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ESSAY WITHOUT ADAPTIVE MATERIAL AND JUST SYLLABUS: Texts shape the audience's understanding of individual and collective human experiences, as they reveal the complexity of human qualities and emotions. George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eight-Four (1949), represents how a totalitarian authority controls individuals by eradicating all personal freedom and individuality. Furthermore, Orwell demonstrates how within this political system, individuals are unable to establish genuine, loving relationships. Ultimately, Nineteen Eight-Four reveals how the power of storytelling influences an individual's identity and their experience of the world. Hence, Orwell explores an individual's interaction with the world and how this affects their lived experiences.

Orwell portrays how individuals are restricted in their freedom of thought and expression  rwell represents Winston’s restriction of within the control of a totalitarian government. O individuality through the kinesthetic imagery during “Two Minutes Hate”, “In a lucid moment Winston found that he was shouting with the others and kicking his heels violently against the rung of his chair.“, which shows how Winston is overwhelmed into complying with society’s

collective emotional reaction of rage towards Goldstein, even though he is not personally invested in the exchange. However, the capitalisation, “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” reveals how Winston is able to privately access his personal truth of disagreement towards the Party’s ideology and express his desire to overcome their beliefs. Winston’s desires to overthrow the party are revealed when he confesses his motives to O’Brien in the anaphora, “We are enemies of the Party. We disbelieve Ingsoc. We are thought criminals.”which reveals Winston’s newfound sense of individuality, as he is able to openly express his complete rejection of the Party’s expectations, and admit his unwillingness to obey their expectations in favour of free thinking. Despite Winston’s ability to freely admit his thoughts, the Party inevitably is able to oppress this through violence, as conveyed by O’Brien’s violent imagery, “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever.” This symbolises how the Party disregards the individual experiences of its citizens and utilises fear to intimidate society into a collective acceptance of their ideology. Winston is ultimately shown to surrender to this collective acceptance as upon his release from the Ministry of Love, he unquestioningly rejoices for the Party’s military achievements in the auditory imagery, “He was with the crowds outside, cheering himself deaf.” The juxtaposition between his final compliance and his earlier wary participation in Two Minutes Hate portrays how Winston's individuality has been eradicated, to ensure his full compliance to the Party.

Nineteen Eighty-four reveals how an oppressive government intentionally suppresses individuals from establishing loving, romantic relationships. The Party’s suppression of an individual’s sexuality is depicted through the polysyndeton “she was young and pretty and sexless...there was only the odious scarlet sash, aggressive symbol of chastity”, which illustrates how individuals are actively discouraged from forming intimate romantic relationships at a young age. Winston experiences the impact of the Party’s suppression in his marriage with Katharine, as depicted through the simile, “To embrace her was like embracing a jointed wooden image”, which portrays how their relationship is lacking genuine chemistry and romantic intimacy, yet they feel obliged to continue to fulfil the expectations of society. This forced relationship is juxtaposed with Winston and Julia’s passionate romantic relationship, where the hyperbole “She had become a physical necessity, something that he not only wanted but felt that he had the right to” represents how they have successfully established a strong connection, despite the restrictions of the Party. However, their love is ultimately exploited by the Party, depicted through Winston’s exclamatory tone in Room 101, “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! I don’t care what you do to her”, which reveals how the Party sucessfully undermines Winston’s care for Julia as they torture him to remove his devotion and feelings. The visual imagery describing their final meeting, “Her waist had grown thicker, and in a surprising way, had stiffened….He did not attempt to kiss her” is juxtaposed with the evocative imagery describing the intimacy they previously experienced with each other, ultimately conveying the Party’s success in suppressing loving, romantic connections in order to redirect their devotion towards the Party.

Orwell furthermore represents how storytelling is a fundamental component in the shaping of one’s identity. The aphorism, “All history was a palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as necessary.” reveals how the Party uses the power of storytelling as a means to maintain their power, as their conscious alteration of history removes accountability for their actions. However, Orwell reveals how storytelling can also be used to empower individuals, revealed through Winston’s exploration of familial stories in the memory of his mother, in which the characterisation “yet she had possessed a kind of nobility, a kind of purity, simply because the standards that she obeyed were private ones.”,  allows him to recognise the possibility of having private desires as opposed to having

complete devotion towards the Party/Big Brother. Furthermore, Winston’s political identity is shaped through his experience of Goldstein’s stories, where the metaphor “But after reading it he knew better than before that he was not mad... if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.” reveals how this story validates Winston’s recognition of the Party’s hypocrisy, as it is a belief that is shared on a collective

level. Although Winston is inspired by the realisations he attains after engaging with this story, Orwell nonetheless represents how the power of storytelling can be exploited, in the juxtaposition, “The mere sight of a fist drawn back for a blow was enough to make him pour forth a confession of real and imaginary crimes”. This highlights how in the context of fear, Winston is willing to replace his radical beliefs and stories to align the Party’s expectations. The result of the Party’s controlling methods are portrayed through the concluding anaphora, “He had won victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” which creates a monotonous rhythm to symbolise Winston’s lost ability to sustain nuanced thoughts, as his identity has been eradicated by the story of Big Brother as a loving guardian figure who deserves complete loyalty and servitude.

