Utopian/Dystopian Literature Note to teachers: I use this with my honors seniors the last six weeks of school. The have the entire six weeks to complete the work, but we do two other units during that time. I try to give at least three days a week for either reading or writing. They still must do some reading at home. By taking up each journal entry every two weeks, the students stay on track better. Everything else comes in the week before final exams, so I can get it graded before senior exemption sheets go out. We spend several days toward the end in group discussion--sometimes with all readers of the same novel grouped together, others with a heterogeneous grouping to compare books. Then we have a couple of days after all the work has been turned in where we just hash out the concept of utopia/dystopia, talk about the books, and discuss some of the articles. This is my favorite unit to teach because it is so student-directed, and we have such deep discussions. Brenda Kukla bgkbear@aol.com ****************************************** NOVEL UNIT This six weeks we will study a unit on Utopia/Dystopia. Students will choose one novel from a list provided and work with others who have chosen the same novel. In all cases except Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World, students must provide their own books. These may be purchased, borrowed, or checked out of a library. I am including a brief synopsis of each novel to enable wise decision making in choosing which novel to read. The novels are of varying length; however, one should remember that length is not always relevant to understanding and/or enjoyment. The novels are also varied in plot structure and characterization, as well as the way in which the topic of utopia or dystopia is developed. Some are modern; others are older. Some are classics; others are too new to be considered classics at this time but may become classics in the future. I must have a parent signature for whichever novel is chosen. THE LIST: Creed for the Third Millennium, Colleen McCullough What will life be like in the future, after the glaciers have shifted southward and the entire Northern Hemisphere is frozen? Who will lead the people? Where will the people go? What new laws must be enacted? What role will the government play? What will happen to individual rights? This book addresses those issues. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley Written in the 1930s, this grim view of a plastic world, in which science and technology condition the people to passivity, is a warning against false optimism and the dangers inherent in scientific progress. Huxley got it; man's obsession with material goods and movement away from moral and spiritual values leads to a dystopian society. The book is a warning of where our society could be headed. Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury The title is drawn from the temperature at which paper catches fire, and the novel is set in a Dystopia where all books are banned. The protagonist is a fireman whose primary duty is to burn books and punish book readers and owners. Eventually, he rebels, joins an underground of book lovers and surrenders to his own literary desires, but leaves his known world behind. What would it be like to live in a world where we not only didn't have to read, but actually were not allowed to read? The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood Atwood's novel fits into the dytstopian genre with its bleak depiction of a near-future in the republic of Gilead set in the "post-catastrophe" United States. The protagonist lives in this world which enforces a rigid distinction of gender roles through brutal suppression of dissent. The world of Gilead is threatened with physical destruction by a slow process of environmental collapse, precipitated by nuclear plant accidents and chemical hazards. Women in the novel are strictly confined to domestic spaces of food preparation and sexual reproduction. The Guardians with their machine guns at the ready insure that women play their roles. Those women who sought to maintain their pre-catastrophe abilities to read, write, and participate in the public sphere were rounded up and sent to "colonies" or simply killed. This is the story of one Handmaid in a world in which women are merely natural resources. NOTE: THIS NOVEL DOES CONTAIN GRAPHIC SEXUAL CONTENT. The Giver, Lois Lowry Jonas' world: No violence, no pain, no starvation--such a utopia may appear to be a paradise at a glance; however, closely investigated, it is nothing more than a collage of harsh and bitter realities of death and control under which its operation is attained. This book should open the reader's eyes to the rights people have and rights which have already been taken away. Beware the book's deceptively easy reading level! 1984, George Orwell This novel, written in 1949, depicts a robot-like society, controlled by Big Brother, which is unable to think or act without permission. When 1984 came and went, there was a small groundswell of relief and a number of comments in the news to the effect that "it was only fiction." However, many people are still trying to alert the country to the dangers of current and future restructuring within the government and the social culture. This book details yet another "rebel" who wants to change, or at least to escape, the system. The novel I have chosen to read is _______________________________________________. Check one: _________I will provide my own copy of the novel. _________I will need a copy of the novel (F451 and BNW only) provided for me. I give permission for my son/daughter to read the novel listed above. I am aware of the basic content of each novel and approve the selection. _____________________________________________(Parent Signature) I am aware that, once I have turned in this form, I will not be allowed to change novels. _____________________________________________(Student Signature) UTOPIAN/DYSTOPIAN LITERATURE UNIT INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Choose your novel and turn in the signed permission form. 2. Begin the journal activities. I will take up one section at the end of each two-week period; therefore, it is important for you to stay on track with your reading and journal activities. This counts as 150 points (50 pts per entry). 