Aim: How are the readers of 1984 warned about the power of manipulation?
Do Now: A quote from Winston was given - “They could not alter your feelings; for that matter,
you could not alter them yourself, even if you wanted to.” We discussed how feelings can be
manipulated. First, we discussed whether you can alter your own feelings by force of will.
Feelings can change over time through as you learn more information. I believe your core
values remain unchanged. However, the class discussed how you can eventually convince
yourself to feel a certain way in some scenarios. We also discussed whether it is possible to
alter another person’s innermost feelings. You can force a person to feel a certain way, but a
seed of doubt will always remain.
This image could represent how the Party manipulates the citizens of Oceania. They are merely
puppets that the Party completely controls.
We each created 3 questions about the events of the novel so far and shared them with the
class. The idea was to see if the class could answer them.
We analyzed the characteristics of Julia and Winston by recording characteristics unique to
each character. They are similar in that they both want to rebel against the Party. While
Winston’s primary goal is to take down the Party completely, Julia rebels only because she
hates Big Brother. She wants to enjoy her life as much as possible. Another difference is that
Winston is much more cautious than Julia. He lives his entire life in fear of the Party. Julia, on
the other hand, is more free spirited and rebels against the Party’s doctrine in various ways. The
readers are warned about manipulation by Orwelll by the juxtaposition of Winston and Julia.
Winston is an example of someone manipulated by the Party for his entire life - although he
desires rebellion, he is still terrified of Big Brother, while Julia seems much less scared.
Quick Write & Whole Class Discussion
For the quick write, we recorded what we did last Friday morning. We then discussed why it was
so difficult to record that information - most of us simply didn’t remember. Then, we discussed
why it was so easy for us to forget what we did even though only a few days had passed. It isn’t
considered “relevant” or important information, so we don’t make an effort to retain those
memories. Then, we discussed why forgetting can leave people vulnerable. Gaps in our
memory can easily be filled by others. Memory is malleable and can be changed, since there is
often no evidence to prove old memories. If you forget something, it is easier to be convinced
another way.
This image represents how the Inner Party can manipulate the memories of the citizens of
Oceania.
What is it like working from home?
I have found that working from home is much easier than it was before. I have had a lot of time
to get used to it, so I have developed my own routine. Although I still prefer in-person learning,
remote learning has definitely become less daunting than before. I miss seeing my friends and
I’ve realized that socializing is a very important aspect of school. It wasn’t something that I had
considered before. Now, there is a lot of uncertainty about September, but I hope that schools
reopen because I’ve lost contact with a lot of my friends.
Your own personal feelings and thoughts about what is happening right now.
We are currently living through history. The world around us almost seems completely different
than before, which is very overwhelming. COVID-19 alone led to a complete shift in our world,
and the current Black Lives Matter protests have only added to that. Everything still feels like a
dream to some extent - my brain simply hasn’t processed all the changes occurring. It’s also
strange to think that if we weren’t in quarantine right now, our school year would essentially be
over. It still feels like it should be April or May, but we’re already halfway through June. I’m also
worried about reopening schools in September as it will be a long time until a decision is made.
What are you learning about your world/community based on the reactions?
The current situation in the U.S. has exposed the true colors of many. In my neighborhood,
many people are banding together to tackle hate. There have been multiple peaceful protests in
the name of George Floyd. On the other hand, I have learned that there are many racists in my
neighborhood. Xenophobic signs were recently found posted all around my neighborhood, citing
factually incorrect information about COVID-19 in order to perpetuate anti-Chinese sentiments.
To combat this, signs were posted encouraging unity and marking Bay Ridge as a safe place for
all. Another example surprised me as well. My friend was yelled at and threatened while she
was putting up signs supporting Black Lives Matter and spreading awareness about the
movement. I always considered my neighborhood a fairly tolerant place, so this was strange to
see.
The posters described above.
Student Reflection: In today’s lesson, we described how powerful manipulation can truly be.
The “do now” set the stage by considering its effectiveness. Comparing Winston and Julia
emphasized how strong the Party’s power of manipulation is. The “quick write” emphasized its
power and how easy it is to convince someone to believe false information. Most of us had
forgotten what we had done only a few days before, leaving a gap in our memories that could
easily be filled by someone else. Using that information, it made clear how easy it was for the
Inner Party to manipulate history and the thoughts of the masses. The Inner Party is the primary
source of information in Oceania and whatever they say is taken as the truth. Anything that goes
against their word is simply erased. It is easy to blame something on faulty memory when there
is no evidence to support it.
Supplemental Materials - The Memory Hole
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4JSFSwf-og
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