Control, Modification, and the Value of Self-Awareness in Dystopian Literature: An English Language Arts Course
Open Access
- Author:
- Pierce, Olivia
- Area of Honors:
- Secondary Education
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Angiline Louisa Whitney, Thesis Supervisor
Angiline Louisa Whitney, Thesis Honors Advisor
Debbie A Brooks, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- dystopian literature
English language arts
secondary education - Abstract:
- The study of literature is unique in many ways. Unlike any other area of study, even within the liberal arts, literature provides us with a window through which to view ourselves and the world in which we live. Fiction gives us a sense of security and distance from personal experiences, and it is within that sense of comfort that beginning readers can analyze the actions and consequences, along with larger themes, that dictate the circumstances of their own lives. A good author will create characters so real that their actions cannot be categorized in one shade of morality; rather, those on the page become human for us, and we can therefore learn from the decisions they make. However, I believe that the higher calling of reading is not to find ourselves in text, but rather to gain a greater understanding of the world. The textual evidence we have access to, the wealth of fiction at our fingertips, can be a gateway into understanding the mind of another person, experience, culture, or time. How can we apply these purely human situations to larger sociocultural contexts without losing the complex individualism we value in fiction? Also, assuming this is attainable, how can we, as educators, encourage our students to strive for such a lofty goal? These questions are the basis on which I am writing this thesis. Incorporating differentiated lessons, standardized objectives, and set curricula into an original and empowering course proves challenging to even the most experienced teacher; alas, that is not me. Notwithstanding, I aim to encourage my students to analyze the past, present, and future world around them through this intense, four-unit course designed for advanced high school English Language Arts students.