A Brave New World
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2007/nov/17/classics.margaretatwood
Unit Learning goal: Students will be able to create a multi-part literary project that details the following items:
The Literature Project
Rationale:
The purpose of this project is to assess your ability to read,
summarize, analyze, and connect pieces of literature as well as assess
your writing skills. This is your chance to show me everything you know
and have learned. This is your chance to dazzle, shine, dance, sing,
shout (during your presentation).
Assignment: You will read A Brave New World. This final project will consist of five parts.
1) A
reading log revealing your engagement with the literature. This part
should be very thorough and should contain all the things listed below.
2) A creative connection
3) A book summary/personal response paper
4) An
analysis focusing primarily on the development of one striking element
in the novel: symbolism, characterization, figurative language, theme,
plot and how that element contributes to the development of the novel’s
overall meaning.
5) A connection—a one page paper connecting the book to a short story or novel read last year by either symbolism or theme.
6) A
presentation (this could be creative—and has to be 3 minutes with
visual aids): this is an overview of your project and your understanding
of the novel.
POINT
VALUES: The analysis is worth 100 points each. The log, creative
connection, personal response, presentation, and connections are worth
50 points each. Therefore, the total point value is 350 points. This
is nearly your entire project grade for the semester.
EXPECTATIONS:
THE
READING LOG: The reading log reveals your engagement with
literature. Furthermore, a detailed reading log will significantly aid
you in the development of the rest of the project. After reading each
chapter, you should write in your log:
n A short synopsis of the action and character development
n Your interpretation of the significant events occurring in the chapter
n Noteworthy figurative language and other literary elements
n Vocabulary—unfamiliar words
Please
note that the copying of Cliff Notes or Internet Sites is
plagiarism. I want only your thoughts, don’t steal. Cheating will
equal a ZERO.
THE CREATIVE PART: Choose one of the three options below:
Take
a minor character and write a 1-2 page monologue / journal entry about
what they think of the situation / action / motivations in the book so
far.
Make
a newspaper story about one of the major events of the novel. How would
a journalist take on those events and how would that story be different
than John or Bernard's perspective.
Draw
a picture (or some sort of visual representation) drawing from the
reading. Be sure to include a written component explaining why you chose
to create your visual representation.
Book
Review/ Personal Response: Give a detailed summary of the book. What
did you like? What did you not like? Would you recommend this book to a
friend? Why or why not?
THE
LITERARY ANALYSIS: Choose one literary element of the book and develop a
thesis around it. Back up your thesis statements with proof from the
text. This paper should be at least 3 pages.
THE
CONNECTION: 1-2 pages connecting the novel to a short story read in
class. You may focus on theme, characterization (think dynamic), or
figurative language.
THE PRESENTATION: 3 minutes—this should be an overview of your project and what you learned. It should include a visual aid.
Scale/Rubric relating to learning goal:
4 – The student can create A Brave New World project that relates the novel the real world citing both textual evidence and examples from contemporary society.
3 – The student can create A Brave New World project that incorporates all sections of the project.
2 – With some direction/help from the teacher the student is able to create A Brave New World project that incorporates all sections of the project.
1 – Even with help from the teacher the student is unable to create A Brave New World project that incorporates all sections of the project. The student may be able to do some sections, but not all of them.
Objectives (smaller chunks of overall goal) and suggested time periods
Students will be able to
1) Outline the plot
2) Discuss Brave New World as a 3-part structure
3) Discuss
the importance of the following characters (including the
meaning/allusions of their names): Bernard Marx, John the Savage, Linda,
Lenina, D.H.C. (Tomakin), Mustapha Mond, Helmholtz Watson, Henry
Foster, Fanny Crowne, Pope.
4) Give
and explain at least three scenes that fit the following themes: The
Meaning of Freedom, Individual vs. Society, The Meaning of Power
5) Discuss five ways people are controlled in this society
6) Discuss the title and how its meaning changes throughout the course of the novel
7) Discuss whether or not the novel contains any elements of hope
8) Discuss why Shakespeare is referenced so often
9) List
and discuss at least three literary and three historical allusions and
how they relate to the meaning of the novel as a whole
10) Explain how and why everyone is similar
11) List Two Symbols other than FORD and discuss how they relate to the meaning of the novel as a whole.
12) List and explain three ironies
13) Discuss death in this novel and the deaths of the following: Linda, John, and the average person in this society.
14) Explain the “Bokanovsky Process”
15) Analysis with proof from the text whether Mustapha Mond is really powerful or is controlled by society as much as everyone else.
16) Keep a chapter by chapter reading blog.
17) Create a drawing/poster of a major scene in A Brave New World and explain the meaning of that scene.
Essential Questions:
What is the price of freedom?
Is technology a good thing?
How does heritage shape us?
What if everyone was the same?
What are the dangers of genetic engineering?
What is the meaning of family or home?
READING LOGS:
4 – The student can explain how literary elements in a
chapter create meaning and connect this meaning to larger themes and/or the
novel as a whole.
3 – The student can analyze what happened in a chapter and
discuss how it reinforces larger themes or creates meaning in the novel as a
whole.
2 – The student can summarize the events in a chapter
discussing what happened with good detail.
The student can list literary devices that appear in a
chapter.
New Vocabulary Words
Superfluous
Prodigious
Pallid
Vivacious
Pituitary
Viviparous
Abject
Indefatigable
Apoplectic
Ruddy
