The Power of Language in Revolutions
Lesson Overview
This lesson approaches revolutions from a linguistic standpoint and inquires on the power, limitations, and role of language in revolutions.
Content Standard(s) Addressed
(Common Core)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.1.A
Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes contested.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.3
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Measureable Objective Based on Content Standard(s)
Students will be able to explain the impact of Big Brother’s insistence to simplify the language by selecting Newspeak vocabulary and presenting to the class how, and to what, that specific vocabulary shifts the semantic meaning.
Essential Question(s)
How is language used to support or inhibit the success of revolutions?
Prior Knowledge
Basic Newspeak principles and rules
Standard American English grammar
Plot arch of 1984
Link to 21st Century Skills
Because of the internet, language is evolving more rapidly than it ever has. No longer can students understand a grammar book and be equipped to operate in the world. With new vocabulary and grammar every day, students should understand the impact that these often abbreviated words have and how to harness the power of the developing language.
Assessment/Accommodation
Formative Assessment
Students will present a specific Newspeak vocabulary word and relay its meaning, impact, and perversion of the English language, and comment on their Newspeak helps or hurts Winston’s cause. Students may also create their own Newspeak as long as it is convincing in the Orwellian universe.
Example: plusgood instead of “fantastic” or “better.” By making goodness revolve around one word (good), it eliminates hundreds of vocabulary words from the English language (awesome, enthralling, outstanding, etc.) thereby reducing the beauty and creativity of the language. Additionally, it reduces the accuracy of language, as many different and varying adjectives are now forced into “plusgood.”
Summative Assessment (attach specific instructions or examples)
Students will write a 5-page essay that analyzes at least five moments of Newspeak and its overall impact on potential revolutions.
Example thesis: In 1984, George Orwell establishes Newspeak as the official dialect to demonstrate that a lack of freedom of expression is ultimately the best inhibitor to revolution.
Lesson Plan
Materials
Large sheets of paper
Markers
Copies of 1984
Bell Ringer/Review Activity
Journal entry: what is your favorite word and why?
Detailed Activities and Procedures:
Activity One: Newspeak Words (20 minutes)
Various Newspeak words/definitions are put on the board, such as:
-equal: Only in the sense of physically equal, like equal height/size, etc. It does not mean socially – politically or economically
-joycamp: forced labor camp
prolefeed: the steady stream of mindless entertainment to distract and occupy the masses
-prefixes, such as un, ante, plus, and doubleplus
Individually, students answer the following questions (10 minutes):
-Why does Big Brother change the meaning of words? What effect might it have?
-Do you think simplifying the language (as with the prefixes) is a good thing? Why or why not?
-Do you think the inaccurate names (joycamp for labor camp) successfully brainwash Oceanians, or is it just a political move?
Students pair up to share their responses (5 minutes)
Class reflection on students’/groups’ answers (5 minutes)
Activity Two: Creative Writing (20 minutes)
Students are provided with a list of Newspeak vocabulary. They then write a short story (in the same universe as 1984 or different), making use of Newspeak in a different, yet influential way.
If students are struggling to start, they can follow this prompt: “One day, you go on family vacation but get lost and get stuck in a town for a night. All of the residents only use Newspeak. Take the reader through your difficulties in checking in the hotel, ordering food, etc.”
Class reflection on what they wrote (5-10 minutes)
Activity Three: Newspeak Presentations Preparation (25 minutes)
Students are assigned a couple Newspeak words (with page numbers), and they must answer the following:
-What does your word mean?
-What is the context of the word – what’s going on in the scene? How is it being used?
-Why is it used? Is it shorter, so more efficient to say? Is it more accurate terminology? Or is it just pure propaganda?
-How does these words help or hurt Winston’s attempted revolution? e.g. it hurts because it brainwashes people even more so he cannot recruit them, or it belittles the Proles who are the only ones capable of a revolution, or using it frustrates citizens, therefore encouraging revolution, etc.
Activity Four: Newspeak Presentations (25 minutes)
-Students present their findings/analysis to the class; each presentation is followed by brief comments/insight from students
Closure
Exit slip: how is language by the government used to prevent revolution?
Alternate Strategies for Re-teaching Material
-Students can create their own Newspeak words, and then other groups can analyze them/guess what they mean
-Students can perform a conversation in Newspeak
-The class can listen to a political speech and analyze real-world Newspeak
References (within this lesson)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Newspeak_words
This lesson approaches revolutions from a linguistic standpoint and inquires on the power, limitations, and role of language in revolutions.
