Chelsea Adams, Katie Day
30 October 2025
Two English teachers and a technologist come together for a lively discussion on George Orwell’s 1984 and teaching the text to high school students in the U.S. in 2025. Tackles complex topics (propaganda, surveillance, freedom of expression). Good for educators who are thinking of teaching the novel in their classrooms. 02:00 Framing & historical context, George Orwell 06:50 Making sense of Winston Smith 10:00 Misogyny and modernity 13:00 Memory, individuality, and the alteration of history 18:55 What is war in Oceania? 24:45 Newspeak, language, and narrative control 33:00 Art and entertainment in totalitarian Oceania 40:45 Student engagement with 1984 For a full list of episode sources and resources, visit our website.
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