Final Unit: Gender Roles in Dystopian Film

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.