Q2L 10 ELA discussion

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10A Weekly Discussion Threads > 10A Week 18 Discussion

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message 1: by David, Teacher (new)

David Patterson (MrPatterson) | 79 comments Mod
Pick up a copy of the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four this week in class.

Read page 1 to the middle of page 9 ("It had happened that morning at the Ministry.")

Based on what you've read, respond to this statement: Everybody is disconnected from everybody else because of fear.

(Your answer must be at least five sentences for credit, so think carefully about what you'll write.)


message 2: by Julien (new)

Julien | 24 comments Now that I've read some of the book, the posters all over the walls in ELA are terrifying. From what I've read, after London is torn apart by war, the survivors become heavily monitored. The posters, and TVs have eyes, and the radio has ears. Nothing is illegal, but there are still punishments. I would guess that people tend to avoid each-other because they don't want to be viewed as a threat to the "government." Its even encouraged to keep a quiet, optimistic face on when facing the TV. If everything that I did was monitored, I'd probably seclude myself from others as well, you can't blame them. "If we find that you own a book, we kill you, or maybe put you in a work camp for a quarter of your life. your choice."


message 3: by Akahr (new)

Akahr Bussant | 16 comments Based on what I've read, this quote directly applies to the conflict of the story. Winston is in London, a place of war, and everything in the society is monitored by the thought police. Literally everything has eyes and ears, the television, etc. There are no laws but punishments if you are a threat to the government. So people avoid each other because they are in fear of the police.


message 4: by Luke (new)

Luke Marable | 19 comments Based on what I've read, people are afraid and paranoid. They don't know who to trust and they won't risk it because of all they've lost and gone through already. It's not even fear, it's respect to the point of fear and paranoia. There's always that line that must be crossed before it becomes something else


message 5: by Amanda (new)

Amanda Feliciano | 4 comments Based on what I've read I can say that the people in the book are afraid and paranoid. I can tell that because during the first 9 pages, the main character was stating that the "government" could always see them. The televisions have "ears" and they can hear and sense everything that your doing in sight. I would be extremely paranoid if I knew people were watching/listening to me 24 hours, all day everyday. So when you say, "Everybody is disconnected from everybody else because of fear." I believe it's true, people they cannot communicate with other people without the government having fear of them being dangers to society.


message 6: by Brandyn (new)

Brandyn | 10 comments "Everybody is disconnected because of fear," is a good way to sum it up. In this book, there is a war going on, and survivors are monitored by the government, so they don't defect, I guess? Your television watches you, so if you don't smile while watching it, you get punished. I would seclude myself from other people because of fear and paranoia. I wouldn't know what people may have gone insane under these strict rules.


message 7: by Brian (new)

Brian Rosario | 36 comments Everybody is disconnected from everybody else because of fear. That is the main point of the first pages that i have read. Fear plays a major part in what i have read. The book to me is somewhat weird. For example the text says something about the television watching you. Like the government or something is stalking people. And the rules put into play are so weird.


message 8: by Imani (new)

Imani | 25 comments Off the bat in the reading this quote "Everybody is disconnected from everybody because of fear" applied. From reading I think fear of the government play a very big role. You have to believe when the government is telling you or there probley will be severe consequences. In the book it seems hard and scary to trust someone other then "the man" or the government. Just the fact that someone is always watching is a scary way to in store paranoia into your civilization.


message 9: by Liam (new)

Liam | 27 comments This book, so far, is a horror story by culture afraid of the fall of capitalism and democracy. This shows in the book. The fact that all people are afraid of the government is shown in that they are afraid of each other. People are scared that someone will turn their friend in simply to get some temporary gain. This is also show in the big brother propaganda which has an uncanny resemblance to Russian propaganda of the time.


message 10: by Rocco (new)

Rocco Rinaldi-Rose (roccorr) | 40 comments This statement is saying that the people in the world of George Orwell's 1984 are afraid to even so much as converse or exchange ideas with each other. They are forced into a near-constant state of paranoia as a result of being monitored for the majority of their waking lives. When one is forced into this state of fear, it can have considerable adverse health effects, including the ulcer that so bothers our protagonist, Winston. It is in these conditions that we find ourselves, in fear of a dictator that no one knows the true face or identity of.


message 11: by Ronan (new)

Ronan | 19 comments "Everybody is disconnected from everybody else because of fear." This quote represents the society portrayed in this book. George Orwell has created a future in which thought police are everywhere, and could be anyone. This makes people unable to trust one another, because anything they say could be their downfall. The society runs on the fear of the people.


message 12: by Miguel (new)

