With that being said, George Orwell’s 1984 is more than just a dystopian tale. It is a critique of the society in which George Orwell lived, a statement against rising totalitarian powers, and a look into a future world where the consequences of our acquiescence to such powers is laid bare. However, despite the warnings offered in Orwell’s novel — and many of his other works, for that matter — it seems that many of the concerns depicted in 1984 have come to fruition in the present day.
Prompt:
It is hardly a secret that George Orwell’s novel was heavily inspired by the political turmoil of his time. However, Orwell’s warning against the rise of totalitarian powers extends well beyond the era in which this work was written. We see traces of Orwell’s grim vision in the modern world, and in an essay of four to six pages in length, you will examine multiple parallels between 1984 — its characters, themes, social and political policies, and events — and the modern world.
More specifically, you will compare at least four elements of George Orwell’s novel to four separate aspects of modern society (within the last 20 years). What aspects of 1984 also appear in today’s world? Which of Orwell’s themes have manifested in our day-to-day lives?
You will need to conduct some research in order to provide evidence of these parallels, so you must cite a minimum of four credible sources (in addition to Orwell’s 1984), making for a total of five sources on your Works Cited pages. As with Essay 2 and our midterm, you are encouraged to use MEAL paragraph format, meaning you must cite passages from Orwell’s text in each of your body paragraphs. You should also address one comparison per paragraph (meaning you will need a minimum of four body paragraphs, in total).
Grading:
A: A-level papers exceed the minimum assignment requirements, demonstrating advanced development, technical proficiency, and compelling content. The essay’s thesis must be original, well-articulated, and supported by abundant research and thoughtful analysis. MLA formatting should be flawless, including in-text citations and the works cited page / bibliography (if applicable). What’s more, the essay should utilize advanced vocabulary and writing techniques, such as informative signal phrases, effective transitions, and a variety of sentence types. In addition to exceeding assignment requirements, A-level papers should be finely polished and virtually error-free.
B: B-level papers reflect a strong effort to address the assignment prompt, providing an interesting thesis that is properly supported by clear, well-developed prose. Body paragraphs should begin with strong topic sentences, and cited sources must effectively support both the overarching argument and individual paragraph topics. In addition to using proper MLA format, the paper should possess clear, concise vocabulary and proper sentence structure, and errors must be kept to a minimum. B-level papers typically exceed the minimum requirements for an assignment.
C: C-level papers display an adequate understanding of the course content, utilizing a generally clear thesis statement, developed paragraphs that include cited information from primary and secondary sources (when necessary), and college-level vocabulary. While the essay may contain mechanical errors, these errors must not interfere with the clarity of the argument. Despite some errors, students must demonstrate a clear effort in trying to fulfill general requirements.
D: D-level essays contain several errors that render the paper ineligible for a passing grade. These errors may include, but are not necessarily limited to, a missing or unclear thesis statement, under-developed or unsupported body paragraphs, problematic MLA formatting and/or citations, and mechanical and/or organizational errors that may hinder the reader’s understanding of the argument. Papers may also receive a D-level grade (or lower) if they fall below the minimum requirements for an assignment.
F: An F-level essay reflects a general lack of care or development with the assignment. Essays contain no clear argument and/or fail to adhere to assignment objectives, MLA formatting, and other general English requirements. Essays may also receive an F-grade if they are severely underdeveloped, or if mechanical and/or organizational errors make it difficult to follow the argument or understand its content.
Note: Essays that fail to meet basic criteria (minimum page count, relevance to the prompt), or essays that are excessively late, will receive a grade that appropriately reflects the effort invested into the assignment. Essays that contain plagiarized material may receive no credit (0%). If you’re having difficulty developing an essay, talk to me! I am happy to offer clarifications and answers to any questions you may have.