[NO CONCLUSION USUALLY DONE IN EXAM]

ESSAY FEEDBACK (from trials): A clear thesis responds to the question and this is consistently sustained in the essay body. Analysis, while detailed could be strengthened by contextualising quotation within the narrative as a whole. You have provided a deep understanding of Winston’s experience with others.

NOTES FOR THIS ESSAY: ●

The Common Module Syllabus does not focus on the author’s context, so context of George Orwell is not required.

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However, Common Module focuses a bit more on the story’s context (i.e what's happening in the story), so when including quotes it's usually good if you are able to include the context of what’s happening in the story, it helps the marker easily follow what you're talking about.

TECHNIQUES TO ADAPT ESSAY AND EXAMPLES: ●

Rearrange the thesis sentence or add in the keywords from the question into the thesis sentence, introduction and topic sentences.

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Make sure to link your thesis to topic sentences and bits of analysis if possible.

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Below there is a list of questions with their own respective thesis and topic sentence, which provide a vague idea on how to adapt a pre-planned essay in exam situations. It is advised that you attempt the questions and compare the adaptive responses to the initial essay above.

2019 HSC QUESTION: To what extent does the exploration of human experience in Nineteen Eighty-Four invite you to reconsider your understanding of loneliness? EXAMPLE 1:

THESIS: Texts shape the audience's understanding of individual and collective human experiences of  loneliness as they reveal the complexity of human qualities and emotions. Topic sentence 1: Orwell portrays how individuals experience loneliness through the restriction of as their freedom of thought and expression by a totalitarian government. Topic sentence 2: Nineteen Eighty-four reveals how an oppressive government intentionally isolates individuals from establishing loving, romantic relationships. Topic sentence 3: However, Orwell represents how loneliness can be eased through storytelling, as he reveals the power of stories in shaping less isolated identities and experiences. EXAMPLE 2:

Thesis with introduction: George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) invites us to reconsider our understanding of loneliness through the exploration of individual human experiences.Orwell represents how totalitarian authorities isolate individuals by eradicating all personal freedom and individuality. Furthermore, he demonstrates how within this political system, individuals are forced to be alone as they are unable to form genuine, loving relationships. Ultimately, Nineteen Eight-Four reveals the power of storytelling allows individuals to overcome their feelings of loneliness as they are able to shape their own identity and perception about the world. Hence, Orwell explores an individual’s interaction with the world and how this affects their lived experience. Topic sentence 1: Orwell represents how individuals are restricted in their freedom of thought and individuality, and are forced to be alone within the control of the totalitarian government.

Topic sentence 2: Additionally, Orwell demonstrates how an oppressive government intentionally suppresses individuals in order to prevent them from establishing loving, romantic relationships, and continue their lonely isolated lifestyle.

Topic sentence 3: Ultimately, Nineteen Eight-Four represents how the power of storytelling is a fundamental component in shaping one’s identity, as it allows them to overcome their  lonely feelings of self doubt. 

Practice Question 2: We can never truly u  nderstand the m  otivations of others. To what extent does this statement reflect your understanding of the human experience? In your response, make detailed reference to your prescribed text. THESIS: H  uman motivations are rife with complexity, yet can be understood through powerful storytelling that illuminates the audience’s understanding of individual and collective human experiences. Topic sentence 1: George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen  Eight-Four (1949)  assists us in understanding the totalitarian authority's strong motivation to control individuals by eradicating all personal freedom and individuality.

Topic Sentence 2: F  urthermore, Nineteen Eighty-Four reveals the conflict between an individual’s motivation to form loving romantic relationships, and the Party’s motivation to restrict connections between citizens in order to maintain control.

Or

Furthermore, Orwell demonstrates to the audience how within this political system individuals are motivated to form loving, genuine relationships.

Topic Sentence 3: N  onetheless, Orwell portrays his understanding of storytelling as a fundamental component which motivates individuals to discover a deeper sense/awareness/understanding of their identity.

Practice Question 3: “Stories make us more aware of how human imperfections shape the way composers represent human experiences ” Critically analyse this statement with close reference to your prescribed text. KEYWORDS: human imperfections, represent THESIS: Human imperfections deeply influence composers’ representations of individual and collective experiences, enhancing the audience's understanding of the complexity of human qualities and emotions.  Eight-Four (1949),  represents Topic sentence 1: George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen the human imperfection of naivety as it portrays how a totalitarian authority easily controls its citizens by eradicating all personal freedom and individuality.

Topic sentence 2: Furthermore, Orwell demonstrates the Party’s imperfect methods of maintaining control, as they prevent individuals from establishing genuine, loving relationships. Topic sentence 3: Ultimately, Nineteen Eighty-Four reveals how the power of storytelling influences an individual's awareness of their identity, subsequently demonstrating the imperfect human tendency to change their personal ideologies in oppressive conditions.

