Right after winter vacation are class was put to the task of learning about the difference between a utopia and a dystopia. This study was very interesting and actually one of the more enlightening discussion i’ve had in PLP. It was very interesting to point out that a utopia can only be a utopia without people, but once people are put into the mix it kinda becomes well… a dystopia. 1984 is a dystopian novel, in fact it’s a really good one definitely worth a read. If you don’t know much about the novel here you go.
BackGround Info
Ever since the dawn of mankind there has been fear. In some cases fer is what drives people to do a lot of the things they do. 1984 is a book that was made just after World War II was over, and was really the start of the Cold War. American people were scared that communism would take over and 1984 played to those fears. Winston Smith a charter in the book wrestles with oppression in Oceania, a place where Big Brother is always watching over you. Winston Decides deys against the group in his diary:in this dairy he talks about all the things he dislikes about Big Brother. Big Brother is a very controlling party almost like an totalitarian government. Another Character in 1984 is Syme, he is a very intelligent man. Syme is put to the task of creating a dictionary type thing called Newspeak. In New Speak they would remove old words so that everyone would get dumber over time and none would be smarter than Big Brother.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvHnGF6RNho
To make such a video we made to cut out a human sized person and draw a character of 1984. We animated his brain to show how he is an intellectual anddoes a lot of thinking. But before that we had to choose our character but before that we had to break down a character into a poem.
The poem kinda looked like this.
But in our case it was about syme.
The whole point of this assignment was to create almost a symbol of a character through a life size portrait made of paper. I’m going to break down what all these drawings mean so pay attention.
The Break Down
- The Duct Tape Around His Mouth
This represents his dilotting the dictionary, and his lack of ability to speak out about it.
“The smallest thing could give you away.’
- The Pen
The pen and paper in his hands represents his work in the Ministry of Truth.
- The T.V screen.
This represents the connection to Big Brother and over all his faith.
“It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen”
- The Chains Weighing Him Down
This symbolizes himself being held down by Big Brother because he is unable to share his intellect.
- New Speak
This represents the 11th edition of the Newspeak dictionary.
“… you see… the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought… every concept that can ever be needed will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten.”
1984 was a very interesting book. I find it really cool how sales have spiked up on this book right when Donald Trump was elected. Anyways like I said it was a good book. I found it investing but i’m glad it is over because it was a long read.