NAME__________________________
1984 in Pop Culture
1.
DATE___________________
Watch the “1984” Apple commercial, directed by Ridley Scott (Bladerunner,
Gladiator, American Gangster), made in 1984.

Who is the hero? How is she dressed? What is on her tank-top?

Who is the villain? How is he presented?

What does “Big Brother” mean when he says, “Today we celebrate the
first year anniversary of the information fortification…”?

How is the crowd presented?

What does the heroine do that shows rebellion?

The announcer says, “And you’ll see why 1984 won’t like “1984.” What
is Apple saying about its product in relation to others’?
2. Listen to the song “2+2 = 5” recorded by Radiohead in 2003 from the album Hail
to the Thief. Here are the lyrics:
Are you such a dreamer
To put the world to rights
I'll stay home forever
Where two and two always makes a five
I'll lay down the tracks
Sandbag and hide
January has April showers
And two and two always makes a five
NAME__________________________
1984 in Pop Culture
DATE___________________
It's the devil's way now
There is no way out
You can scream and you can shout
It is too late now
Because you're not there
Payin' attention (X4)
yeah I feel it, I needed attention
Payin' attention (X3)
Yeah I need it, I needed attention
I needed attention (X3)
Yeah I love it, the attention
Payin' attention (X3)
I try to sing along
But the music's all wrong
‘Cause I'm not (X2)
I'll swallow up flies?
Back and hide
But I'm not
Oh, hail to the thief (X2)
But I'm not (X4)
Don't question my authority or put me in the box
‘Cause I'm not (X2)
Oh go up to the king, and the sky is falling in
But it's not (X2)
Maybe not (X2)

The album Hail to the Thief was released in 2003. Given the year, why do
you think the album was titled as such?

What does the singer Thom Yorke mean when he says, “I'll stay home
forever / Where two and two always makes a five?”

Yorke repeats, “You’re not there payin’ attention” ten times. Who’s not
paying attention, do you think?

Who is “the thief” in the line “Oh, hail to the thief / But I’m not”?
NAME__________________________
1984 in Pop Culture

DATE___________________
Yorke ends, “…the sky is fallin in / But it’s not / Maybe not.” Why is he
not sure?
3. Watch the video “2+2=5” directed by Gastón Viñas.
 The video is based on the anti-totalitarian dystopic novels 1984 and
Animal Farm by George Orwell. It begins with “[cow] + [pig] =”. What
do each of the symbols mean?

What happens to the bird? What does this suggest?

The cows are shown first grazing, and then on the lyrics “I am such a
dreamer” they are given tools. What is the role of technology is creating
a dystopia like this?

The next equation is “[cow] + [cow] = [house]”. What does this mean?

The pig approaches cowland is a suit, selling what? What program does
he show them on this product?

How does this product lead to the pig’s control over the cows?
NAME__________________________
1984 in Pop Culture
DATE___________________

Eventually, what does [cow] + [pig] equal?

The cows are shown en mass on trains. What connotations does this
evoke?

What was the pig after all along?

The pigs gets fatter and the cows get skinnier. How does this relate to the
novel 1984?

One sequence of the video shows a teacher pig with sharp teeth teaching a
bunch of skinny little cows at desks the equation 2+2=5. What concept
from 1984 is this?

What image does the end of the video show? What does this mean? How
has this been achieved?