Or

Ultimately, Nineteen  Eighty-Four reveals how the human imperfection of collective indoctrination shapes Orwell’s representation of storytelling as a powerful method of regaining individualistic identity.

Practice Question 4: Through the telling and receiving of stories, we become more aware of ourselves and our shared human experiences.

Explore this statement with close reference to your prescribed text. THESIS: S  tories/texts allow us to become more aware of ourselves as they explore individual and collective human experiences which reveal the complexity of human qualities and emotions. [Topic sentences pretty much stay the same] -

Maybe start with a storytelling paragraph as it seems more connected to the question.

Practice Question 5: In what ways has your perception of the human experience been shaped by the use of setting in prose fiction?

THESIS(S):

George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949) shapes our perception of individual and collective human experiences through the setting of a dystopian society, as it reveals the complexity of human qualities and emotions.

(better thesis:) George Orwell’s novel Nineteen  Eighty-Four (1949) utilises a dystopian setting to shape the audience’s perception of individual and collective human experiences, as the totalitarian society reveals the complexity of human qualities and emotions.

[all topic sentences pretty much stay the same]

Practice Question 6: How does your text’s form and features represent the impact of human experiences on individual lives?

THESIS(S): Text’s forms and features shape the audience’s understanding of individual and collective human experiences, as it reveals the complexity of human qualities and emotions. (better thesis:) George Orwell’s dystopian prose novel Nineteen Eighty Four (1949) utilises vivid literary devices to represent how individual and collective human experiences impact an individual's life.

Practice Question 7: Explore how texts can represent and provide insight into shared human experiences, both collective and individual. In your response make detailed reference to your prescribed text.

Thesis: T  exts shape the audience’s understanding about individual and collective human experiences, as it provides insight about the complexity of human qualities and emotions.

Practice Question 8: How has your study of your prescribed text shaped and challenged your understanding of individual and collective human experiences? In your answer you must explore ONE prescribed text.

Thesis: Georger Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty Four (1949) shapes and challenges the audience’s understanding of individual and collective human experiences, as it reveals the complexity of human qualities and emotions within an oppressive political system.

Practice Question 9: How has your understanding of the challenges of the human experience been shaped by Orwell’s dystopian world in Nineteen Eighty-Four? Example Thesis(s): George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen  Eight-Four (1949) shapes the audience's understanding of how challenges are an integral component of individual and collective human experiences within an oppressive political system.

George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen  Eight-Four (1949) shapes the audience's understanding of how challenges are an unavoidable component of individual and collective human experiences within an oppressive political system.

George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen  Eight-Four (1949) shapes the audience's understanding of how challenges are essential for individual transformation within an oppressive political system.

Practice Question 10: Analyse how the representation  of identity in your prescribed text shapes your understanding of human experiences.

Thesis(s): The representation of identity in texts shape the audience’s understanding of individual and collective human experiences as it reveals the complexities of human qualities and emotions.

Georger Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen  Eighty Four (1949) explores the importance of identity in shaping an individual’s experience, as it reveals the complexities of human qualities and emotions.

Practice Question 11: Composers challenge responders’ assumptions about the world through the representation of human experiences. Discuss this statement with close reference to your prescribed text. Georger Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen  Eighty Four (1949) challenges the audience’s optimistic assumptions about the world through the representation of the challenges within individual and collective human experiences.

Practice Question 12: While we may have different experiences and attitudes to life, we all share the same fate. Explore this statement with close reference to your prescribed text.

Despite different experiences and attitudes to life, George Orwell’s novel Nineteen  Eighty-Four (1949) represents individual and collective human experiences to portray how all individuals within this dystopian society share the same fate.

Ways to make the thesis better: 1. Despite different experiences and attitudes to life, George Orwell’s novel Nineteen  Eighty-Four (1949) represents the challenges of individual and collective human experiences to portray how all individuals within this dystopian society share the same fate. 2. Despite different experiences and attitudes to life, George Orwell’s novel Nineteen  Eighty-Four (1949) portrays how all individuals within this dystopian society share the same fate of total oppression.

Practice Question (THE MAD BOSS QUESTION)

Thesis(s):

George Orwell’s purpose in Nineteen eighty-four (1949) is to shape the audience's understanding of individual and collective human experiences, influenced by the notion that both beauty and ugliness are equally important.

George Orwell’s Nineteen  Eighty-Four explores the equal importance of beauty and ugliness in achieving his purpose of shaping the audience’s understanding of individual and collective human experiences. George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), reveals how the beauty of life is just as important as the ugly rules of the totalitarian authority, as both factors shape the audience’s understanding of individual and collective human experiences. George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), reveals the importance of beauty within the ugliness of a totalitarian society, as both factors shape the audience’s understanding of individual and collective human experiences.

Intro without thesis: George Orwell’s dystopian novel Nineteen Eight-Four (1949),  represents the ugly nature of how a totalitarian authority that controls individuals by eradicating all personal freedom and individuality. Furth...