1984 Final Essay

1. 1984 Final Essay Prompt and Examples

2. Prompt • Throughout 1984, Orwell plants both subtle and overt warnings to the reader regarding government control, human rights, technological advancements, freedom vs. security, etc. What is/are Orwell’s overall "warning(s)" to the reader in this novel? What is he trying to teach the reader through this novel?

3. Task • Analyze Parts II and III of 1984 for Orwell’s warning(s) to the reader. • In your analysis, consider: • The significance of the novel’s ending • Orwell’s attitude regarding physical and mental torture (as portrayed through Winston) • The types of government control used throughout the novel • Specific events in the novel that depict this warning • The role of contradictions in the novel • Symbols and motifs woven throughout the novel

4. Note • The strongest essays will look at multiple points of the novel. • Do not try to analyze everything in the novel. Develop your overall argument, create your thesis that includes Orwell’s warning, and find evidence to support it.

5. Essay Set-up • You must include a thesis/claim, four quotes from Parts II and III of 1984 and rich, in-depth analysis. You have complete freedom with the physical set-up of the essay.

6. Chunk Set-up (optional) • 1st Paragraph: • Thesis • 2nd Paragraph: • TS • CX • Evidence • Analysis • Analysis • CX • Evidence • Analysis • Analysis • CS • 3rd Paragraph: • TS • CX • Evidence • Analysis • Analysis • CX • Evidence • Analysis • Analysis • CS

7. Never use “I”, “you”, “we”, “our” (even though this is your interpretation, you may not provide opinions) Always talk about literature in present tense Do not retell the story in your essay (this is not a book report) Keep In Mind As You Write

8. The thesis is the argument you make in your essay • It is NOT a statement of fact or opinion (i.e., “1984 is a book that contains many warnings.”) • Instead, a THESIS argues-and the essay demonstrates-that: • 1. Something in the way 1984 was written • 2. shows us • 3. something about 1984 (at least in part) Thesis Statement (Trick to Creating the BEST Thesis Statements)

9. Thus, as you can see, a good THESIS is made up of three parts: • Part 1: A specific element in the text (an event, an image, a description, a scene, a literary device, etc. • Part 2: An active verb (that links Part 1 and Part 3) • Part 3: The story’s larger idea (the author’s purpose in writing the story; the story’s meaning; the overall message/warning, etc.) Continued…

10. where X (Part 1)= A specific element in the text “reveals” (Part 2)= The active verb that links the specific to the thematic and Y (Part 3)= The story’s larger idea Let’s Look At It Like A Mathematical Equation: “x reveals y”

11. Part 1 (Specific)- Salinger uses the stream of consciousness technique in Catcher in the Rye Part 2 (Verb)- to develop Part 3 (Idea)- the slow decline of Holden’s rational thinking, thus revealing his ultimate predicament. • See, here x reveals y! Example

12. Orwell’s depiction of Winston’s physical torture at the Ministry of Lovereveals the overall message that humans are merely prisoners of our own bodies. Sophocles’ incorporation of dramatic irony and foreshadowing developsOedipus’ hubris, thus reveling his tragic downfall. Examples

13. Let’s Try Action verb • Orwell’s use of the paperweight symbol in 1984,__________ _________________________________________. • Orwell traces Winston’s and Julia’s relationship throughout 1984 to ________________ _____________________________. • Orwell’s use of ____________________ in 1984 _________________ ____________________________. What theme does the symbol lead to? Think bigger picture; theme!

14. TOPIC SENTENCES • Topic sentences must directly connect to your thesis statement and work as the reasons that prove your thesis. • What that means is that you must use the same wording in each of your topic sentences as you use in your thesis.

15. Evidence • Your quote must: • directly support your topic sentence and thesis statement (after choosing it, check if it proves your thesis and topic sentence) • prove your argument (do not use a quote to help clarify the plot) • be quotes taken directly from the novel

16. Continued… • When dealing with “whole novel” essays, you should trace your symbol, events, characters, etc. throughout the novel in order to come up with a thorough look at the overall theme. • Therefore, try not to focus on just one part of the novel; look at where you see repetitions of similar symbols, events, characters, etc. and incorporate evidence of these in your essay.

17. Evidence/Citation Reminder • When you set a quote into the middle of a sentence, you always cite at the end of the sentence not the end of the quote. • Example: “[She took] a crucifix from her neck and offered it to me. I did not know what to do […] I have been taught to regard such things in some measure as idolatrous” Harker noted while thinking about his own adherence to more modern ways of thinking (Stoker 9). My quote ends in the middle of the sentence, but the citation indicates the sentence is complete-not the quote.

18. Analysis Ideas • Look at what message the novel offers to Orwell’s readersand what Orwell is trying to teach us about ourselves and the world around us. • Examine your evidence to reveal the significance of Orwell’s warning or message. • Analyze the evidence for significant diction that helps to convey the warning or message. • Keep asking yourself “why is this significant”?

19. This essay is about • Very • Stuff • Thing • Really • Good • A lot • Personal pronouns (I, my, you, us…) • What else????? Taboo Essay Words

20. Good Luck, Comrades!