This document provides guidance for a student assignment to analyze significant connections across 4 dystopian texts, including The Matrix, Minority Report, and The Hunger Games. Students are instructed to identify at least 2 connections between the texts, provide evidence from the texts to support their analysis, and acknowledge other sources. The analysis should focus on how the connections provide insights into knowledge, human experience, society, and the wider world. Questions are provided to help guide the analysis of characters, themes, settings, purposes, visual/verbal features, and structures across the texts.

1. Sink your teeth into texts!
English 2.7: Analyse significant
connections across texts,
supported by evidence.
Christine Wells
Credits: 4

2. 2
You will analyse the similarities
and differences between texts
of the same genre.
You will use at least 4 texts.
At least one of these must
be selected independently
by you.
Your work will be published
on your blog.
The report should:
• Identify at least 2
significant connections
across identified texts.
• Provide supporting
evidence from the texts.
• Acknowledge other
sources.

3. The genre we will study is
Dystopia
The Matrix
Minority Report
The Hunger Games
Your choice?
3

4. 1. Identify at least 2 Significant
Connections…
Characters
Ideas/theme
s
Plot
Imagery &
Structure
Purpose &
Audience
Setting
Film
techniques
4

5. 2. Analyse the significant
connections
Identify the
connections
Explain the reasons for
these connections. Show
insight, originality and
understanding.
Provide evidence from
the texts to support
your ideas.
5

6. 2. Analysing the significant
connections :
Focus on what the connections tell
you about…
Knowledge, the
human experience,
society & the wider
world.
• How setting is used
• Why particular types
of characters are used
• How the plot is
developed through
structure
• How film techniques
are used for effect.
6

7. a. Identify and describe how similar character types are portrayed in each text.
What can we as the audience learn from their experiences?
b. Identify and describe similar themes/ideas in the texts. What do these
themes/ideas teach the viewer about human experience, society and the wider
world.
c. Identify and describe common settings used in the texts. Explain how these
settings affect the audience.
d. Identify and explain the author/director’s purpose for this text. What did he/she
want the audience to learn or think about human experience, society and the
wider world. ? Are there similarities between texts? Discuss.
e. Analyse how specific visual/verbal features are used in the texts. Which texts use
these features in a similar way?
f. Analyse how the structure of each text impacts the audience. Discuss similarities
between texts.
Questions to answer for
each text…
7

8. Bibliography
Adapted from NZQA Resources
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