V for Vendetta; Utopia/Dystopia

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During period 1, please read the current article(s) and respond to them in writing. Take about 10-15 minutes to do that.

Then, use your time in the lab to either prepare for our discussion of V for Vendetta (test Monday) or continue writing your cultural baseline essays. Remember: these essays should not be turned in, but should be written as your first draft. You will be asked to go back to this original draft and revise before you turn in your portfolio!

At the end of period 1, we want to discuss the importance of critical thinking with you.  Consider:
  • What do you (you!) do when you don't know an answer? Think, pair, share.
  • How might just following orders cause problems in your job, your daily life, or as a society?
Ms. Springer will have a little exercise for you to do about critical thinking and your previous work.
  1. On page 17, you can read the titles of some of V's books. Choose one book and explain why it might be meaningful to V.
  2. Both V and The Leader describe abstract concepts as their lovers. What concept(s) does each character mention? Why might the choices be significant? (Hint: V mentions 2)
  3. Why might it be important that, in the resettlement camp, V looks at Delia like she is "some sort of insect?" (p. 81)
  4. There are a number of parallels between the setting of V for Vendetta and Nazi Germany. What are two parallels? 
During 2nd period, we will return to room 238, present, and discuss the graphic novel.

Utopias: original concept created by Sir Thomas Moore (who coined the term Utopia), an imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect. A perfect society. This term/concept is also taken from Plato's philosophical treatise The Republic and the "allegory of the cave".
Dystopias: The reality. An imagined state in which everything is unpleasant or bad. Usually, this is a totalitarian environment or one that is destroying the environment.

Brainstorm a short list of dystopian novels/films you have seen.

Examination of the graphic novel:

  • How is the setting of V for Vendetta a dystopia?
  • How is the setting of V for Vendetta a possible utopia?
  • What taboos are present in this society? 
  • Is Governmental control (a totalitarian or fascist government) bad?--or is this a culturally relative concept?

Group discussion.

HOMEWORK: Study for your test. Complete V for Vendetta.

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