Content Standard(s) Addressed
(Common Core)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.1.A
Apply the understanding that usage is a matter of convention, can change over time, and is sometimes contested.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.3
Apply knowledge of language to understand how language functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening.
Measureable Objective Based on Content Standard(s)
Students will be able to explain the impact of Big Brother’s insistence to simplify the language by selecting Newspeak vocabulary and presenting to the class how, and to what, that specific vocabulary shifts the semantic meaning.
Essential Question(s)
How is language used to support or inhibit the success of revolutions?
Prior Knowledge
Basic Newspeak principles and rules
Standard American English grammar
Plot arch of 1984
Link to 21st Century Skills
Because of the internet, language is evolving more rapidly than it ever has. No longer can students understand a grammar book and be equipped to operate in the world. With new vocabulary and grammar every day, students should understand the impact that these often abbreviated words have and how to harness the power of the developing language.
Assessment/Accommodation
Formative Assessment
Students will present a specific Newspeak vocabulary word and relay its meaning, impact, and perversion of the English language, and comment on their Newspeak helps or hurts Winston’s cause. Students may also create their own Newspeak as long as it is convincing in the Orwellian universe.
Example: plusgood instead of “fantastic” or “better.” By making goodness revolve around one word (good), it eliminates hundreds of vocabulary words from the English language (awesome, enthralling, outstanding, etc.) thereby reducing the beauty and creativity of the language. Additionally, it reduces the accuracy of language, as many different and varying adjectives are now forced into “plusgood.”
Summative Assessment (attach specific instructions or examples)
Students will write a 5-page essay that analyzes at least five moments of Newspeak and its overall impact on potential revolutions.
Example thesis: In 1984, George Orwell establishes Newspeak as the official dialect to demonstrate that a lack of freedom of expression is ultimately the best inhibitor to revolution.
Lesson Plan
Materials
Large sheets of paper
Markers
Copies of 1984
Bell Ringer/Review Activity
Journal entry: what is your favorite word and why?
Detailed Activities and Procedures:
Activity One: Newspeak Words (20 minutes)
Various Newspeak words/definitions are put on the board, such as:
-equal: Only in the sense of physically equal, like equal height/size, etc. It does not mean socially – politically or economically
-joycamp: forced labor camp
prolefeed: the steady stream of mindless entertainment to distract and occupy the masses
-prefixes, such as un, ante, plus, and doubleplus
Individually, students answer the following questions (10 minutes):
-Why does Big Brother change the meaning of words? What effect might it have?
-Do you think simplifying the language (as with the prefixes) is a good thing? Why or why not?
-Do you think the inaccurate names (joycamp for labor camp) successfully brainwash Oceanians, or is it just a political move?
Students pair up to share their responses (5 minutes)
Class reflection on students’/groups’ answers (5 minutes)
Activity Two: Creative Writing (20 minutes)
Students are provided with a list of Newspeak vocabulary. They then write a short story (in the same universe as 1984 or different), making use of Newspeak in a different, yet influential way.
If students are struggling to start, they can follow this prompt: “One day, you go on family vacation but get lost and get stuck in a town for a night. All of the residents only use Newspeak. Take the reader through your difficulties in checking in the hotel, ordering food, etc.”
Class reflection on what they wrote (5-10 minutes)
Activity Three: Newspeak Presentations Preparation (25 minutes)
Students are assigned a couple Newspeak words (with page numbers), and they must answer the following:
-What does your word mean?
-What is the context of the word – what’s going on in the scene? How is it being used?
-Why is it used? Is it shorter, so more efficient to say? Is it more accurate terminology? Or is it just pure propaganda?
-How does these words help or hurt Winston’s attempted revolution? e.g. it hurts because it brainwashes people even more so he cannot recruit them, or it belittles the Proles who are the only ones capable of a revolution, or using it frustrates citizens, therefore encouraging revolution, etc.
Activity Four: Newspeak Presentations (25 minutes)
-Students present their findings/analysis to the class; each presentation is followed by brief comments/insight from students
Closure
Exit slip: how is language by the government used to prevent revolution?
Alternate Strategies for Re-teaching Material
-Students can create their own Newspeak words, and then other groups can analyze them/guess what they mean
-Students can perform a conversation in Newspeak
-The class can listen to a political speech and analyze real-world Newspeak
References (within this lesson)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Newspeak_words