Ian Osorio

17 May 2011

ENGL 112B

Individual Power in Dystopian Societies

Rationale:

In our rapidly changing society, the concept of individual potential and influence is starting to disappear. This harrowing fact is one of the first steps toward a dystopian society - a place where personal freedom and thought is minimized for the "benefit" of mankind as a whole. Many of the futuristic dystopian novels of the last century feature an "everyman" protagonist living within the society. Usually, the protagonist gradually begins to realize that something is wrong with the lifestyle he/she has been a part of for most if not all of their life, and makes an attempt to change or sabotage the powers that be in hopes of a brighter, more free future. This generic outline of the dystopian novel can be seen as a frighteningly accurate metaphor for many of the social movements against the social injustices of the past. For this reason, I find it imperative that high schoolers on the verge of becoming adults read and learn about dystopian literature.

In introducing and teaching dystopian literature to young adults, I find it important to focus on the protagonists and their change from one of the countless mass who lives life unquestioningly to a free-thinking freedom fighter in search of social justice. Every student needs to know that they are not just a small part of a larger demographic, but that they are an individual with their own personal views, opinions, and thoughts on all matters of debate. My goal here is to help produce an ongoing generation of young adults who refuse to be counted among the ignorant and are not afraid to participate in social movements, strikes, and political debates.

Centerpiece Work:

In order to do this, I have chosen George Orwell's seminal novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four as my centerpiece work. The protagonist of the novel, Winston Smith, is a member of the very small middle class of the novel, and works in the Ministry of Truth as an editor of historical documents and photographs. Even though he knows that "Big Brother" is always watching, Smith keeps a secret journal of opposing thoughts toward the "The Party" that he keeps hidden. Eventually he is drawn to what he believes to be a secret revolutionary organization before he is captured and retrained to love his government unquestioningly.

Winston's journey, although ultimately a failed one, is an excellent one for young adults to study. Even though most students will not work for the government like Winston, they can still learn from his experience by taking another look at the news and media that is presented to them. Beyond that, Winston's gradual thirst for knowledge and change is one that students need to be introduced to and I plan to drive this point home with various classroom activities and writing prompts.

Launching the Unit:

To begin the unit, have the students read and listen to the lyrics of The Protomen's "The Will of One" and "Keep Quiet."

The Protomen are an independent rock group that uses a variety of musical styles to produce dystopian concept albums loosely based on the "Mega Man" video game series. In "The Will of One", Megaman is wrestling with the fact that his brother, Protoman, died in an attempt to free mankind from the grip of a robotic regime. His father/creator, Dr. Light, has forbidden him from attempting to continue his brother's fight.

"The Will of One" - The Protomen

Megaman: I have seen this city a thousand times. Through the glass twenty stories high,
I have watched this city burn. If everything that you said is true,
there is no hope someday they will learn. But if I stay here with you, then I will never know the truth

Do not say this is how it has to be.

As I walk through the city streets, these frightened people watching me pass;
there is an evil that holds them here, yet they won't try breaking its grasp.
But if I stay here with you, then I will leave them to their doom

Do not say this is how it has to be.
You do no better than the fools of this burning city.

Megaman stopped. His path through the city had led him to the grave of his brother. Men began to gather below the hilltop where he stood silently, reading the words of his father carved onto the crumbling marker.

Dr. Light: You have heard me tell this story
Many times before you sleep
No matter how dark this City gets...
Even now, there's hope for man

Megaman: Even here it is not safe
Even this grave has been defaced
Someone has written on this stone
In some angry hand

Hope rides alone.
Hope rides alone.
Hope rides alone.

The buildings fly past him now. Megaman rushes towards the east side of the city,
towards the fortress, towards his fate. The rusting metal loudspeakers mounted at intervals on the side of the stone wall are humming, chanting now words to settle the stir created by a new hero. Words to quell a potential uprising. Words to inspire fear. Words to drive back the idea that freedom is within the grasp of one angry mob headed by one unstoppable leader. One perfect Machine.

Megaman: Do not say this is how it has to be
You do no better than the fools of this burning city.

And as I live
There is no evil that will stand
I will finish
What was started: The fight of Protoman

Loudspeaker: We have control
We keep you safe
We are your hope.
We have control
We keep you safe
We are your hope

Human Choir: We have control
We keep you safe
We are your hope

After playing the song in its entirety, have students write responses to the following questions:

1. In the song, mankind is being oppressed by their government/authority figures. Have you ever felt this way? What was your response?

2. Someone has written "Hope rides alone" in graffiti on Protoman's grave. What do you think this phrase means?

3. By the end of the song, Megaman is leading a crowd of protesters around him. Together they are marching toward the fortress where their oppressive leader resides. Can you think of any historical figures who are famous for doing something similar? What was their purpose?

In "Keep Quiet", Joe has been raised in a "perfect" society where robots do all of the work for humans. In spite of this, a series of cameras and screens keep track of all human activity 24/7, and the children are raised to fear a monster who will hunt you down if you disobey the law. Restless over the dreary life of the city, Joe attempts to leave the city in secret after nightfall, but finds himself face-to-face with the monster.

Excerpt from "Keep Quiet" -The Protomen

Joe:
I've seen your face in the shadows.
I've seen your face in the places I wasn't meant to be.
I've heard them whisper about you.
I've heard the men in the bars
and I've seen the women lock their doors at night
Lock their doors tonight
They say your eyes are on fire.
They say you'd kill a man for walking the wrong side of the line
The wrong side of the line
But men, they say a lot of foolish things
And in the end the only words I can find to believe in are mine.

