude to previous knowledge. I will also be able to amplify my own storytelling by effectively referencing historical, biblical, literary, and classical themes of the past.