Two English teachers and a technologist come together for a lively discussion on George Orwell’s 1984 and teaching the text to high school students in the U.S. in 2025. Tackles complex topics (propaganda, surveillance, freedom of expression). Good for educators who are thinking of teaching the novel in their classrooms.
02:00 Framing & historical context, George Orwell
06:50 Making sense of Winston Smith
10:00 Misogyny and modernity
13:00 Memory, individuality, and the alteration of history
18:55 What is war in Oceania?
24:45 Newspeak, language, and narrative control
33:00 Art and entertainment in totalitarian Oceania
40:45 Student engagement with 1984
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