Lesson 9

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

• Mentor Sentence Journal

• Vocabulary Journal

Question Sets

• 1984: Research Guide

• 1984: Section 3 Question Set

Editable Google Docs

• Mentor Sentence Journal

• 1984: Research Guide

• 1984: Section 3 Question Set

• Vocabulary Journal

Activity 1: Read – Discuss – Write

We will meet with our literature circles to discuss chapter 9 from part 2 of 1984.

Meet with your literature circle to discuss Chapter 9 from Part 2 of 1984. Begin the discussion by responding to the following question:

1. Is Chapter 9 effective in communicating Orwell’s message? Why or why not?

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 word choice in part 2, chapter 9.

Reread the first two sentences from Part 2, Chapter 9:

Winston was gelatinous with fatigue. Gelatinous was the right word. It had come into his head spontaneously. His body seemed to have not only the weakness of jelly, but its translucency. (p. 179)

As a writer, Orwell is very particular about word choice. Writers use strategic word choice to create effects for meaning, mood, and tone.

Discuss the following questions with your literature circle:

1. What connotation does gelatinous have?

2. Why is the word gelatinous more precise for this situation than similar words?

3. How does using the most precise word help you, the reader, understand the message Orwell is conveying?

As you write your narrative story, be sure to use precise word choice in order to convey the most vivid depiction of the setting, the most authentic descriptions of the characters, and the most precise mood.

Activity 3: Read – Discuss – Write

We will examine Orwell’s use of ellipses in two sentences from part 2, chapter 9.

Read these excerpts from Part 2, Chapter 9:

The aims of these groups are entirely irreconcilable…

Winston stopped reading, chiefly in order to appreciate the fact that he was reading, in comfort and safety. (p. 184)

But deeper than this lies the original motive, the never-questioned instinct that first led to the seizure of power and brought doublethink, the Thought Police, continuous warfare, and all the other necessary paraphernalia into existence afterwards. The motive really consists…

Winston became aware of silence, as one becomes aware of a new sound. It seemed to him that Julia had been very still for some time past. (p. 217)

What do the excerpts have in common? They both use an ellipsis (…). Ellipses can be used for multiple purposes, including the following:

• to indicate the omission of words, phrases, or sentences

• to express thoughts trailing off

• to express hesitation

• to create suspense

Reread the first excerpt and discuss the following questions as a class:

1. What is the purpose of the ellipsis in the first excerpt? What effect did Orwell want to create?

2. What is the purpose of the ellipsis in the second excerpt? What effect did Orwell want to create?

Now think about your narrative story. Where might you use an ellipsis for dramatic effect? Write down the relevant sentence in your Mentor Sentence Journal as a reminder to use an ellipsis in that instance.

Activity 4: Read – Discuss – Write

We will read and annotate chapter 10 from part 2 of 1984 and prepare for the next lesson’s literature circle.

Read and annotate Chapter 10 from Part 2 of 1984. Use the following questions to guide your annotations:

1. How does the mood abruptly shift in this chapter?

2. What pieces of foreshadowing hinted at this outcome? What specific evidence do you find in the text?

3. What do you predict will happen to Julia and Winston in Part 3 of the novel?

Select one passage from the chapter that you found significant and select 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 – Write

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

For the Section 3 Diagnostic, you will 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 all 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 or 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 that your goal as a narrative writer is to show, not tell.

Continue drafting your vignette. Be sure to use at least one word from your Vocabulary Journal in your vignette. Be sure to try out at least one writing technique that you wrote down in your Mentor Sentence Journal.