They say

Human Choir:
This city, she's been dead for years now... for years now.
So death is not something that scares me... that scares me.
There's worse things than death here.

Joe:
They told me...

Human Choir:
Keep quiet.

I will not be told where to stand!
I will not be told what to say.
Not by man or machine,
Not by you,
not by anyone tonight!
You're gonna have to do better than fear.
You're gonna have to step out of the shadows and fight.
And when they see your face again,
They will know what it means
to have fear dragged out into the light.
Drag it out!

They say

Human Choir:
This city, she's been dead for years now... for years now.
So death is not something that scares me... that scares me.

Joe:
So come on!
Come on!
Step into the light!

As before, have students respond to a series of questions related to the song:

1. Joe has been raised to fear a creature that hunts down lawbreakers. When you were growing up, were you taught to fear some sort of bogeyman figure by your parents or an authority figure? How did this affect you?

2. The choir in the song continuously repeats the phrase "Keep Quiet". Has your freedom of speech ever been restrained? What was your response?

3. In the song, Joe stands up to a lifelong fear and overcomes it. Have you ever faced a longtime fear? How did you feel afterward?

The purpose of this assignment is to introduce students to some of the common themes of dystopian literature by putting them into the shoes of the main character in a fun and interesting way. From here, introduce 1984 and encourage the students to keep the song questions in mind as they begin reading.

Activities:

1. As they make their way through the novel, have students write journal entries tracking Winston's development as a character and his journey. This can lead to a persuasive character analysis paper in which students will argue whether or not Winston made the right choices throughout the novel.

2. Devote two class sessions about halfway through the novel where students will randomly be assigned to one of the four Ministries of Oceania. Then have them work on a group presentation on the purpose of their particular ministry in the dystopia, the pros and cons of how it is run, and how important their individual contribution to their particular ministry is.

3. Once the novel is completed, have the students watch the 1984 film version of the novel starring John Hurt. Afterward, have the students answer a series of questions:

a. Do you find the film loyal to the vision of the book? Is the world portrayed in a different fashion that you imagined while reading it?

b. Is John Hurt's depiction of Winston accurate? What did you like and what would you change about his performance?

c. The novel is supposed to be frightening vision of the future. Do you think the film captured this sense of fear?

Extending the Unit:

There are a plethora of young adult dystopian novels. If time warrants, assign one of the following novels by having students vote while pointing out they would not be allowed to do so in a dystopian society. As with Winston, have the students focus on the protagonist's development and whether or not their methods are commendable or not.

Little Brother by Cory Doctorow: With many references to 1984, Little Brother tells the story of teenager Marcus' rebellion against the surveillance society he lives in. With themes of misconceived terrorism and paranoia and a motivated teenage protagonist, Little Brother is a great companion piece to its classic "big brother" novel.

Battle Royale by Koushun Takami: A very popular Japanese novel about a totalitarian government program that pits forty-two ninth grade students against each other in a battle to the death on an isolated island. The novel plays off of the desensitization toward violence and struggles of the average teen in the dystopian world not too far removed from our own.

The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins: Similarly to Battle Royale, The Hunger Games pits teenagers against each other in a battle to the death. The key difference here is that these "games" are a televised, mandatory event that is part of a longstanding punishment for a former rebellion against the government. A strong, intelligent female protagonist make this novel recommendable.

The Chocolate War - Roger Cormier: Jerry Renault is a freshman at a private Catholic high school. A group of students who strive for control of the entire student body, The Vigils, are angered by Jerry's continual refusal to sale chocolates for the school's annual sale. The Vigils intend to rectify Jerry's rebellion by any means necessary. With a contemporary, realistic setting rather than a futuristic, fictional one Cormier's The Chocolate War is an insightful look at the dystopian tendencies of today's society.

Additional Dystopian-Themed Music:

"2112" - Rush: The Canadian rock group's twenty minute magnum opus is a story set in the not so distant future where all knowledge is controlled by the priests of the Temple of Syrinx. No word, picture, or sound is presented to the common man without their approval. When a young man discovers a very old guitar behind a waterfall, he performs his own self-made music for the priests who deny its significance. This song can be a great tool to get young musicians interested in the dystopian themes of restraint and thought control.

Concluding the Unit:

After thoroughly studying 1984 and an additional dystopian novel, have the students discuss the implications of a dystopian society and write a final journal entry in which they explore what they can personally do to help build a brighter tomorrow. Hopefully this unit will help inspire students to be more proactive in adulthood and unafraid to confront injustice with a brave face.

Works Cited

Collins, Suzanne. The Hunger Games. New York: Scholastic, 2010. Print.

Cormier, Roger. The Chocolate War. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1999. Print.

Doctorow, Cory. Little Brother. London: Harper Collins, 2008. Print.

Nineteen Eighty-Four. Dir. Michael Radford. Perf. John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton. MGM, 1984. DVD.

The Protomen. "Keep Quiet." Act II - The Father of Death. Soundmachine, 2009. CD.

The Protomen. "The Will of One." The Protomen. Soundmachine, 2005. CD.

Orwell, George. Nineteen Eighty-Four. London: Penguin Books, 2004. Print.

Rush. "2112." 2112. Anthem, 1997. CD.

Takami, Koushun. Battle Royale. London: Orion Publishing, 2007. Print.