Sarah A. Silva
English 112B
Unit Lesson
November 29, 2006
Utopian Literature:
An Agent of Change
The past and the present are by no doubt great indicators of the future. Even the briefest study in history can explain and therefore create an understanding of the current state of our society. Unfortunately, our leaders do not always learn from history and so mistakes are repeated and as a result society suffers. This is not to imply that the errors of society can never be improved and that our future is doomed. Rather, an awareness of history and current events should provide insight into the nature of humanity and our social dynamics to allow for improvement. For this reason Utopian literature is an excellent source to enable students to make the connections between the past, present, and future.
Most authors of Utopian literature create their works out of distaste for contemporary society, and through their works attempt to alert readers to the �ailments� of the world. One striking similarity between most Utopian works is that they withstand the test of time, proving that the essence of humanity is permanent regardless of the world�s ever changing environment. For example, even though Aldous Huxley wrote A Brave New World in 1932, its core topics and issues, such as cloning and mass production/consumerism are still socially relevant, if not more so now, thus proving that the past dictates the future. Another key aspect of Utopian literature is the fact that a perfect society may be unattainable as a result of the dualities of human nature, yet it is indeed no excuse for humanity to simply give up or continue to perpetuate an existence that is inorganic to the positives of human nature. In addition, utopias are related to fantasy because the worlds in which they exist are imaginary and ideal. Imagination is a significant element in the advancement of progress. If a better way cannot be imagined, it cannot be realized. Through teaching Utopian literature teachers should emphasize the need to be aware of current events and alert students to the dilemmas of society in hopes that they will become enlightened, thus allowing them to imagine a more optimistic future and therefore effect change.
The following unit plan is designed to exemplify the aforementioned ideas and concepts to students. The primary text will be Aldous Huxley�s A Brave New World. Huxley�s book is set in a society in which human nature has been tampered with in the sense that free will and an organic lifestyle are shunned. Humans are cloned according to a caste system so that their level of intelligence is equal to the demands of their job. Moreover, promiscuity is advocated for because emotions and intimacy can lead to pain. The overall goal of the society is to prevent dissatisfaction or discomfort and therefore instability.
The
unit will also be paired with works that discuss past and current events so
that students understand the correlation and have a better understanding of the
topics in the book and their real life relevancy.
Launching the Unit:
Students will listen to Imagine- by John Lennon. A discussion regarding the meaning and tone of the song will follow. Also, the historical events of the time in which the song was written should be discussed (Vietnam War). Discussion will also include what constitutes a perfect world and the meaning of the word �Utopia.�
Imagine
-John Lennon
Imagine
there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world
You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
Extending the Unit:
Prior to reading A Brave New World: Students will read __________, �The Unknown Citizen.� by W.H. Auden
Teacher and students will analyze poem line by line. Then students will form into discussion groups to answer the following questions:
Who do you think the speaker is?
How do you think the speaker feels about the Unknown Citizen? Why?
Is the Unknown Citizen a good member of his society? Why or why not?
Is there anyone in your life or that you know of who fits the description of the Unknown Citizen?
What constitutes freedom? What constitutes happiness? Do you think the Unknown Citizen felt free? Do you think he was happy? Why or why not?
What do you think the meaning of the line in parentheses means?
Why is the poem titled ________, �The Unknown Citizen�, and what does this title say about the society in which the Unknown Citizen lives?
_____________,
The Unknown Citizen
by W.H. Auden
(To
JS/07/M/378 This Marble Monument Is Erected by the State)
He
was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be
One
against whom there was no official complaint,
And
all the reports on his conduct agree
That,
in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint,
For
in everything he did he served the Greater Community.
Except
for the War till the day he retired
He
worked in a factory and never got fired,
But
satisfied his employers, Fudge Motors Inc.
Yet
he wasn't a scab or odd in his views,
For
his Union reports that he paid his dues,
(Our
report on his Union shows it was sound)
And
our Social Psychology workers found
That
he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.
The
Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day
And
that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.
Policies
taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured,
And
his Health-cared shows he was once in hospital but left it cured.
Both
Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare
He
was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan
And
had everything necessary to the Modern Man,
A
phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.
Our
researchers into public Opinion are content
That
he held the proper opinions for the time of year;
When
there was peace, he was for peace; when there was war, he went.
He
was married and added five children to the population,
Which
our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation,
And
our teachers report that he never interfered with their education.
Was
he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd:
Had
anything been wrong, we should certainly have heard.
Simultaneous to the reading of A Brave New World
1. Have students read articles, or visit websites in which the topic is relative to an aspect of the society in the book.
Some articles and websites are:
"Amusing Ourselves to Death"
Postman, Neil. Et cetera: A Review of General Semantics 42:1 (1985): 13-18.
Postman writes a stunning and frightening article regarding the loss of
humanity when a culture chooses pleasure before freedom, connecting the idea
with the widespread television epidemic (summary take from
http://english/byu.edu).
�The Relevance of Brave New World�
Adams, Robert M. "The Relevance of Brave New World." Censored
Books, Critical Viewpoints. London: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1993. 130-135.
Gives a great overview of the major themes in the novel. Adams looks into the
possibly objectionable elements (drug use, immorality, promiscuity, planned
society) and explains the importance of studying them. He also examines the
1934 publishing date and compares Huxley's view of society to today's society
(summary taken http://english/byu.edu).
