Q2L 10 ELA discussion

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10A Weekly Discussion Threads > 10A Week 15 Discussion

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message 1: by David, Teacher (new)

David Patterson (MrPatterson) | 79 comments Mod
Please go to the "Nineteen Eighty-Four" page on Goodreads.com:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5...

Scroll down and look to the left-hand side for "Videos About This Book."

Watch the trailer for one of the three film version's of the book.

Answer these questions:

1. What, in your own words, is "thought crime"?

2. Who might be a "thought criminal" and why do you think this?

3. What is the opposite, in your own words, of "thought crime"?

4. What kind of job does Winston have?

5. State one similarity between Winston's world and our own. Explain why you think this aspect of life is similar.

Thank you for providing interesting and complete responses to these questions. The best ones are going to end up in front of the class some day rather soon. Just be ready for it.


message 2: by Liam (new)

Liam | 27 comments A thought crime is any idea, action, or general though against the status quo, or the against the power of the government. It appears that the protagonist might himself be a though criminal. The opposite of a thought criminal would be a completely submissive person. Winston appears to have a desk job.
With the unveiling of the NSA program it seems to be that both governments exploit terrorism as an excuse to conduct mass-surveillance.


message 3: by Web (new)

Web | 10 comments A thought crime is when you think or believe something the government doesn't want you to. Anyone who thinks radically or even slightly different than anyone else is a thought criminal. The opposite of a thought crime is believing and trusting in everything the government wants you to. Winston appears to have a job with lots of thoughtless work or conversely he might be in the military. One thing that is similar is that in his dystopian world and our own is that the government watches everything we do but the way they act on it appears to be very different.


message 4: by Brian (new)

Brian Rosario | 36 comments A thought crime is an occurrence or instance of controversial or socially unacceptable thoughts.It can relate to Fahrenheit 451 by the government not wanting society to read. Reading improves your knowledge. Newspeak is the fictional language in the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, written by George Orwell. It is a controlled language created by the totalitarian state as a tool to limit freedom of thought, and concepts that pose a threat to the regime such as freedom, self-expression, individuality, peace, etc. It can relate to the amendments. Winston clerk in the Records Department of the Ministry of Truth. One similarity is that the law watches us and we can't really do anything about it.


message 5: by Kyla (new)

Kyla Cain | 19 comments A thought crime is when you go against what the government wants you to believe. I might actually be a thought criminal because I like to investigate things and believe things that I find. The opposite of a thought crime could be not thinking for yourself or investigating to find out the truth. Winston seems to have a pointless job. Which connects to our world in more ways than one.


message 6: by Julien (new)

Julien | 24 comments A thought crime is when you have a thought of doing something against the law of the society. Anyone who is unhappy with their life/government is a thought criminal. The opposite of a thought crime is to do what you are told, day in, day out, without regretting it. Winston seems to be a worker drone, not really helping, or changing his society. One similarity is how, when shown with an incentive, or a punishment, people will continue to do something until you need not ask anymore, like us doing the Goodreads every week. :D


message 7: by Laszlo (new)

Laszlo | 18 comments Thoughtcrime is thinking in your own way and not apposed to the values of big brother. A thought criminal is someone who reads or thinks about anything other then big brother. The opposite of thoughtcrime is following the message of big brother is watching you and going by everything unquestioned. Winstion work's in a ministry which sounds like a depressing job. One aspect of life that is similar is school because we can't question the teacher on our learning or how to behave, we have to just go along with it all like robots.


message 8: by Brandyn (new)

Brandyn | 10 comments A thought crime is when you think about something that may pose a threat to society or the government, or against the big brothers. Someone who dislikes government leaders are thought criminals. The opposite of a thought criminal is someone who never thinks twice about what happens in the world. Winston has a job where he is not required to think, it seems. One thing similar from Winston's world and our world is that disagreeing with someone in power can sometimes lead to consequence.


message 9: by Joey (new)

Joey Sotomayor | 16 comments A thought crime is when you actually commit a crime against mainly the government or "the man". People who do not like the government in America are thought of terrorists and are not treated equally. The total opposite of a a thought criminal is someone who actually thinks about a crime and the voice in they're head second guesses it. Winston has a very depressing job (at least in my eyes) where he does not give out emotion, he just does his job. Something that is the same between from his world and ours is that if you question the law or "the man" bad things can happen.


message 10: by [deleted user] (new)

A thought of crime is when you think of doing something that is against the law. The opposite of the thought of crime is doing what the government wants you to do. Winston has a job where he can not think and has to do what he is told. One thing that is similar is that we have to pay attention in class and do our homework.


message 11: by Tasha (new)

Tasha | 14 comments Based on my understanding, a "thought crime" is a thought in which in some cases can be follow up by action it goes against the government and common society. I believe that anyone who poses a threat to society or government could be considered a "thought criminal", it doesn't necessarily have to just be in a violent sense, it could also be just words that a person may say to influence other minds which may spark outbursts.
I think "conformity" is the opposite of a thought crime. For someone to show absolute conformity means they follow customs and ideas that don't seem unusual (just because you have an opinion about something doesn't make you a thought criminal).

It seems that Winston's job involves a lot of paperwork. I assumed based on the other questions that's being asked in the discussion post, that the paperwork has to do with confidential records or something that the government doesn't want people to see.
One similarity I noticed between Winston's world and our world is that rebellion is so ever present. People rebel everyday against the government.


message 12: by Miguel (new)

Miguel | 22 comments A thought crime is when you think of doing something that is against the law. Anyone who is a thought criminal is someone who went against the law because they were un happy with there rules. The opposite of a thought crime is someone that never did something wrong to go against the law. The job that winston has is a usful job that doesnt change a thing for the goverment.


message 13: by Imani (new)

Imani | 25 comments 1. A "thought crime" is a thought that is clearly going to be followed through by action but is going against the government and every day society.

2. A "thought criminal" in our society I think is a person that is different or a person who does something bad because they are doing something that is not allowed and or socially unacceptable.

3. The opposite of a "thought criminal" or a "thought crime" is a person or a group of people that are up standing citizens of society.

4. I think that Wilsons job is mainly paper work but if it is related to the topic of "thought crimes" then maybe be does paperwork about criminals or people that participate in "thought crimes."


message 14: by Ronan (new)

Ronan | 19 comments A thought crime can be defined as thinking in an individual way that is banned by the government. A thought criminal is someone who disagrees with the government's regime. The opposite of a thought criminal is a person who obeys the government without question. Winston's job is "rectifying" documents so that they tell a version of the truth that the government wants people to believe. One parallel between Winston's world and our own is the government's constant surveillance of the people.


message 15: by Willem (last edited Dec 20, 2013 05:16PM) (new)

Willem | 21 comments 1) I imagine a thought crime is the act of thinking ill about the government and/or the act thinking of anything banned by them.

2) A thought criminal might be someone who disagrees with the thoughts of the government or society.

3)In my words, the exact opposite of a thought criminal/crime is one who is completely submissive, and doesn't think, only obeys.

4)I'm guessing that this Winston character works for the government or thought police in some form.

5)Communism and a lot of communist countries often try to control their populace through extreme forms propaganda and/or brainwashing. The scary thing is--it works.


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