Some themes in The Handmaid’s Tale
Choose a theme on which to focus: you may use one of the below, or come up with your
own. A theme should one of the main messages of the novel, a life lesson that can be
taken away from your reading. Find examples, including two or three quotes, that
demonstrate the theme you’ve chosen.
Power
One of the most important themes of The Handmaid's Tale is the presence and
manipulation of power. This is expressed symbolically and through character interation.
Sexuality
The focus of the Gileadean regime is on the control of sex and sexuality, and women’s
bodies as political instruments.
The Place of the Individual in Society
One of the questions asked by The Handmaid's Tale is whether the needs of society
should be allowed to trump the rights of the individual.
Gender Conflict
While Atwood asks a great many questions about gender conflict, she does not seem to
provide readers with any concrete answers.
Language as a Tool of Power
Gilead creates an official vocabulary that ignores and warps reality in order to serve the
needs of the new society’s elite.
Some themes in V for Vendetta
Choose a theme on which to focus: you may use one of the below, or come up with your
own. A theme should one of the main messages of the novel, a life lesson that can be
taken away from your reading. Find examples, including two or three quotes, that
demonstrate the theme you’ve chosen.
Fear as an instrument of control
By creating fear in people, authorities are better able to do whatever they want within
their power.
Rebirth and loss of innocence
Several characters experience this, but especially Evey.
Revenge and the nobility of struggling against one’s oppressors
Is it necessary to pay those in power back from their misdeeds? What does the novel say
about characters who do this? What does the novel say about characters who don’t?
Power and responsibility
If we allow those who make terrible decisions to stay in power, are we culpable (at fault)
as well?
Some themes in 1984
Choose a theme on which to focus: you may use one of the below, or come up with your
own. A theme should one of the main messages of the novel, a life lesson that can be
taken away from your reading. Find examples, including two or three quotes, that
demonstrate the theme you’ve chosen.
Psychological Manipulation
The Party barrages its subjects with psychological stimuli designed to overwhelm the
mind’s capacity for independent thought
Physical Control
In addition to manipulating their minds, the Party also controls the bodies of its subjects.
Technology
By means of telescreens and hidden microphones across the city, the Party is able to
monitor its members almost all of the time
Control of Information and History
The Party controls every source of information, managing and rewriting the content of all
newspapers and histories for its own ends.
Language as Mind Control
One of Orwell’s most important messages in 1984 is that language is of central
importance to human thought because it structures and limits the ideas that individuals
are capable of formulating and expressing
Love/Sexuality
The Party works to quell all physical sensations of love, and depersonalizes sex to the
point where it is referred to as a "duty to the Party" (for the purposes of procreation).
Independence/Identity
Through its effective psychological manipulation tactics, the Party destroys all sense of
independence and individuality.
Some themes in Brave New World
Choose a theme on which to focus: you may use one of the below, or come up with your
own. A theme should one of the main messages of the novel, a life lesson that can be
taken away from your reading. Find examples, including two or three quotes, that
demonstrate the theme you’ve chosen.
The Use of Technology to Control Society and the Disregard for Human Life
Brave New World warns of the dangers of giving the state control over new and powerful
technologies
The Degradation of Human Sexuality and its Implications
Along with the loss of individuality comes the loss of self worth
The Consumer Society
The World State is simply an extreme—but logically developed—version of our society’s
economic values, in which individual happiness is defined as the ability to satisfy needs,
and success as a society is equated with economic growth and prosperity.
The Incompatibility of Happiness and Truth
Brave New World is full of characters who do everything they can to avoid facing the
truth about their own situations.
The Dangers of an All-Powerful State
Power in Brave New World is maintained through technological interventions that start
before birth and last until death, and that actually change what people want.
Some themes in Fahrenheit 451
Ignorance/Knowledge
Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with a conflict between knowledge and
ignorance. What does true happiness consist of? Is ignorance bliss, or do knowledge and
learning provide true happiness?
Censorship
In Fahrenheit 451, owning and reading books is illegal. Members of society focus only on
entertainment, immediate gratification and speeding through life.
Animal Imagery
Animal imagery in Fahrenheit 451 expresses the importance of nature in life. The lack of
nature, or the manipulation of nature (i.e. the development of the Mechanical Hound),
causes death and destruction.
Life and Death
Throughout the novel, Bradbury presents paradoxes between life and death. Many
people die in the novel, and in Montag's search for truth and knowledge, he is trying to
give true life to his own existence and to prevent the cultural death of society.
Technology
Bradbury is commenting on the negative influence of technological development in this
world and the destructive potential of technology in our society.
EVALUATION: What worked/didn’t work about this book for you?
The following may help support your opinion of how well the author conveys the ideas
presented in the book. You should find at least one example from the book in one of the
following categories and find at least one quotation that helps support your opinions of
the book
Audience:
Who is the audience for this book--is there an audience that would not appreciate this
book?
Voice:
What kind of a voice does the writer use? For example, is the writer emotional, or does
he or she seem reserved? How does the emotion or lack of it affect the book?
What language in the book supports your judgment?
Content:
Is the story well organized and easy to understand?
Are there any twists or surprises to keep you interested?
Are the characters realistic and believable?
Can you relate to the characters?
Does the book come to a satisfying conclusion? (No spoilers!)
Is there a lesson to learn from the book?
Language:
Are the sentences complex or simple, or a balanced blend of both?
Is the language colloquial or formal?
Is the vocabulary accessible to most readers?
How much dialogue is there in the text, and is it effective?
Literary Elements:
What literary elements can you discuss with regard to this book? Try to include as many
of the following as you can: theme, protagonist, genre, climax, imagery, motif,
metaphor, symbol, and setting. (Use direct quotes or paraphrases to illustrate these.)