Reading journal
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
– George Orwell: 1984 –
Read a science fiction novel set in the future and keep a reading journal on it. Write at least four entries in it, preferably:
– once before starting to read
– at least twice during reading
– once after reading
The point is to write about your own reading experience; your own thoughts and impressions on what you have read. Do NOT summarize the plot in detail. The following questions are there to guide and help you, but you do not need to discuss all of them. However, before reading and writing, it may be wise to decide which questions you are going to deal with in the next entry to give some structure and focus for your writing. You can also include some brief quotations from the book to support your observations.
Suggestions for questions to discuss
First Entry: Before reading
a) Publication information: What is the title of the book, the name of the author, publication year and the publisher? Is the book a part of a series? Has the book been adapted to a film or tv series?
b) Do you already know something about the author or have you previously read some other books from the author?
c) Why did you choose to read this book?
d) What kinds of expectations do you have for the book? What kind of a vision of the future do you expect it to portray?
e) What kinds of images and impressions do the front and back cover of the novel evoke in you?
Next two or more entries: During reading
Character
a) Who is the protagonist? Is the protagonist a hero, survivor, rebel or something else? What have you learned about him/her/them by now?
b) What is the conflict for the protagonist in the story? Is it a conflict with the self, with another character, with society or something else? Describe and analyze.
c) Do you relate to or empathize with the protagonist or any of the other characters? Why or why not?
Setting
a) Where and what time in the future is the story set?
b) What is the physical, social and ideological milieu like? Describe and analyze.
Plot and narration
a) What has happened in the story so far? Describe the plot briefly.
b) What do you think will happen in the story later? How might the plot develop? How do you wish the book to end? What would you like to know more about?
c) Who is the narrator in the book? From whose point of view is the story told? Is it difficult or easy for you to understand the narrator’s view of the world? Why?
d) How do you find the language and the writing style in the book? Are there some standout sentences or quotations you would like to share?
Last entry: After reading
a) What was the turning point in the story? How did the story end? Did the protagonist change during the story? Did the world change? How?
b) What are the book’s greatest strengths? What are its weaknesses?
c) What makes the world of the book a utopia or dystopia? Is the book meant to be optimistic about the future or to serve as a warning?
d) What types of dystopian control are used or what kinds of utopian ideals are pursued in the book?
e) What is the theme of the book? What does the writer want to say about us humans and the world we live in? What issues in the current society (eg. political systems, social norms, current trends) does the writer want to raise? What real or hypothetical historical events may have inspired writing this book?
f) Is there something the writer absolutely got right or wrong? What is it?
g) What is the overall impact the story had on you? How did it make you feel?
h) What is the lesson you would like to take with you from this book for your future? What actions could you take to follow that lesson?
“The beauty of dystopia is that it lets us vicariously experience future worlds – but we still have the power to change our own.”
– Ally Condie –