3. Once you have read at least half the novel, begin reading the articles in the file for that novel. These are articles I have culled from various sources and relate either directly or indirectly to the general topic of utopia/dystopia or to your particular novel. You must read at least three (3) articles from the general utopia/dystopia folder. The remaining seven (7) may be from your novel's folder or from one of the other folders if you can relate the article to your novel. REMEMBER: YOU MUST READ A TOTAL OF10 ARTICLES. For each article, write a brief (half page) summary. Then write a minimum of 150 words in response to the article. You should be able to relate the article in some way to your novel or to our present (future?) society in your response. The response should reflect an understanding of the concept of utopia/dystopia, content of the article, and theme/plot of your novel. This counts as 100 points. 4. Choose one of the essays after you have completed your novel. This counts 100 points. 5. Choose one of the follow-up activities after you have completed your novel. This counts as 50 points. JOURNAL ACTIVITIES (DO ALL THREE) On the cover page of each entry include the following information: Your name, the title of your novel, the date, number of pages covered in the entry, entry # Note: Use these questions as a guide: I don't want you to just go down the list of questions and answer them. Consider all these things; however, as you write your entry. Each entry must be more than 250 words. 1.Entry One: This entry considers the first third of the novel. Consider these questions: Why did you select this novel? What information did you need to know before reading the novel? What has happened before the novel began? How do you think this novel is going to fit the theme of utopia/dystopia? What's going on at the beginning of the story? Who's telling the story? Why that narrator instead of someone else? What is the setting (time, place, atmosphere) of the novel? Is the setting important or could the novel be happening anywhere, at any time? Explain. What is the initial problem faced by the main character? How does the author get you to read on or hold your interest? What do you think is going to happen in the second third of the novel? 2.Entry Two: This entry covers the middle third of the novel. Consider these questions: What new things are added to the original problem as the novel progresses? What plot twists or unexpected events happen as the novel progresses? Do you see the setting of your novel as a utopia or a dystopia so far? Why do you feel that? Are there any "rebels" in your novel who oppose that society? Who are they? What do they think and do? Do you think their actions will be successful? Comment on the style of the novel. Is it easy or hard to follow the events? Is the language in the novel difficult or easy? To what age group do you think the novel is best suited? Why? Is there a message or main theme emerging in the book? How is it shown? Describe any new characters that have been introduced since Entry One. What is their purpose? What predictions, if any, can you make as to the outcome of the novel at this point? Do you see any similarities between our society and the society in your novel? Explain. 3.Entry Three: This entry covers the final third of the novel. Consider these questions? What is the climax of the novel? How are the major and minor conflicts resolved? What were the major things which helped to resolve the plot? What message did you get from the novel? How was this message conveyed? How realistic is the novel? Could that society exist? Now that you have completed the novel, how does it relate to utopia/dystopia? Why would you (or why wouldn't you) recommend this novel to a friend or another student? POST-READING ESSAYS--CHOOSE ONE, MINIMUM 300 WORDS: 1.Essay One: Write a short plot summary of your novel. Include information such as where and when the story happens, who is telling the story and whether or not you enjoyed the plot and your reasons. Relate the plot to the topic of utopia/dystopia. Is this novel a good example of utopian/dystopian literature? Explain. 2.Essay Two: Choose one important character in the novel and write a character analysis which includes: appearance, actions, ideas (what the character thinks), manner (how the character acts), reactions of others to the character, and feelings of the character throughout the course of the novel. Do the character's feelings/ideals change? Why is he/she important to the novel? Would you like this character? Explain Would you like to be this character? Explain. How well does/would your character fit into a utopian society? ...a dystopian society? ...our society? 3.Essay Three: What message did you get from this book? For whom was the novel written? What point was the author making about utopian/dystopian societies? Do you think the author was successful in getting the message across? Why? What were the good and bad points about this novel? How realistic is this novel so far as its use of the utopian/dystopian concept? Make any additional comments you'd like reflecting your reaction to the novel as a whole and its relationship to both our society today and utopia/dystopia. FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES--CHOOSE ONE: 1. Find a movie which deals with a similar theme or subject and write a review if it, explaining why it is like your novel. 2.Do a review of another novel with the same theme or subject, especially one from the class list, and write a review of it comparing/contrasting it to your novel. Around 300 words. 3.Write a short story based upon the same theme, subject or characters as the novel that you read. Around 500 words. 4.Find a song or poem, one of each, or several songs and poems that relate to the theme or subject of your novel. Write out the words/lyrics and then explain how it or they relate to your novel. Or you could write your own song or poem and then explain it. 5.Interview one of the characters and then write out your interview. Do not use the question/answer format; use feature article technique. Pretend you are a writer for U S News and World Report or Time. Don't make this a fluff piece, a la People. Around 300 words. 6.Write a newspaper story about one of the incidents from your novel. Since this will be a news story, put the who, what, where, when, why and how in the first paragraph. Then give details in succeeding paragraphs. Remember, NO OPINION, just the facts. You may include "quotes" from other characters if you wish. Include a photo or two. Don't forget the headline. Between 250-350 words. 7.Write a brief autobiographical article as one of the characters. Use first person. You may have to draw some inferences about family or cultural background. Base your work on information given directly or indirectly in the novel. Between 250-300 words.