�Henry Ford�
Iacocca, Lee. �Henry Ford� (cover story) Time, 12/07/1998, vol 152 Issue 23, p76, 4p, 2c, 6bs; San Jose Public Library
Article discusses Henry Ford�s contribution to the Industrial Revolution through the creation of the Model T. Ford�s use of the assembly-line accelerated the Industrial Revolution through mass-production and consumption, thus helping to create a middle class.
�As Consumerism Spreads, Earth Suffers, Study Says�
Mayell, Hillary �As Consumerism Spreads, Earth Suffers, Study Says� National Geographic News, www.nationalgeographic.com, 1/12/2004
Over-consumption by the US now combined with that of the developing nations is creating an epidemic of environmental and health issues.
Cloning Fact Sheet
http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml
This is an excellent site for both teachers and students. It provides an introduction to cloning along with basic information, ethical, legal, and social issues, educational resources for teachers, and publications relevant to cloning.
2. At the end of every 4 chapters, students gather into the same groups and compete in a Q&A contest. The questions will be created using Bloom�s Taxonomy of Higher Level Thinking approach. The team with the most points at the end of every game will win a prize, or extra credit points.
Examples of questions are:
What is the highest in the class or ranking order in the society of A Brave New World?
How does the intelligence of the character compare to their actual job? Does their intelligence match their capabilities?
How does the society feel about monogamy and why do they feel that way?
3. Students should write a journal entry after every 2-4 chapters in which they discuss their reactions to the characters, events, and setting. Students should also write what they think will happen next and what they want to happen next.
4. Read a short story that parallels in theme and have students write a compare/contrast journal entry on the society of the short story and that of the book. Some short stories that are parallel in theme are:
�Harrison Bergeron�
Vonnegut, Kurt. "Harrison
Bergeron.� Welcome to the Monkey House: A Collection of Short Works. New
York: Delta Trade Paperbacks, 1998. Harrison lives in a world in which everyone
is equal, but Harrison suffers for displaying his individuality.
�The Ones Who Walk Away from
Omelas�
Le Guin, Ursula K. �The Ones Who
Walk Away from Omelas� The Winds Twelve Quarters: Short Stories. New
York: Harper and Row, 1975. This utopian society�s happiness is dependent upon the
suffering of one boy who is locked in a basement.
5. One class session should be dedicated to the comprehension of the following:
- Genre and Literary Devices used in the book, i.e. irony, allegory, satire, parable
- Social and economic structures, different caste systems, i.e. Feudalism, Capitalism, Socialism
Students will learn the definition of each aforementioned topic, and then teacher and students make note of the areas in the book in which the literary devices are used, and the social and economic structures are described.
Concluding the Lesson:
- Pair with The Giver by Louis Lowry which is a story about a boy named Jonas who turns twelve and is thus assigned the duty of Receiver of Memory, the most crucial role in maintaining the society of Sameness in which he lives. It is through his experience as the Receiver that Jonas learns of a life full of expression and individuality, but most importantly, what is to be human.
o Pre-write: Teacher and students create compare/contrast chart, or venn-diagram simultaneously with discussion. Afterwards students write a comparison essay between the two societies and the thematic emphasis of each book.
- Students write a short story or descriptive essay about their idea of a utopia. Include: government, social structure (morals, values, behavior), and economy. Students can and should create illustrations to go along with their short story or descriptive essay. Projects can be shared as presentations.
- Students write an expository essay on one of the following topics:
o Can freedom be achieved with government involvement or control?
o Why are both individuality and conformity important in any society? Is one more important than the other?
o When should a person stand up for what they believe is right? What would happen if no one ever stood up for their beliefs?
o How does mass production and consumerism affect individuality in society?
Works Cited
Adams, Robert M. �The Relevance of Brave New World.� Censored Books, Critical Viewpoints. London: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 1993. 130-135.
Crabtree, Jeramie and Ruth Palmer. Aldous Huxley A Brave New World. 1998. San Diego County Office of Education and Bringham Young University. Viewed 24 November 2006
< http://english.byu.edu/novelinks/Novel%20pages/Brave%20New%20World.htm>
Huxley, Aldous. A Brave New World .New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1996.
Iacocca, Lee. �Henry Ford� Time, 152.23 (07 December 1998): p76, 4p, 2c, 6bs; San Jose Public Library
Le Guin, Ursula K. �The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas� The Winds Twelve Quarters: Short Stories. New York: Harper and Row, 1975.
Lowry, Lois. The Giver. New York: Laurel Leaf Books, 2002.
Mayell, Hillary �As Consumerism Spreads, Earth Suffers, Study Says� www.nationalgeographic.com. 12 January 2004. National Geographic. Viewed 26 November 2006 <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/01/0111_040112_consumerism.html>
�Cloning Fact Sheet� Human Genome Project Information. 29 August 2006. US Department of Energy Office of Science, Office of Biological and Environmental Reasearch. Viewed 26 November 2006 <http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/elsi/cloning.shtml>
Vonnegut, Kurt. "Harrison Bergeron. Welcome to the Monkey House: A Collection of Short Works. New York: Delta Trade Paperbacks, 1998.