https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj en-us 2019-10-06 14:10:57 UTC 2025-11-11 23:34:14 UTC hello@padlet.com cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/394109349 The novel 1984 takes place in a dystopian future in which the totalitarian government uses psychological and physical manipulation to maintain control of its citizens. A government employee, Winston, uses a diary to write thoughts that go against "The Party". These small acts of rebellion continue to grow as Winston then begins to more openly rebel against their totalitarian policies, especially when he begins a sexual affair with a woman named Julia. As his distaste of the government he works for grows, so do Winston's act of defiance, as he even joins the official group that is open rebelling against The Party. Winston and Julia are eventually captured by The Party, and tortured using physical and psychological means as a way to subvert his thoughts of negativity against The Party and shift to a more positive tone. Winston and Julia both eventually break against this torture, turning on one another, ultimately crushing their rebellion. ]]> 2019-10-06 14:13:43 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/394109349 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399862008 The Hate U Give follows Starr, an African-American teenager who attends a predominantly white, affluent school. Starr leaves a party with her friend Khalil, and they are pulled over by a white police officer. Khalil leans into the car window to talk with Starr during the traffic stop and is promptly shot dead by the police officer, bleeding to death in front of Starr. Starr gives interviews to the investigating officers, and is discouraged by their reaction and their negative portrayal of Khalil as they attempt to justify their fellow officer's actions. Angered, Starr begins to go public with her disagreements with both the police department and the social justice system as a whole, rebelling against the ideologies of her white classmates and the mass media. She has a central role in the protests outside the courthouse as the shooting officer is failed to be indicted, and vows to continue her work for social justice, especially crimes committed by police officers against the black community. ]]> 2019-10-19 17:00:21 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399862008 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399863682 In her poem, Chang describes a mothers thoughts as she takes of her black son. Her son appears vaguely aware of the social injustices that haunt black people in the United States, and the mother fears for his safety and the development of these fears. As she narrates, she details accounts of the Black Panthers protesting and rioting in the streets. The Panthers are attempting to fulfill their "distinct hunger" for justice and equality. ]]> 2019-10-19 17:13:51 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399863682 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865001 2019-10-19 17:24:36 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865001 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865250 2019-10-19 17:26:44 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865250 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865402 2019-10-19 17:27:55 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865402 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865547 2019-10-19 17:29:11 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865547 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865739 2019-10-19 17:30:39 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399865739 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399876818 The overarching theme of this text set is rebellion. This could include something as simple as rebelling against a parent, to rebelling against an entire authoritarian system of government. Tyrants have been littered throughout history, and many nations are currently ruled by them today. The only way to break free from a tyrant is for a group of individuals to come together and take a stand. 

The anchor text for this text set is 1984 by George Orwell. One of the reasons I chose this as the main focal point is because of the unique types of rebellion portrayed. There are moments when Winston and Julia discuss bringing the entire governmental system down, however, the main focus is on little aspects of rebellion. Winston and Julia have sex without the intention of creating a child, which is forbidden by The Party. Winston writes things in his journal that portray The Party in a negative light. Winston also is aware of the alternate history that The Party swears by, and how they change their written history as needed to suit their agenda. Finally, Winston and Julia's rebellion fails, which seems uncommon is stories of rebellion. I thought this was a crucial aspect for the students to see as they can see how a system can be so large and widespread that it cannot always be broken, especially by only a few people. 

The companion novel I chose was The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Rebellion in this book takes a different form, although in a much more realistic and tangible setting. In a world where police brutality is seen often, even in the United States, where every individual is promised freedom, I feel that students will connect more deeply to this text as well as think critically about not only the text, but social issues in their real lives. 

The poem chosen is Fury by Tina Chang. This poem has a similar message as The Hate U Give, as Black Panthers protest police brutality, as well as discrimination in the every day world. While the text most likely takes place in the heat of the Civil Rights Movement, there are still parallels to the world today. ]]> 2019-10-19 18:59:29 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399876818 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399894606 American Idiot by Green Day is a protest song to the George Bush administration for the Iraq War and to the mass media for their portrayal of not only the administration, but also their coverage of the war. The lead singer of Green Day stated that the song is a call for "individuality" (Kerrang! 2005). 
V For Vendetta is a similar story to 1984, as a totalitarian government in the future has a hold on their people. A masked vigilante named V helps to organize a revolution, going to the extremes of violence in order to do so. A major difference between the two stories is that V is successful, due to the fact that he successfully got the majority of the common people to support his cause and overthrow their government. 
Still I Rise by African American poet Maya Angelou is a poem about rising above oppression and negativity. The poem is empowering to the individual, and is easily connected to anyone who has been looked down upon or disregarded. Students will find it easier to read than some poems due to the rhyme scheme, and the connection they feel to the themes and to the author. 
The Giver by Lois Lowry is another dystopian novel in which the leaders of a government have near total control of the people. The government suppresses all feeling, color, and uniqueness of the world, making everyone and everything the same. Jonas is the one person who is assigned to be the Receiver of Memory, and will experience these things that the government suppressed. The Giver and Joans conspire to rebel against their government and have the Receiver leave the city, which will therefore release all of the memories back to the citizens and allowing them to experience the uniqueness of the world. 
The Declaration of Independence is the story of rebellion that the students would be most familiar with. Looking at the Declaration and the Revolutionary War as a whole could give students a perspective of how rebellion worked in the real world. Understanding the reasons and diving into the mindset of the colonists could make the rest of the texts in this set more tangible for them. ]]> 2019-10-19 21:38:00 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399894606 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399988170 "The sexual act, successfully performed, was a thoughtcrime" (Orwell pg. 68).
"If there is hope [wrote Winston] it lies in the proles" (Orwell pg. 69). 
"War is peace
Freedom is slavery
Ignorance is strength" (Orwell pg. 104). ]]> 2019-10-20 15:29:09 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/399988170 cdelp29 https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/400034425 "Don't let them put words in your mouth" (Thomas pg. 99). 
"What's the point in having a voice if you're gonna be silent in moments you shouldn't be?" (Thomas pg. 98). 
"You can destroy wood and brick, but you can't destroy a movement" (Thomas pg. 408). ]]> 2019-10-20 20:28:22 UTC https://padlet.com/cdelp29/mac1bj74h9qj/wish/400034425