More on Brave New World Test

I ran an item analysis of the test, and the vocab questions were not the hardest ones on the test. In fact, only three vocab words appeared to cause problems. Most of the commonly missed questions were on details in the book.

Anyway, your scores were posted to Edline, and I took the test out of 43 when there were 45 questions on the test. In my two classes, two students scored 44's, and two students scored 43's.

Vocab on test was tough . . .

Being personally responsible for understanding vocabulary words in the context that an author uses them is a new idea for many of you. I know that many of you are upset about the difficulty of the vocabulary section on the Brave New World exam.

I also discovered that moribund was a word on the test because it was a word used last year, and I neglected to delete it when I revised the test this fall. So for sure everyone gets one free point. I always take tests out of the highest score, and, in fact, if one student has such a high score, I often take the test out of the second highest score.

After I run the scantron exams, I will post your grades again to Edline, and you can see what the test ends up being worth for points.

With the next book, you will continue to be personally responsible for understanding the vocabulary word in the context of the novel, and you will need to build your own definition. However, we can take more time on the words, making sure you fully understand them.

Brave New World Essay Assignment

John the Savage tells Mustapha Mond, “But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poetry, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin” (Huxley 240). Brave New World includes many moments like these that point to Huxley’s commentary on culture and the essential elements of being human.

Choose two components of culture that Huxley discusses in Brave New World. Analyze what causes humans to need that cultural component and what the effects are on a society when that cultural component is either present or missing. Analyze the cultural component in the context of Huxley’s satirical novel. Your thesis statement should tie together the two cultural components by making a general statement about the lesson about life (a theme) that Huxley is teaching through his satire.

Essay Checklist

___ I have completed two multi-flow maps in my notebook that analyze the causes and effects of the two cultural components discussed in my essay.

____ My essay is two pages, double-spaced, 12-point font, with one inch margins.

____ I have included a creative title for my essay.

____ My introduction paragraph has an attention-grabbing device like an anecdote or relevant quotation.

____The book’s title and author is incorporated into a general statement in the introduction or my thesis statement

____ The thesis statement includes specific cultural components and the connection to humanity.

____ The body paragraphs have clear topic sentences.

____ Analytical statements are supported with direct quotations from the novel.

____ MLA format is used to cite all direct quotations, e.g. (Huxley 24).

_____ Body paragraphs include analysis of the point Huxley is making about being human in light of the cultural component being discussed.

_____ The conclusion leaves the reader with a lasting impression by commenting on the relevance of the topics for the reader’s life. In other words, why do we care about these topics as humans?

Brave New World Exams

On Wednesday, September 24, you will take a 45-question scantron exam on Brave New World. The test contains multiple choice questions on the plot of the book, a character matching section, and a matching vocabulary section. Remember to study your vocab words and check that the synonyms that you wrote are words that you understand.

On Wednesday, September 24, you will be given a checklist for your Brave New World essay on Huxley's cultural ideas. Come to class on Monday, September 29 with your typed essay if you want to have a homework free homecoming week.

The last day that I will accept the essays is Friday, Oct. 2, 2008.

Brave New World Film Fesitval

Since the bridge map text to text and text to word analogies impressed me so much, I have decided that we need a Brave New World Film Festival. The festival will be held next Thursday and Friday, September 18 and 19.

Working with a partner, the two of you will decide which film sequence (of no more than 5 minutes) captures a specific analogy that you made between Brave New World and the other text or world event.

If you choose a film connection, you need to introduce the film clip by giving some background on the film and the context of the clip. You will also discuss the specific analogy at a thematic, character or plot level. Then the class will watch the clip, and a brief Q & A can follow if the class has questions.

If your partnership chooses to make a text to personal life or text to world analogy, try to find a film clip on youtube or elsewhere that illustrates your specific analogy. If you can't find a video or audio clip, then you will need to display a website that discusses the relevant information.

Your partnership may select a music video or audio file that makes an analogy between Brave New World and that text.

Partnerships that select music or historical events will also include an explanation of the analogy and be prepared for a class Q & A.

Satire

Satire: "the use of humor and wit with a critical attitude, irony, sarcasm, or ridicule for exposing or denouncing the frailties and faults of mankind’s activities and institutions, such as folly, stupidity, or vice. This usually involves both moral judgment and a desire to help improve a custom, belief, or tradition."

http://www.enotes.com/literary-terms/satire

Satire: "a literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorna literary work holding up human vices and follies to ridicule or scorn."

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/satire

Devices of Satire

Sarcasm: harsh comments that aim to hurt

Overstatement: exaggeration

Understatement: saying less than is meant

Parody: mocking a known person, literary work, movie, etc.

Irony: saying one thing yet meaning another

Pathos: going from the serious to the ridiculous quickly

Class and Color in Brave New World

Huxley uses the Greek alphabet to name the classes of people in Brave New World.

Class and Color

alpha = grey

beta = mulberry

gamma = green

delta = khaki

epsilon = black

Huxley Biography

Aldous Huxley

British Novelist

1894-1963

Key facts:

• Grandfather and brother were biologists
• Educated at Eton and Oxford
• Nearly blind so learned Braille
• Published travel books, poems, novels, plays and essays
• Huxley’s style is known for its brilliant dialogue, cynicism, and social criticism.
• Brave New World, first published in 1932, is a dark vision of a highly technological future society.
• Married twice; had one son

“Huxley scandalized millions” (Malcolm X)

Read more about Huxley on Wikipedia or at somaweb.org (a website devoted to exploring Huxley and his works complete with a discussion board).

Brave New World Reading Schedule

The date indicates the due date for the reading selection. Be prepared for class discussion and/or a pop quiz on the assigned pages.

Sept. 8: pp. 3-29
Sept. 9: pp. 30-56
Sept. 10: pp. 57-71
Sept. 11: pp. 72-86
Sept. 12: pp. 87-106
Sept. 15: pp. 107-139
Sept. 16: pp. 140-152
Sept. 17: pp. 153-185
Sept. 18: pp. 186-207
Sept. 19: pp. 208-229
Sept. 22: pp. 230-259

Aldous Huxley on Culture & World Lit

Aldous Huxley ties up the ideas of world literature, culture, and science in this video that discusses science vs. poetry or religion, why literature is important, and the impact of culture on humanity.