Miguel | 22 comments "Everybody is disconnected from everybody else because of fear". I feel like in this book no one can trust anyone besides themselves. Everyone is to themselves like if there all scared of each other. Just from this quote it seems if nobody has friends because they have fear in them.


message 13: by Max (new)

Max Warner | 19 comments This statement says that the people in the world (according to the setting)1984 are afraid to even talk or share ideas with each other. They are all very paranoid do to the way they have been monitored for the majority of lives. When one isthat frightened of the reality they face each day it can put a damper on your health, including the ulcer that so bothers our protagonist,also the protagonist Wilson has an ulcer burning his insides. These such conditions have the people in such disbelief of reality that they are starting to feel as if they dont exist at all.


message 14: by Monica (new)

Monica | 22 comments "Everybody is disconnected from everybody else because of fear". This quote directly relates to London in that time period because people are afraid to even talk to each other simply because of the way everyone is being monitored. They all feel as though you can't trust anything because the police is watching you from everywhere, even your own Tv. It is a very unhealthy life-style because no one human can handle so much fear a constant state of being on guard at all times. The quote and the book show how much effect one single emotion can have and with the tyranny of a government and how it can tear people down and apart.


message 15: by Nichollas (new)

Nichollas Rampulla | 17 comments The reason that people are "disconnected from everybody else because of fear." They are afraid of the government. In the book they fear the government because "big brother is watching." Big Brother is a system that watches your every move for example you don't watch the TVs they watch you. Since they are always being watched they are afraid to talk since it may result in punishment if you say the wrong thing.


message 16: by [deleted user] (new)

"Everybody is disconnected from everybody else because of fear". The government is watching everyone and can hear everyone. So everyone is afraid to talk to each other. In the book their is a poster that says "Big Brother Is watching You." There were helicopters flying around and snooping into people's windows. They are feared to talk to each other above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up. Everyone is to scared to share their thoughts about the government because the government is watching them.


message 17: by Laszlo (new)

Laszlo | 18 comments The reason that everyone is disconnected from one another because of fear is because, they are not allowed to think. The thought police will catch and punish anyone who thinks about anyone other then big brother. Everywhere you see posters and signs, saying down with big brother, down with big brother. ON cigarette packages and on tv, there is no escape, he will always be in your head.


message 18: by Michael (new)

Michael Marrero | 15 comments The reason that everyone is disconnected from one another because of fear, is because they are always being watch. Nobody can talk or do anything that would make the government feel like that person is rebellion. If that happens then the police come into that persons house and put them in jail. On posters on the streets, cigarette packages and on the TV it all says "Big Brother Is Watching" that can make anybody feel scared that people that you don't know are always watching.


message 19: by cordelllane (last edited Jan 14, 2014 11:15AM) (new)

cordelllane n summors (summorscl) | 19 comments From what i read every one is disconnected because of big brother. In the beginning of the story Willam of main character has his back to the wall cresting his breast. What reason to his from the cameras hidden ever where. Big brother like the czar have eye and ear on every citizen. Their no freedom of speech or will. Where machine act like man and man act like machine.


message 20: by Tasha (new)

Tasha | 14 comments The book, 1984 now explains to me why the classroom has pictures of men and a caption that reads "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU". From what I read so far, Winston, the protagonist works as a officer who alters historical documents to match with the political party. In the book the "Thought Police", are the people who enforce the laws and orders in the society. The Thought Police watch every move you make, so people would obviously feel they have no sense of privacy and freedom. When you see the words "Big Brother is Watching You" popping up everywhere, of course you would be worried about your safety.


message 21: by Willem (new)

Willem | 21 comments My guess is that people are avoiding one another because they don't want to be viewed as a threat to this government. As many others have said before me: The people are paranoid. And who wouldn't? Anything you say (above a whisper) can be caught by these telescreens, anything you do within it's field of vision can be seen. The scary thing is: you don't know when someone's watching....why would you do anything with the threat of being watched constantly? So the people avoid each other..nothing to see here. Problem, officer?
Just remember: IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.


message 22: by Kyla (new)

Kyla Cain | 19 comments I think it means that no one really talks to each other because they are scared that someone might take what they are saying the wrong way. They don't want to be viewed as a possible criminal. Anything you say and any movement you make is monitored.The thought police can check in on you at any time they want to and that's pretty scary. Like a child doing something bad while the parents back is turned. Their ears are still open and they can kind of see you, but you can get away with some things.


message 23: by Raquel (new)

Raquel | 12 comments According to this book, I think that it basically means that people are so detatched from everybody around them and everything except for this one thing. The one thing that they are conscious of is Big Brother, INGSOC, and the cameras and everything watching them. The people are oppressed, controlled, and restricted from so much that even their thoughts are monitored, so they people turn into versions of people that the Government wants them to be.


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