1984 by George Orwell

English 12 Summer Reading Assignment

Ms. Dunham

“Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.”~Henry David Thoreau

This is your English 12 summer reading assignment:

1. Read the Pulitzer Prize winning novel 1984by George Orwell.

2.Complete a reading journal for this novel as clearly described below.

  • The journal is worth 100 points.
  • If you do not complete the journal, you will earn a zero and it will be very detrimental to you composing your essay that you will write for me within the first nine weeks of school.

Here are the details:

Assignment # 1:

  • Read carefully and critically 1984 by George Orwell, including the appendix on Newspeak.
  • ****You will be quizzed and tested on this novel during the first few weeks of school.
  • ****As I stated above, you will be responsible for writing an in-depth essay on 1984, therefore, if you do not complete the summer reading assignment, then you will not be able to completely or successfully fulfill the requirements of the essay.
  • ****No, I am not kidding.

Novel Synopsis:

In George Orwell's 1984, the main character, Winston Smith, wrestles with oppression in Oceania, a place where the Party scrutinizes human actions with ever-watchful Big Brother.

Defying a ban on individuality, Winston dares to express his thoughts in a diary and pursues a relationship with Julia. These criminal deeds bring Winston into the eye of the opposition, who then must reform the nonconformist.

George Orwell's 1984 introduced the watchwords for life without freedom: BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!

Assignment # 2:

  • Create a reading journal in a notebook throughout the entire novel addressing the three prompts below.
  • Be sure your writing for each prompt gives reference to the specific page number and the section (there are three sections—Book One, Book Two and Book Three—in the novel).
  • You will be using such details from your journal to help you write your first essay for me once the school year starts.
  • Do not write these comments/observations on merely a chapter or two. Show knowledge in this reading journal from the entire novel or your grade will reflect your partial work.
  • Please write on only one side of the notebook pages.
  • Your notes/observations should be at least five pages for each of the three prompts.
  • This adds up to a minimum of 15 notebook pages total.
  • Common sense should dictate that a large handwriting would require more pages.
  • As you begin reading, label your notebook pages with these prompts, leaving many blank pages between the prompts.
  • Each time you read, have your notebook handy to enter your work on the proper page.
  • Needless to say, only a notebook filled with your handwriting will be accepted.
  • Please keep in mind that I will be reading and evaluating this work, so write a journal with blank lines between entries, use the margins, and avoid scribbles.
  • If I can’t read it then I will not grade it!

Prompt #1:

*The world within which Winston lives is replete with contradictions. For example a, major tenet of the Party's philosophy is that “War is Peace.” Similarly, the Ministry of Love serves as, what we would consider a department of war.

oTherefore, what role do these contradictions serve on a grand scale?

oDiscuss other contradictions inherent in the Party's philosophy.

oWhat role does contradiction serve within the framework of Doublethink?

oHow does Doublethink satisfy the needs of The Party?

  • Winston reflects on the omnipresence of The Party: "He thought of the telescreen with its never-sleeping ear. They could spy upon you night and day, but if you kept your head you could still outwit them….Facts at any rate, could not be kept hidden. They could be tracked down by inquiry; they could be squeezed out of you by torture. But if the object was not to stay alive, but to stay human, what difference did it ultimately make?"
  • What, in essence, is Winston saying about the lone individual in relation to The State?
  • Does this contention remain true throughout the novel?

Prompt #2:

*Following his capture in Mr. Charrington's spare room, Winston undergoes a process of "philosophical cleansing" and re-education against which he valiantly, but unsuccessfully fights.

oDiscuss Winston's "capitulation" at the hands of O'Brien.

oHow is Winston brought to "love Big Brother?"

oIn sacrificing Julia, how has Winston, in essence, signaled his own end?

Prompt #3:

*During his final encounter with O'Brien, Winston argues that, if all else fails, the inherent nature of the individual-the "spirit of man"-is strong enough to undermine a society such as that created by The Party.

  • Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Cite journal responses to support your answer.
  • Is Winston's belief applicable to the world we live in today?
  • Can you cite examples in our own recent history that support or dismiss Winston's belief in the resiliency and righteousness of the human spirit?

If you have any questions about this assignment, please feel free to contact me at my school e-mail address:

I will check my school e-mail once or twice a week and will try to respond to any questions in a timely manner.

Have a great summer! I look forward to seeing you in the fall. 