Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Understanding Mond's Argument


1. Today in class you created a couple versions of Mond’s thesis.

In order to maintain stability people need to be happy and cannot undermine others’ happiness; people don’t need emotional, religious, artistic, or scientific truth.

Artistic truth, scientific truth, strong emotions, and religion are irrelevant to happiness, which is the most important thing to master in order to maintain community, identity, and stability in the World State.

Perhaps you have created your own version including the important concepts.

2. Tonight choose a long passage from chapter 16 or 17 (other than the one on 227-228) in which Mond develops and supports a part of this thesis.

In an open response explain how Mond develops and supports the thesis in the passage. Use specific quotations in your explanation.

We’ll share these responses tomorrow.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Brave New World Chapters 10-15


Roles:

Choose from these perspectives: John the Savage, Helmholtz Watson, Bernard Marx, Lenina Crowne, the Director (also called the DHC and Tomakin), a Delta  (Khaki-wearing) child in Linda’s room in the Park Lane Hospital for the Dying, a Delta adult waiting for soma at hospital, a policeman who helped subdue the crowd at the soma riot, or another perspective that you think would yield interesting perceptions of John.

Chapter 10 narrating character: ____________________________________
Chapter 11 narrating character: ____________________________________
Chapter 12 narrating character: ____________________________________
Chapter 13 narrating character: ____________________________________
Chapter 14 narrating character: ____________________________________
Chatper 15 narrating character: ____________________________________

Audience:

Mustapha Mond who wants to know what happened after John got to London and wants to understand why it all happened that way.

Format:

The format will be a paragraph (5 to 7 sentences) on the events (and interpretation of the events) in each of the six chapters (chapters 10-15). (When you pass it in on Monday you’ll have six paragraphs and 30+ sentences.) You can write the paragraph as if the character is speaking to Mond or is submitting a report to Mond. (See above.) Each report should include information from the chapter that the narrating character would know and should also include the narrating character’s interpretation of (or reaction to) what happens.   

Topic:

What happened after John got to London and why? (What does John do? Why does he do it? How does it affect others, especially the narrating characters?) Show that you’ve read and that you’ve understood the significance of what you’ve read.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Brave New World Discussion 99-145

What do you learn about the Savage Reservation, John, and Linda? How is all of this significant in relation to the World State? How do feel about the characters and place? What questions do you still have?

Brave New World Discussion 56-99

What new information do you learn about life in the World State? How is the information significant? How do you feel about the new information? What questions do you have?
What do you learn about Bernard Marx and Lenina Crowne? How is it significant? How do you feel about the new information? What questions do you have?

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Brave New World Chapters 1-3


Chapters 1-3

 #1
Role: Imagine that you (as an Alpha teenager in the World State) spent yesterday touring the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre in the year 632 A.F.
Audience: Dear Diary
Format: Write a diary entry describing your day. (Use BNW vocabulary words.)
Topic: What did you learn about “hatching” and “conditioning” yesterday? Record details about the Centre and your feelings about the Centre. Use many details. Be thoughtful.

#2
Role: Imagine that you (as who you are now) spent yesterday touring the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre in the year 632 A.F.
Audience: Dear Diary
Format: Write a diary entry describing your day. (Use BNW vocabulary words.)
Topic: What did you learn about “hatching” and “conditioning” yesterday. Record details about the Centre and your feelings about the Centre. Use many details. Be thoughtful.