The Future is Now? Orwell’s 1984 and Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451

What rights do we take for granted? Which are most important for us? Complete think sheet to rank those rights important to us…

What are the two novels? 1984 by George Orwell Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

1984 by George Orwell

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

What are these novels all about? The future Warnings about problems in our society Concerns about the loss of individual freedoms in the face of oppressive governments

The future

Warnings about problems in our society

Concerns about the loss of individual freedoms in the face of oppressive governments

Orwell’s 1984 Written in 1948 Set in the future (1984) in London The main character’s job is to revise history by rewriting old news articles There are telescreens everywhere that televise government propaganda and spy on the citizens

Written in 1948

Set in the future (1984) in London

The main character’s job is to revise history by rewriting old news articles

There are telescreens everywhere that televise government propaganda and spy on the citizens

Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 Written in 1953 Set in the future Books are illegal and a fireman’s job is to burn books Homes have huge “televisions” in them that allow people to interact with the characters on the screen

Written in 1953

Set in the future

Books are illegal and a fireman’s job is to burn books

Homes have huge “televisions” in them that allow people to interact with the characters on the screen

??Essential questions?? What are the characteristics of a dystopian society? What is the author trying to warn us about? In what ways do these warnings still have relevance today? What role does our human nature play in whether we are susceptible to government control or not?

What are the characteristics of a dystopian society?

What is the author trying to warn us about? In what ways do these warnings still have relevance today?

What role does our human nature play in whether we are susceptible to government control or not?

We will examine the novels from these four perspectives Threats to individual privacy Dangers of governmental power Power of information, propaganda, and language distortion Potential for mindless entertainment to stifle individual thinking

Threats to individual privacy

Dangers of governmental power

Power of information, propaganda, and language distortion

Potential for mindless entertainment to stifle individual thinking

Introductory reading task… Read the first few pages of each novel In your notes, record something you notice about each perspective from each novel What are your initial thoughts about the novels? How do they catch your attention? What ideas seem to stand out?

Read the first few pages of each novel

In your notes, record something you notice about each perspective from each novel

What are your initial thoughts about the novels? How do they catch your attention? What ideas seem to stand out?