Student Scheme of Work – Dystopia
“The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those that speak it” (Orwell)
WEEK
Week 1
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Reading & Topics: 1984
Introduction to Dystopia: Themes, Attitudes,
Tropes, Concerns
Overview of Historical Context: What inspires
Dystopian writers to write?
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Reading & Topics: The Handmaid’s Tale
Language, Form & Structure: Exploring
Literary Style in Dystopian Fiction
Writing a Critical Appreciation of Atwood’s
Style of Writing
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Independent Study Areas (with suggested links)
Context 1984: Orwell’s biography
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/may/10/1
984-george-orwell
http://www.oxforddnb.com/public/dnb/31915.html
Context THT: Atwood interview
http://www.theguardian.com/books/1996/sep/05/fict
ion.margaretatwood
Week 2
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Week 3
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Reading: Part 1 Chapters I – iii
Orwell’s Why I Write: Inspiration for Writing
Contextual Research (Stalin, Hitler, Spanish
Civil War, Communism)
Oceania and Winston: The Opening of 1984
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Reading: Part 1 Chapters iv – vi
Characterisation of Winston: Individuals vs.
Society; Winston vs. Offred
Methods of Control in Oceania
How does the Party keep its power?
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Marked Assessment & Preparation
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Reading: Part 1 Chapter vii – Part 2 Chapter i
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Development of the Individual vs. Society
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Rebellion: Presentation of The Proletariat
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‘Dystopia creates a frightening picture of the
future’. How far do you agree with this view
in light of 1984 & THT?
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Reading: Part 2 Chapters ii – iv
The Creation of Fear in Oceania’s Society
How have critical readings changed in time?
Atwood as a Response to Orwell: How
Successful is her Vision?
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Week 6
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Week 7
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Reading: Part 2 Chapters v – vii
Development of Revision Notes – Key Quote
Banks (Character & Theme)
Reading: Part 2 Chapters viii – x
Modern perceptions of 1984? What is it in
modern society that allows us to relate?
Research of Modern News Stories vs. 1984
Presentation comparing extract of choice to
1984 and The Handmaid’s Tale
Revision of context in light of events
Reading: Part 3 Chapters i – iii
Presentation of Characters (Winston, Julia,
Big Brother, O’Brien, Goldstein)
Which character is the most dystopian? How
do they compare to wider reading? (Ref IOP)
Key Themes: How do they link to context?
Week 4
Week 5
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Week 8
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Week 9
Week
10
Week
11
Marked Assessment: Section B
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Reading: Part 3 Chapters iv – vi
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Creating a Timeline of Events – annotate with
features and comparisons
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Orwell’s Vision of the Future: The Ending
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How convincing is the end of 1984?
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‘Writers of dystopian fiction often seek to
satirise human failings’. By comparing THT
and 1984, discuss how far you agree with this
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Overview of Plot Summary / Key Events
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Group presentations on key events to the
class (e.g. Context, Themes, Characters,
Critics, Typicality of Dystopian Fiction)
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Developing Wider Reading: Dystopian
Anthology Focus
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Wider Reading: Close Language Analysis
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Key Passages from 1984; How does Orwell
use language, form and structure?
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Links between 1984 and wider dystopian
extracts. Refer back to typicality of dystopian
features from Week 1: How-To-Guide.
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Reading: Chapters 1-2
Close focus on opening (narrative style,
characterisation, setting etc)
Contextual Research (Regan, USA and the
Religious Right, Feminism, Extremism)
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Reading: Chapters 3-10
Offred’s character – how far does she
conform / rebel to the regime?
Women in Dystopian Literature
Methods of Control in Gilead (e.g.The Wall)
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Reading: Chapters 11-18
Critical Readings of Atwood (e.g. Schools of
Feminist Thought)
Presentation of Rebellion
How accurate is Atwood’s view of the
future?
Whose presentation of the future is more
accurate: 1984 or THT?
Reading: Chapters 19-27
The Creation of Fear in Gilead’s Society
Critical Readings of THT: How have they
changed over time?
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Reading: Chapters 27-30
Development of Revision Notes – Key
Quote Banks (Character & Theme)
Reading: Chapters 31-38
Presentation comparing extract of choice
to The Handmaid’s Tale and 1984
Research of Modern News Stories vs. THT
Re-Engage with Context: How do we see
historical influences at work?
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Reading: Chapters 39-43
Presentation of Characters (Offred, The
Commander, Serena Joy, Ofglen, Moira,
Nick)
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How do these characters compare to
Orwell’s?
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Which character is the most dystopian?
How do they compare to wider reading?
