Workshop Questions

DIRECTIONS: Please answer in complete sentences and take time and care in responding, as you will be graded on your answers. You do not need to write down the questions. Do not write any yes or no answers--give details and examples from the reading.
 
You should address all questions within a given section. 

Give the notes to the Paper Author when finished. They will hand it in to me next week at the beginning of class on the day your final paper is due, and you will both get credit for the assignment.

Last but not least, do not rush through this assignment. I will give full credit only to those pairs who took their time working through the assignment carefully, using the entire class period to do so.

1) Is the essay's thesis clear? Point out any areas where it could be clearer. Is it arguable? Is it well-qualified (specific)? Even if the thesis seems to be specific enough, suggest a way for the writer to make it even more specific and narrow (i.e. do they list the topics they plan to discuss in the body paragraphs?). *Importantly, does the thesis address one of the prompts given for class (it should not mix them together)?

2) Does the writer incorporate research from three scholarly* sources into the essay? Do the sources seem to be strong and relevant for the thesis at hand? Do not ask the writer to tell you about them, but judge them based solely on what is in the paper. Write what you know about the sources below and give any suggestions for what you need to know more about. Also please note if they seem to be forcing irrelevant sources onto their paper.

*Scholarly sources are sources written by active scholars in a relevant field such as English literature (in the last 10 years--no older) that have been peer reviewed, and that the paper author found through the Whittier College library's databases. They do not include things like: interviews with the author, .com or other websites, news articles or encyclopedias.

3) Does the writer incorporate plenty of quotes/paraphrases from the novel(s) and the outside sources examples in the essay? They should! Are those quotes strong enough to use? Which quote is the strongest and which is the weakest? Why? 

4) Does the writer provide convincing, sufficient analysis for each and every one of their quotations/paraphrases? Remember, analysis is as important than the quote itself. Make suggestions for improvement below, and be specific. The analysis should of course connect back to the thesis.

5) Is the paper organized? Do the main topics of the body paragraphs seem to build logically upon one another? Are the quotations logically organized? Give at least one suggestion for improvement.

6) What are some ways in which the author might expand their ideas further? Are there any logical connections they could be making that are missing from the essay? Is their critical thinking going deep enough, or are they staying at a surface level with their interpretations of the text? Give suggestions for at least two places in the essay where they can go deeper.

Handmaid's Tale Pair Questions

1) What parallels do you note between the world of the novel and our world today, and/or historically? Consider contemporary politics and society-at-large. 

2) What is the purpose of the Ceremony? Break down each element of the ritual, beginning with the pre-ritual (in the sitting room) and leading through the ending, and discuss how each element of it contributes to the power structure of Gilead, with the Commander on top, the Wife next in line, and everyone else below. Why do you think those in charge in Gilead have changed the act of procreation to one of duty instead of love? 

3) What relevant similarities do you note between Gilead and Stepford?  

4) What do we know about what happened in Gilead and the world to lead to this point? What are some of the steps that those in power took to ensure their power? How and why were they able to succeed? 

5) How are women’s bodies controlled specifically in the narrative? Why is it important for the men in power to control women through their bodies? 

Bonus/Extra Credit Questions:

What is the role of fear in Gilead? How is fear used to control people and keep them in line?

Why do you think that only the faces of the handmaids must be obscured in the novel? Why don’t the Marthas’ faces have to be obscured?

Utopias and Dystopias

A utopia is a fictive ideal society based around notions of equality, social harmony, economic prosperity, and political stability. 

The word came from novel by Thomas More about a completely planned community based upon controlling individual impulses that could be destructive to the public good. In a utopia there is no private property, and everyone wears the same clothes, so there’s no envy of wealth or social status, no poverty, hunger, violence, no bars or hiding places. 

There is always a concept of slave labor in a utopia.

The word comes from two Greek words that mean "no place." When pronounced in Latin it means "good place." 

A utopia is an ideal place we can create, that does not yet exist. 

Utopias often include the following elements:

• Information, independent thought, and freedom are promoted (at least in theory.) There is still a level of conformity however (such as everyone wearing the same clothing).

• A figurehead or concept brings the citizens of the society together, but not treated as singular.

• Citizens have no fear of the outside world.

• Citizens live in a harmonious state.

• The natural world is embraced and revered.

• Citizens embrace social and moral ideals. Individuality and innovation are welcomed.

• The society evolves with change to make a perfect utopian world.

Types of Utopian Ideas

Most utopian works present a world in which societal ideals and the common good of society are maintained through one or more of the following types of beliefs:

• Economic ideas: Money is abolished. Citizens only do work that they enjoy.

• Governing ideas: Society is controlled by citizenry in a largely individualist, communal, social and sometimes libertarian “government”. The term government is used loosely, as power is seen to corrupt, so constructed government systems are warned against.

• Technological ideas: In some cases, technology may be embraced to enhance the human

living experience and make human life easier and more convenient. Other ideas propose that technology drives a wedge between humanity and nature, therefore becoming an evil to society.

Ecological ideas: Back to the nature, humans live harmoniously with nature and reverse the

effects of industrialization.

• Philosophical/religious ideas: Society believes in a common religious philosophy, some fashion their surroundings around the biblical Garden of Eden. In inter-religious utopias, all ideas of God are welcomed. In intra-religious utopias, a singular idea of God is accepted and practiced by all. 

A dystopia is a society that is incredibly imperfect, with extremes of wealth and poverty, and lacking the harmonious and egalitarian qualities of utopias. It is often a hyperbolic (exaggerated), worse case scenario version of certain aspects of the real world that the author lives in. 

John Stuart Mill in 1868 coined the term.

As a genre of fiction, dystopian literature took off in the 20th century and after WW II. It is also probably more popular as a genre of literature because there is not a lot of conflict in a utopia, whereas there is plenty of conflict in a dystopia.

The genre took off in the 20^th century partly due to the rise of totalitarian states on the right and left – Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

Dystopias are not the opposites of utopias, as they often contain the same elements of utopias in certain respects (intense measure of social control, the state claiming to be benevolent).  One way to look at them is as corrupted utopias.

Dystopias often include the following elements:

• 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, presents itself as utopian.

Types of Dystopian Controls

Most dystopian works present a world in which oppressive societal control and the illusion of a perfect society are maintained through one or more of the following types of controls:

• Corporate control: One or more large corporations control society through products, advertising, and/or the media.

• Bureaucratic control: Society is controlled by a mindless bureaucracy through a tangle of red tape, relentless regulations, and incompetent government officials.

• Technological control: Society is controlled by technology—through computers, robots, and/or scientific means.

• Philosophical/religious control: Society is controlled by philosophical or religious ideology often enforced through a dictatorship or theocratic government.

Advantageous Discussion Questions

Please write down your answers and use complete sentences.

1. 1) Dystopian science fiction often amplifies current negative cultural trends or problems and projects them into a troubled future. What current cultural trends does the film amplify? 

  

2. 2) How do these various problems or trends impact or intersect with one another, compounding the nature of the problem and creating a system of oppression in the film? 

  

3. 3) The flip side of a dystopia is a utopia. Often utopian aims of perfection are what set the stage for a dystopian reality. How does the theme of “perfection” play out in the film? Who or what is considered perfect?

  

4. 4) What forms of technology do you see used in the film? What are they used for? What ethical problems do these advancements raise? 

  

6. 5) If this form of cloning technology were available to us today, do you think that people would use it? Why or why not? What factors might incline them toward using it?