May 27th, 2020
Fiona Feng, Pd. 9
Sophomore 2020
Aim: How does the setting of the novel contribute to the mood and tone of 1984?
Do Now: TURN & TALK
Consider your knowledge of Oceania thus far. What words, which provide “tone” might you use to describe Oceania (create a list)? Explain your word choices.
- Dystopian→ ominous theme
- Subdued→ even though some people might have things to say, they’re monitored so heavily by Oceania that they can’t speak out
- Bleak→ they’re forced to think a certain way and go through the same routine everyday with little to no free will
- Controlling→ the thoughts of the people are limited by the system of Oceania, and documents that go against this system are erased
What is TONE & MOOD?
TONE: Think of TONE as demonstrating how the SPEAKER feels.
MOOD: Think of MOOD as how the READER feels.
***The speaker is not always the author; it can be a narrator.
CLASS DISCUSSION
***The speaker is not always the author; it can be a narrator.
CLASS DISCUSSION
How would you compare Winston’s tone to the reader’s mood?
Winston is more pessimistic and always looks around to the people thinking about who will be vaporized and who is a spy. He always talks about his eventual death for committing these thought crimes and has no hope for the future. This influences the reader’s mood and also makes us think in this negative way.
How does his tone compare to the rest of Oceania?
The rest of Oceania don’t show any signs that they are against the system of Oceania. They accept it and are rather supportive of the way they’re living. They seem happy and joyous not knowing any better. Winston doesn’t follow this kind of view. He’s different from the rest, having thoughts that go against the system and is generally very gloomy. The rest of Oceania don’t know of any other world that’s better.
What is SETTING?
SETTING: Is the time, place, physical details and circumstances in which a story occurs. They include the background, atmosphere, or environment in which characters live and move, and usu. include physical characteristics of the surroundings.
CLASS DISCUSSION
1) Why is SETTING important?
It’s so important because it can help establish the mood and tone of the story. It establishes the atmosphere and shows how the character’s actions can differ depending on the setting they’re in.
2) How does it contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole?
Setting contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole because it establishes the tone and time of the entire story.
Vocabulary:
Pal/imp/sest (N) (the p after the m is silent): A manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain.
How does Palimpsest impact the past (history) and how does the government benefit in the future due to its implementation?
Withers was completely eradicated from history and replaced with Ogilvy, someone that Winston completely made up. The character he made represents the ideal person working under this system. The Ministry of Truth is constantly changing records of the past and rewriting history to make it seem like the government is the only right opinion. They’re changing the past to make room for the government’s future by not allowing for the people of Oceania to compare their current life to the system of the past.
“The Eleventh Edition is the definitive edition, he said.” “We’re getting the language into its final shape—the shape it’s going to have when nobody speaks anything else. When we’ve finished with it, people like you will have to learn it all over again. You think, I dare say, that our chief job is inventing new words. But not a bit of it! We’re destroying words—scores of them, hundreds of them, every day. We’re cutting the language down to the bone. The Eleventh Edition won’t contain a single word that will become obsolete before the year 2050.”
He bit hungrily into his bread and swallowed a couple of mouthfuls, then continued speaking, with a sort of pedant’s passion. His thin dark face had become animated, his eyes had lost their mocking expression and grown almost dreamy.
‘”It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.”
Syme Discussion: What are your thoughts about him? What stands out? Literary Device(s) associated with him?
- This Foreshadows Syme being vaporized; he shows his passion for destroying these words, however, the thoughts he’s excited about will be obliterated once he’s done with his job
- Ironic
Dark Haired Girl Discussion
What are your thoughts about her?
I think that he’s on Winston’s side because if she was really a spy, she wouldn't have allowed him to roam around freely.
How does Winston feel about her?
Winston feels like she’s a spy watching over him. He’s suspicious of her and doesn’t trust her actions.
Quarantine Questions:
1) What is it like working from home?
Working from home is a little difficult. You can get distracted by your family and you make yourself more available to other distractions. My sleep schedule has been inconsistent and I plan to wake up at a more reasonable time. I feel like I’m not doing anything important and I feel like I should be doing more. I wish I was back at school because I’m in that mindset to work, but when you’re at home, you’re forced to work in your one place of comfort.
2) Write about your thoughts regarding the reading.
During middle school, I had read the book in 8th grade. Reading the book now, with a more mature mindset and guidance from the lessons, it makes me think differently about the book. I notice more about the hidden messages of the book that I hadn’t when I was younger. I think it will be a good experience for me to relearn the themes of the book.
3) Your own personal feelings about what’s happening now.
During Memorial Day, multiple people came out and celebrated the holiday. I thought that it was stupid. There’s a better way in celebrating Memorial Day through virtual contact. Crowding into small areas with other people is not a good idea. I understand that a lot of people just want to go back to their old way of living, but everyone is going through the same thing. You can’t endanger the lives of others for your own selfish reasons. I just think if we were more prepared, we wouldn’t be stuck in this pandemic.
Reflection:
Today I learned about the importance of tone and mood, and how it can affect the story and the way you view it. The tone of the story is very important in establishing the story that the author is trying to tell. In 1984, Winston’s tone is very pessimistic and since the book is from his perspective, it in turn affects our mood, the READER’s mood. We think similarly to the character and also view the world he’s in with a negative light. We start to think about Oceania in his eyes. This is in contrast to the other characters of the story. The people of Oceania are rather accepting of the lifestyle they have and don't question the system they’re under. If this was told from their perspective, we might have a different view of the world with a more positive outlook. The reason for their way of thinking is because, unlike Winston, they don’t have a point of reference to compare their current government to. They aren’t aware of a better way of living; “Ignorance is Bliss.” This goes into the manipulation of records of the past that is present in the book. The Ministry of Truth manipulates documents of the past and replaces it with other things to eliminate any sign of a different system other than theirs. It doesn’t allow for the people of Oceania to think of a different system. It starves their thoughts from anything that deviates from their current government. This is important because it shows us that the thoughts of a person can easily be swayed to one opinion depending on how the story is told and how information is destroyed. It limits free thinking. This is like how the story is told. We’re only seeing Winston's perspective of life and it doesn't give us much hope. This limits our possibilities of the world. This is mirrored in the way the people of Oceania are limited. They’re only taught about one way without any reference to compare it to, limiting their thoughts about the world. Knowing this, it makes you curious about all of the possibilities. Your thoughts can only be limited to some extent. Your mind can be trapped by your environment and the system you live in. BUT, in some cases, you can deviate from this and have your own opinions about the matters at hand, just as Winston has done. From what I learned from this lesson, I will be more aware about my thoughts on certain subjects. I’ll open myself to the other possibilities and not limit my thoughts to one singular path. Keeping my mind open can bring myself to a higher level of understanding. I can use this to allow myself to experience the world in my own eyes.
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