(Ref IOP)
Marked Assessment: Section B
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Reading: Chapters 44-46 & Historical Notes
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Creating a Timeline of Events – annotate
with features and comparisons; build on
1984 line
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Atwood’s Vision of the Future: The Ending
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How convincing is the ending of THT?
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What is the significance of Historical
Notes? How Dystopian are they?
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Overview of Plot Summary / Key Events
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Group presentations on key events to the
class (e.g. Context, Themes, Characters,
Critics, Typicality of Dystopian Fiction)
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Developing Wider Reading: Dystopian
Anthology Focus
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Revisit of Language Features: 1984, THT
and one other Dystopian feature
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Develop Bank of Dystopian Features
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Wider Reading: Close Language Analysis of
a Sequence of Unseen Passages
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Introduction to Section A) Unseen Passage
1984 context:
http://digitaldonewrite.com/essays/orwell-andtotalitarianism/
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THT context: religious right
https://baptistnews.com/archives/item/2147-ronaldreagans-ascent-to-office-paralleled-rise-of-religiousright#sthash.GPGaleWo.dpuf
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1984 – Orwell’s politics
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine21337504
Atwood on women’s rights –
http://nosharia.blogspot.co.uk/2005/09/marga
ret-atwoods-open-letter-to_10.html
1984 contemporary reviews:
http://www.newstatesman.com/books/2009/0
6/orwell-eighty-thought-party
THT contemporary reviews:
http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/03/26/spe
cials/mccarthy-atwood.html
1984 influence on Atwood
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2013/jan/
18/my-hero-george-orwell-atwood
Growth of feminist literature in 1980s
https://www.bl.uk/20th-centuryliterature/articles/feminist-literaturepuncturing-the-spectacle
Relationship between 1984 and THT
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/jun/
16/georgeorwell.artsfeatures
Modern critical views of 1984:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globedebate/editorials/margaret-atwooduncensored/article578234/?page=all
Puritan influence on THT:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/jan/
20/handmaids-tale-margaret-atwood
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1984 and THT modern relevance:
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb
/07/orwell-and-atwood-given-away-fight-backnineteen-eighty-four-the-handmaids-tale
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1984: contemporary significance
https://www.theorwellprize.co.uk/the-orwellprize/orwell/resources/ben-pimlottintroduction-to-nineteen-eighty-four/
THT: political context, second wave feminism
http://gender.cawaterinfo.net/knowledge_base/rubricator/feminism_
e.htm
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Attraction of dystopian fiction: http://theartifice.com/popularity-of-dystopian-literature/
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REVISION STRATEGIES:
- Plot summaries – scene-by-scene
- Cue-cards of key critics (no more than 15)
- Annotations of extracts (Part A)
- Unpicking Critical Statements (Part B)
Student Scheme of Work – Dystopia
“The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those that speak it” (Orwell)
Week
12
Week
13/14
Marked Assessment: Section A
 Use Google Scholar to find examples of critical
essays: how would you write a reply to their
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How do we de-construct an unseen
argument?
passage?
 Use OCR to unpick model examples
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What is AO3 in an unseen extract?
 Write your own exam questions
- Literary Context
 Peer assessment of practice essays of a critical
- Historical Context
friend
- Social Context
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How do we apply AO3 to a mystery
passage?
Revision, Quote / Criticism Compilation, Model Essay Exploration
Mock Exam: Comparative & Contextual Study (2hr 30mins) [ Section A) Unseen Passage Analysis; Section B) Comparative Question ]
Marked Assessment: Section A
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Wider Reading: Close Language Analysis of
Unseen Extracts
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Dystopian Fiction Through The Ages: ReEngaging with Historical Context Influences
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Model Responses: What is an “impressive”
Unseen Response?
Useful link to collection of Orwell articles http://www.literaryhistory.com/20thC/Orwell.htm
Independent study ideas:
1. Use the wider reading articles to structure the directed independent learning reading each week and to inform the
discussions in class.
2. Use further reading messages and top tips to keep yourselves up to date on the different Dystopian authors. Section A of
the paper requires your ability to analyse extracts for their Dystopian features and develop close analysis, linking to
literary context: the more you read, the better your analysis will be. In Section B, you will need to refer to critical concepts
regarding 1984 and The Handmaid’s Tale; the more widely read you are, the more confident you will be in making these
references.
3. Lecture programmes will be picking up on key themes: it counts towards independent study.
4. Theory Thursday – every 2 weeks, pairs of students can have the opportunity to lead the lesson or to present on a
criticism that they have explored. This also builds into your student leadership and allows you to take responsibility for
specific topic areas, improving your knowledge and making you experts!