H4 _2022_2023_novels and dystopian and separate societies

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 4

Today's objectives

• Dystopian Literature & Separate societies

• Essay - what is it & example (next week)

• Gather information on novels = TASK/HW

Task 1 - Gather Info on novels

1) Main character(s): name, friends, enemies, situation (who does he fight /why does he fight)

2) Development of main character: how does he develop: what was he like at first, what happens and how does he change

3) Influences on the main character: who influences the main character + what is their relation to the main character

4) Main events: what are the main events in the novel

5) Dystopian elements or why is it a separate society: 

6) Setting: When and where does the story take place & why is this important  (dystopian or separate society)

7) Explain the title

Mindmap

Preparing your Essay Test Week

• Reread the slides on dystopian literature/novels/separate societies (in studiewijzer)
• Memorize the characteristics of a dystopian/separate society
• Use the essay outline template (in studiewijzer) to write your essays in class
• Make a list of the dystopian elements in your novel
  
• Make a list of differences/similarities of your novel and real life
  
• Make a list of the main characters and the main events in  your novel

Separate societies & Dystopian societies

Separate Societies

Societies with their own rules, separated from the rest of the world:

Religious communities (Oranges aren't the only fruit; The Chosen)

Separate rules and behaviour (Lord of the Flies; Ink; The Circle)

Dystopian societies 

Imaginary, dehumanizing societies, the government is in control & loss of individualism. 

Utopia vs Dystopia

Utopia = the perfect place, in which you would like to live

Dystopia = an awful place, in which you don't want to live; 

it is an imagined society, dehumanizing, frightening

Why Dystopian Literature?

1) To educate and warn about the dangers of today's society/politics

2) Usually disagrees with the author's view of how a society should be

Sometimes a Satirical critique: 

criticizes the foolishness/corruption of an individual or society

by using humor, irony, exaggeration, ridicule

Characteristics of Dystopian Literature

1. Government Control
2. Environmental destruction
3. Technological control
4. Survival
5. Loss of individualism

Main characters in

 Separate societies & Dystopian societies

• The main characters have never questioned the rules/leaders; are initially faithful members of their societies & blindly follow the rules

• Circumstances isolate the main characters & force them to think about the rules and their situation. Do they compromise or do they rebel?

• Bit by bit they find out about the greater picture; information is scarce and very valuable

• They make you critical of society. Are there laws or rules that make you uncomfortable? Do you rebel against authority?

Dystopian Novels

Never Let me Go

This Perfect Day

1984

Hungergames (3x)

Divergent (3x)

The Lord of the Flies

Noughts and Crosses

Separate Society Novels

Religious communities: 

Oranges aren't the only Fruit (Religion and Control; Not fitting in)

The Chosen (Orthodox Jewish society)

Separate rules and codes of behaviour:

Lord of the Flies

Ink

The Circle

Utopias/Dystopias in the real world

• The Amish in America (religious; banish all modern technology)
• The Nazis (ideological; "pure" race)
• Trump's America (fake news, the China virus etc.)
• Putin's Russia (Navalny, people sent to penal colonies/exile if they criticize/disagree; the Ukraine war propaganda)

Formal essay - what is it & structure (lay-out)

An essay is a composition on one single subject, and gives  the author's opinion (=argumentative essay).

It has a common structure of 5 paragraphs: introduction, body (3 paragraphs/3 points), conclusion. 

A formal essay does not use personal pronouns (I, you, we), but uses the 3rd form: "The dystopian novel criticizes society"

Essay: The Maze runner relates to real life

INTRO

The Maze runner is a novel about a dystopian society because the inhabitants are there against their own will. They were placed in the maze by the creators, who survey them constantly. There are things outside the walls waiting to hurt them, and eventually they try to escape. WICKED has total control over Thomas and his friends. When trying to escape they see that the world  has been destroyed and is now totally controlled by WICKED.  The Maze runner is an example of a totalitarian society and criticizes the political, social and climatic aspects of society.

POINT 1 - First of all, the lives of all the inhabitants in the maze are controlled by the government and are not allowed to have an individual life. EXPLAIN

 Give EXAMPLES from the novel (WICKED). Give an example of a real life controlling government (i.e. Russia, China, etc.)(the Maze - they cannot escape; they need each other to escape, have to sacrifice individuals; even when they fall in love, they have to go with the group etc.)

.

Essay writing

• Use an essay lay-out: intro (1 paragraph) / body (3 paragraphs) / conclusion (1 paragraph)

• Use formal language (not: gonna, wanna, way too much, etc)
  

• Avoid the personal pronouns I/you/we
  

• Use linking words (also, moreover, even though, nonetheless etc.) to logically connect paragraphs
  

• Use examples from the novel
  

Essay: The Maze runner relates to real life

POINT 2 - Second of all, the Maze runner shows how Thomas and his friends initially blindly believe WICKED to be helpful and are not critical of the government. EXPLAIN. Give EXAMPLES from the novel 

POINT3 Last but not least, the Maze Runner shows how the world has turned into a wasteland where humans can no longer live.

EXPLAIN. Give EXAMPLES from the novel and give examples from real life

In conclusion we can say that the Maze runner is about a dystopian society and criticizes the political, social and climatic aspects of our society.  SUMMARIZE the 3 points (one sentence per point) and finish with one-two sentences how the Maze runner illustrates what could happen to today's world.

Another formal essay example

In slide 17 there is an example of a formal essay.

This essay is not related to a dystopian/separate society novel, but it does show you the structure and type of language you need to use (=register)

TASK 1 & 2

1)Write down as much information on the novel as you can, using slides 6 & 7 

2 A) Make an essay outline (slide 6) for the thesis statement (info on novel, 3 arguments and examples) 

2B)  Type a 450-word Argumentative Essay on one of the following and hand in online (inleveropdracht)

a) "The main character develops in the novel" 

b) "The novel is about a dystopian (or separate) society"

c) "The novel resembles the real world" (=society in the novel)

d) "The government is in control in the novel"

Preparing your Essay Test Week

• Reread the slides on dystopian literature/novels/separate societies (in studiewijzer)
• Memorize the characteristics of a dystopian/separate society
• Use the essay outline template (in studiewijzer) to write your essays in class
• Make a list of the dystopian elements in your novel
  
• Make a list of differences/similarities of your novel and real life
  
• Make a list of the main characters and the main events in  your novel

Essay outline

Intro: general info on storyline + thesis statement at the end of the introduction

Middle part: paragraphs 2/3/4 -> start with a linking word, each paragraph contains at least one argument and examples from the novel to support/prove the thesis statement

Conclusion: summarize the 3 arguments and repeat your thesis statement