How to teach Orwell's 1984
... an idea is to give it boundaries. Every reality that we are capable of grasping in a concept is hedged in by its own frontier. What is undefinable is, to us, unknowable because there is no word or idea capable of containing or delimiting its meaning… (Thomas Merton, Ascent to Truth, 91) Because the novel is dense, I might try it in a book group unit—where readers have selected it, after hearing explanation of the basics. In this way, I could dive deeper into the politics with a handful of students who find politics fascinating. I think it could work well with an on-line learning journal. But I would prefer to teach this in a joint English/History class since its political and ideological significance seemed to outweigh its literary elements. We could do brief studies on certain political ideologies: totalitarianism, socialism, and capitalism. We could open a discussion of historical credibility—how do you know your history book is true? Or your newspaper? How do we really know what’s going on in… (insert latest overseas conflict)? I would bring newspapers to class—for us to mine, critique, and question. But I wonder—could the book spur students to seek awareness in current events? Certainly we could expand our criticism to other "news" mediums. For instance, radio. If Orwell claims that "orthodoxy" requires "unconsciousness" what does that say about Rush Limbaugh’s "ditto heads"? Perhaps my students know someone who "could not follow the figures, but was satisfied" (51). This is an opportunity to involve critical thinking. But if my students cannot be swept into politics and current events as a means of multiculturalism, there’s also travel. I could invite a friend from AFS to speak to the class about studies abroad and how their understanding can be made larger through direct experience. We could discuss why The Party did not allow foreign travel… how they saw dangers in finding a common humanity outside their world. It would also enrich the text to flesh out some of London’s own history. For instance, to mention that "‘yde park" exists and was a center for public hangings hundreds of years ago. A hanging tree still exists, I believe. Also, Orwell makes brief reference to speeches given in Hyde Park, which are still given today in a particular corner, commoners stand on a box or stump an...