Lesson 6

Lesson Goals

Texts

Core

• • 1984, George Orwell, Signet Classics, 1949

• • “Research Tips for Fiction Writers: Where to Find Information and How to Use It Effectively,” Sherryl Clark, The Startup, 2019

Materials

Tools

• 1984: Literature Circle Protocol Handout

Question Sets

• 1984: Research Guide

• 1984: Section 3 Question Set

Editable Google Docs

• 1984: Research Guide

• 1984: Section 3 Question Set

Activity 1: Read – Discuss – Write

We will meet with our literature circles to discuss Chapter 4 of part 2 of 1984.

Meet with your literature circle to discuss Chapter 4 from Part 2 of 1984. Begin the discussion by responding to the following question:

1. After reading this chapter, what more does the reader understand about the symbolism of the glass paperweight with the pink coral inside?

Use your annotations, open-ended questions, and literary analysis to guide the literature discussion circle. Be sure to include evidence from the text in your discussion. Take notes on the interesting ideas of others.

Activity 2: Read – Discuss – Write

We will examine Orwell’s use of inner monologue in two excerpts from part 2, Chapter 4.

Read these excerpts from Part 2, Chapter 4:

Folly, folly, his heart kept saying: conscious, gratuitous, suicidal folly! Of all the crimes that a Party member could commit, this one was the least possible to conceal. (p. 137)

Folly, folly, folly! he thought again It was inconceivable that they could frequent this place for more than a few weeks without being caught. (p. 138)

The excerpts are examples of inner monologue. Discuss the following questions with your literature circle:

1. Who is Winston speaking to? Why?

2. How does Orwell’s use of inner monologue help to develop Winston's character?

3. How does it develop one of the central conflicts of the novel? What textual evidence supports your conclusion?

Think about your narrative story and if one of your characters is going to experience an internal conflict. Jot down a reminder to experiment with the inner monologue in your story.

Activity 3: Read – Discuss – Write

We will examine Orwell’s use of parallel structure in a sentence from part 2, Chapter 4.

Read this sentence from Part 2, Chapter 4:

With one hand in her pocket and a piece of bread and jam in the other, Julia wandered about the room, glancing indifferently at the bookcase, pointing out the best way of repairing the gateleg table, plumping herself down in the ragged armchair to see if it was comfortable, and examining the absurd twelve-hour clock with a sort of tolerant amusement. (p. 145)

What is interesting about the syntax of this sentence? The sentence uses parallel structure. Parallel structure uses the same pattern of words or phrases to show that all elements in the series have equal importance. Effective use of parallel structure can make a sentence more vivid or memorable.

Underline or highlight the phrases in the sentence that demonstrate parallel structure.

Now take a look at two other examples of parallel structure from 1984.

"Who controls the past," ran the Party slogan, "controls the future; who controls the present controls the past." (p. 34)

"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious." (p. 70)

Underline or highlight the phrases in the sentence that demonstrate parallel structure. As a class, discuss the following question:

1. What effect does parallel structure have on the impact of the sentence?

Look back at one of your literary analyses. Is there a place where you used parallel structure effectively? If so, where? Is there a place where you could have used parallel structure to make your writing more effective? If so, revise the sentence to use parallel structure.

Activity 4: Read – Discuss – Write

We will read and annotate chapters 5–6 from part 2 of 1984 and prepare for the next lesson’s literature circle.

Read and annotate Chapters 5-6 from Part 2 of 1984. Use the following questions to guide your annotations:

1. What has happened to Syme?

2. What does Winston discover about Julia’s beliefs in this chapter? What central idea of the novel is reinforced through Julia’s attitude and belief system?

3. What is the nature of Winston and O’Brien’s exchange? What effect does it have on Winson? What effect does it have on you as the reader?

4. What foreshadowing is present in the last lines of Chapter 6? What effect does it have on you as the reader?

Select one passage from the chapter that you found significant. Focus on selecting a passage as a mentor text for one of your selected narrative techniques.

Draft a brief literary analysis of the passage. Be sure to use textual evidence to support your analysis. Be prepared to share your analysis with your literature circle in the next lesson.

Write two open-ended, thought-provoking questions to drive discussion during the literature circle.

Refer to the Literature Circle Protocol Handout for more information on how to write a brief literary analysis and open-ended, thought-provoking questions.

Activity 5: Read – Discuss – Write

We will conduct research to make our vignette more plausible and vivid for the reader.

For the Section 3 Diagnostic, you will need to submit an annotated bibliography with at least six sources. In your annotations, you will make explicit connections to how you plan to use the information in the source in your narrative story. You can do the following:

• build upon the sources you researched for the Section 2 Diagnostic

• build upon the sources your peers researched for the Section 2 Diagnostic

• start fresh and research new sources

Because you will need to stick with the same topic for your vignette and narrative story, you must finalize your research in Section 3.

Use this time to conduct research for your vignette.

Refer to your notes on the text "Research Tips for Fiction Writers: Where to Find Information and How to Use It Effectively" and the 1984 Research Guide for additional guidance.

Activity 6: Write

We will work on drafting a short vignette of our narrative story.

A vignette is a short scene or episode that captures a single moment or a defining detail about an element of the story. Vignettes are mostly descriptive and not plot focused.

For your vignette, choose one to two aspects from your narrative story outline to focus on. Possible ideas include the following:

• using imagery to introduce the setting

• using mystery to create suspense

• introducing the main character through the following:

  • description of the character’s external appearance or actions

  • description of the character’s internal thoughts, feelings, or motivations

  • interactions or dialogue with other characters

  • the character’s expressed thoughts, self-description, comments, or views

  • other characters’ views or descriptions of the character

  • describing the moment the main character discovers something surprising or makes a difficult decision

  • describing a flashback that reveals important background information for the reader

Remember: Your goal as a narrative writer is to "show, don’t tell."

Continue drafting your vignette.