All
three of the core texts we have read this year – 1984, Fahrenheit 451 and Brave New World – were written by men and all three focus on male protagonists. In
these works, women play important yet peripheral roles. And so, for our final unit this year,
we will shift our focus to less male-dominated stories and explore gender roles and the portrayal of women in
works about the future – this time, films.
We
will watch three films as a class.
You will be expected to watch carefully and analytically, taking careful
notes, responding to questions and participating in discussions. The final assessment for the unit will
be an essay in which you compare and contrast the films’ portrayals of women
and takes on gender roles in general.
We
will begin with a brief introduction to Feminist Criticism – a literary
criticism theory that focuses on “the ways in which literature (and other
cultural productions) reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social,
and psychological oppression of women.”
Through reviewing the typical questions raised by Feminist Criticism,
you will have a sense of what kinds of things to look out for in our films.
Step-by-Step
Requirements:
1)
While
watching the films in class, take two-column “I See / It Means” notes. In the left column, write details from
the film; in the right, explain how these details relate to our questions about
gender. I will check notes periodically
and will collect them at the end of the unit.
2)
After
each film, we will have a graded Socratic Seminar. You will need to answer questions about the film and
participate actively in the discussion.
3)
Finally,
you will synthesize your thoughts on all three films into a 2-3 page paper
about the portrayal of women and gender roles in dystopian film, as represented
by our three examples. Just as
with a traditional literary analysis paper, you will must use specific evidence
to support your thesis. All the
more reason to take careful notes, show up each day, and participate in
discussions!
This
unit, combined with your Senior Portfolio (more information coming soon!) will
make up the totality of your Fourth Quarter grade.
