The Imitation Game|
Understanding WWII Through Film
Name:
Date:
Period:
DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions as you watch the movie. Please note that the
questions may not be in order. If you do not answer all the questions during the movie, consider
speaking to someone from class, doing additional research, or rewatching portions of the film
online.
THE BACK STORY: Winston Churchill said that Alan Turing made the biggest single contribution
to the defeat of Nazi Germany. By brilliantly decoding Enigma, Turing gave the Allies a big
advantage. Without Turing, Hitler might have won. The Imitation Game is a dramatized version of
Alan Turing’s story. The real Turing is described as warm and funny, by people who knew him.
Another important character in the film is Commander Denniston, who comes across as ignorant
and rude. Commander Denniston’s family say he was kind and always polite, and are unhappy with
the way he appears. However accurate the film is, it makes a very exciting drama. The Imitation
Game won an Oscar in 2015 for the Best Screenplay, with nominations for Benedict Cumberbatch
as Alan Turing and Keira Knightley as Joan Clarke, as well as Best Picture.
1. Who is Alan Turing? Update this question throughout the movie (Career, personal life,
experiences, accomplishments, etc.)
•
Childhood
•
Academic Career
•
Military Career
2. What is an enigma machine, how does it work, and why was simply having one in their
possession not enough for the Allied forces to break the German code?
3. What is Turing’s philosophy on why people like violence?
4. Explain why Turing and the other code breakers were not at war with the Germans, but instead
at war with the clock.
The Imitation Game |
5. How did Turing’s approach to breaking the code initially differ from that of the rest of his team
and why did his idea seem unachievable for the time period?
6. Who was Christopher and why did Turing name his machine after him?
7. Why was there a warrant issued for Alan Turing’s arrest? When was homosexuality no longer
considered illegal in Britain? What is chemical castration?
8. How does Joan Clarke’s character highlight social inequality and gender discrimination of the
era? Describe two different events and their significance.
9. What ethical dilemmas did the code breaking team experience once they finally broke the
code? What is a modern day ethical and moral dilemma that exists in war?
10. What happened to Alan Turing after the war? Do you feel as though he’s been given
appropriate credit?