Themes in This Perfect Day

Themes: This Perfect Day
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Slide 1: Tekstslide
EngelsMiddelbare schoolvwoLeerjaar 4

In deze les zitten 28 slides, met interactieve quizzen, tekstslides en 4 videos.

Onderdelen in deze les

Themes: This Perfect Day

Slide 1 - Tekstslide

Themes in literature
Writers of literature try to convey a message through their stories 
Very often they are not conscious of  all of the messages they convey
To decide which theme or message a story has for you, ask yourself, 'What is this story trying to teach me?' 

Slide 2 - Tekstslide

Basic Plots
The Greeks first said their were a 3 basic types of stories: tragedies, comedies and sagas. Later this number was expanded: https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/jul/13/three-six-or-36-how-many-basic-plots-are-there-in-all-stories-ever-written
 Next slide famous dystopian writer Kurt Vonnegut on plots:

Slide 3 - Tekstslide

Slide 4 - Video

Building a theme
But beside the plot, there is the message or theme.
The writer uses 4 things to convey this message (among others):
  1. Protagonist (fatal flaw/strength)
  2. Challenge
  3. Setting, including other characters
  4. Symbolism

Slide 5 - Tekstslide

Dystopian Protagonist
• often feels trapped and is struggling to escape.
• questions the existing social and political systems.
• believes or feels that something is terribly wrong with the society in which he or she lives.
• helps the audience recognizes the negative aspects of the dystopian world through his or her perspective.

Slide 6 - Tekstslide

Slide 7 - Tekstslide

Dystopian Protagonist's Fatal Flaw
The Dystopian protagonist is motivated to question the system because of some internal flaw, something that makes him/her 'less' or 'different' than the other people in society.

Slide 8 - Tekstslide

Fatal Flaw Quiz
Choose the fatal flaw for each of the following dystopian protagonist

Slide 9 - Tekstslide

Katnis Everdine
A
not pretty
B
not smart
C
not friendly
D
not popular

Slide 10 - Quizvraag

Lacie from Black Mirror
A
insecure
B
unattractive
C
weak
D
unintelligent

Slide 11 - Quizvraag

Harrison Bergeron
A
bad health
B
bad memory
C
too intelligent
D
too agressive

Slide 12 - Quizvraag

Chip
A
wants to be liked by everybody
B
is seen as different others
C
wants to become a programmer
D
is eager to decide what people do

Slide 13 - Quizvraag

Confronting the challenge
In a dystopian book, story or movie, some situation challenges the protagonist which plays on his/her fatal flaw. 
By using the strength he/she has developed, the protagonist wins, loses, or a combination of both.

Slide 14 - Tekstslide

Fatal flaw / strength
The fatal flaw usually becomes a strength for the protagonist:
  1. Katnis is not friendly = learns to pretend
  2. Lacie is insecure (bullied) = uses rating system for likes
  3. Harrison is too gifted = joins another gifted person
  4. Chip is seen as different = curious about others who are different

Slide 15 - Tekstslide

How does Katnis Everdine use her strength to solve challenge?

Slide 16 - Open vraag

How does Lacie use her strength to solve the challenge?

Slide 17 - Open vraag

How does Harrison Bergeron use his strength to solve the challenge?

Slide 18 - Open vraag

How does Chip use his strength to solve the challenge?

Slide 19 - Open vraag

Setting, incl. other characters
Time, place and other characters also build on a theme.

In dystopian fiction, technology place a large part in helping or hindering the protagonist. 

Technological development is usually one of the aspects of society that the writer questions and uses to develop a theme .

Slide 20 - Tekstslide

Slide 21 - Video

Which is Katnis, Lacie, Harrison or Chip ?
• Propaganda is used to control the citizens of society.
• Information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted.
• A figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society.
• Citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.
• Citizens have a fear of the outside world.
• Citizens live in a dehumanized state.
• The natural world is banished and distrusted.
• Citizens conform to uniform expectations. Individuality and dissent are bad.
• The society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world.

Slide 22 - Tekstslide

Symbolism
A writer uses various actions, persons, colours, places, or objects to represent concepts or ideas about which the writer wishes to deliver the message or theme.

Slide 23 - Tekstslide

Slide 24 - Video

Independent
Conformity/UNI
bracelet
television
1 green eye
Ashi Chip king
breasts beard
whiskey
treatments
old books
coveralls
totalcakes
anger passion
li Peace Karl
tobacco
helpfullness
2 brown eyes
Choice

Slide 25 - Sleepvraag

Choosing a theme
Here are a few topics that are included in the This Perfect Day
  1. Power corrupts versus good intentions
  2. The individual versus collective good
  3. Fake (drugged) happiness versus real (negative) emotions
  4. A privileged elite versus common people
  5. State propoganda versus individual research
  6. Normal versus Abnormal/Sick/Incurable

Slide 26 - Tekstslide

Slide 27 - Video

What message did This Perfect Day have for you?

Slide 28 - Open vraag