Power and Resistance

Objective

Students will deepen their critical analysis of George Orwell’s 1984 through essay question evaluation and creative coding, developing skills in text analysis, reasoning, and synthesis aligned with Common Core State Standards for 11th-grade English Language Arts.

Standards

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.1: Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.2: Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development; provide an objective summary of the text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1: Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions, conveying clear ideas; build on others’ ideas.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.11-12.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grades 11–12 reading and content.

Materials

Copies of 1984 excerpts (or students’ own copies)
Whiteboard or smartboard
Notebooks or digital devices for writing
Decoding handout (Hunger Games cipher and key)

Lesson Outline (90 minutes)

1. Warm-up: Cipher Decoding (15 minutes)

Activity: Students will decipher a one-line encoded message inspired by The Hunger Games to sharpen problem-solving and engage creative thinking before deep literary analysis.

Code: Caesar cipher with key +3 (shift letters forward by 3)
Message to decode:
Wklv lv brxuhvwhg phvvdjh
After decoding the message, students discuss what the message means and relate it conceptually to themes of control and secrecy (ties to 1984).

Answer: “This is your vested message.”

Why this works: Introduces cryptography contextually relevant to themes of control and surveillance in 1984. Engages curiosity.

2. Group Discussion: Themes and Symbols in 1984 (20 minutes)

Prompt: What are the central themes Orwell conveys? (e.g., surveillance, totalitarianism, reality control)
Students discuss with a peer and then share with class, focusing on citing evidence (CCSS R.L.11-12.1 & 2).
Teacher records key points on board to use for essay writing reference.

Focus: Establishing textual evidence and thematic understanding.

3. Essay Question Presentation and Exploration (25 minutes)

Distribute and preview the 5 essay questions to guide student writing practice and analytic thinking. Students choose one to start outlining ideas for a future essay.

Essay Questions:

How does Orwell use the concept of language—specifically Newspeak—to illustrate power and control in 1984? Provide textual examples to support your answer.
Analyze Winston Smith’s character as a symbol of resistance. How does Orwell develop this throughout the novel?
Explore the role of technology and surveillance in 1984. How does it affect the relationships between characters and the broader society?
Discuss the significance of memory and history in the novel. How does the Party manipulate the past to exercise control?
What is the role of fear and propaganda in maintaining the Party’s power? Use examples from the novel to analyze Orwell’s message about political authority.

4. Quiet Work: Essay Outline Creation (20 minutes)

Students individually select one essay question.
They draft a detailed outline: thesis statement, three supporting arguments with textual evidence, and a brief conclusion.
Teacher circulates and provides feedback prioritizing depth of analysis and text-based evidence.

5. Collaborative Wrap-Up and Reflection (10 minutes)

Pair up and share outlines.
Each pair provides constructive feedback focusing on cohesion and evidence support.
Volunteers share insights or challenges, fostering class discussion (CCSS SL.11-12.1).

Assessment

Formative: Participation in decoding activity and discussions.
Summative: Quality and completeness of essay outline showing alignment to Common Core writing standards (W.11-12.1).

Extensions / Homework

Write a full essay based on the outline created.
Optional: Research real-world examples of surveillance states or language manipulation and prepare a brief presentation aligning with 1984 themes.

This lesson combines critical literary analysis with innovative engagement using decoding to thematically connect The Hunger Games and 1984, enhancing students’ textual reasoning and writing skills per Common Core benchmarks.

Teaching Instructions