"5 points to Ravenclaw," she replied, snidely looking at Ganymede. She wasn't going to waste breath on saying what she thought.

Pointing her wand to the back of the room, her projector started whirring. With another flick, the candles extinguished and the curtains closed.

An image projected onto the blackboard.



"What does this cover tell us about the novel, '1984'?"

She raises her hand.

"Well Professor, it is evident from the messages shown on the image how those in power are trying to make people think that "Freedom is Slavery", "Ignorance is Strength" and so on. They want them to think that what they are sayign is right, and it's for their own good. The sign proclaiming "Big Brother Is Watching You" on the other hand would particularly be like a warning to all citizens that they should never try doing what is against the "laws", because they will be caught immediately.

I guess if the people are not educated enough, they would most certainly believe it.

Zekk raises his hand again. "Well, we can see that Big Brother is a villian by his picture and the quote under it. There also seems to be a lot of sexual tensions between men and women, as seen by the pin on the women. Also, this might be a time of rebellion, as the bricks that once formed a solid wall have been broken apart and are crumbling."

She thinks a bit on what Zekk said.

"Personally I felt that, the wall is not falling at all, but someone is building it. Once built, the wall will be closing in more on the citizens, making them seem as if they're being kept in a cage."

Although the answer seemed textbook in fashion, she accepted it. She was more satisfied with Zekk's answer. "Symbolism, as with those bricks, can show a lot. As can colours and positions - in particular the positions of the characters and the facial expressions. What do those things tell us?"

She pointed her wand toward the points counter, adding 10 for Ravenclaw.

In response to Cherry, she added, "Having read the book, I'd agree with Zekk. It's symbolic for how the regime can be broken by people - the positioning of the two main characters -- Julia and Winston -- also suggests the same."

:: "It looks like the dudes and dudettes are not allowed to look at eachother, see the women in the back looking at the ground?" She said pointing to the image on the board. ::

Zekk looks more closely at the cover.
"Well, this isn't a time of happiness, since no one looks near happy. The man is looking back at the women resigned that she is leaving. Since it looks like she is walking away from him. Her arched eyebrow seems the look like she is challenging him. Also, the women in the background are crying again showing the depression of the time." Zekk says, hoping that he isn't looking at this wrong.

"Good evulation. You're right. Sex, in '1984', is discouraged except for the means of reproduction. The people of the country are prevented from expressing love as it is seen as a way of making loyalties to people other than the party."

Pointing to the image, she added, "I'd also like to point out the position of their hands; behind the brick wall. This suggests that they are perhaps holding each other and the fact that it is hidden suggests that they're doing something wrong."

Her wand tapped and added a few more points to the Slytherin count. It then hovered and changed the slide in the projector.



"This is a different cover for the same book. What does this suggest?"

She decides to try again.

"It appears the man in orange/yellow might be hiding something, so perhaps he's saying something "illegal". And this may be just my impression but it looks like the man in a green blazer and the blonde woman wish to say something to each other, but probably can't."

OOC: About my reply earlier, I swear I wrote that myself and didn't get it from anywhere.

Zekk listens then adds his two cents.
"It seems like there is little privacy, everyone is talking on the phone at once, no phone booths like there was. It seems the man and women want to talk in private but there is no such thing and thus a longing occurs."

An idea occured to her.

"Could it be that the man in orange/yellow has noticed the sense of longing between the other man and woman, and is reporting them?"

She didn't know if it was anywhere near the right answer, but she thought it was worth a shot.

Linnea raised her hand, "To me it looks that the two people on the far left are making plans of somesort. The area's blocked off with letters could be sections of the country, or maybe city, that there could be a rebellion in, haven't shown completely loyalty, problem areas,etc. The man on the left with the red dots on, what I precive to be a map, gives me a smiliar perception, except maybe more exact locations, like an address. It seems to be an extention to the Big Brother idea from the last picture."

OOC - It was too late to be regarded. Nothing to do with genuinity of it

"I think the orange person is a woman. However, I believe you're right on the other point. There's an obvious irony to the fact that they're holding telephones. Devices which allow communication when really, their communication is restricted. Gives the impression of freedom when they really have none." The slide changes again.



"What does this cover show?"

"Looks like someone is either trying to climb in to save someone, because of the ladder, that they may be climbing out of imprisionment. The person also has no clothes, leaving me to think that any clothes the person may have had were probably owned by the government and he or she is leaving them behind, along with their old life." Linnea answered.

"It shows a naked man trying to climb up a building with no visible windows. It gives me the impression of some one trying to escape the perfect world of 1984. Someone trying to express his individual freedom in a society where comformity is the norm."

:: Ganymede bit her lip as she held back a laugh. She then gulped and said, "There is a naked guy climbing a wall. He is exposed." ::

She thinks for a while.

"The fact that the man is naked, can mean that he is deprived from many things, or, that he is watched over so much, that he feels naked in front of those who have power.

Usually, when one climbs higher, it would symbolise liberty and freedom. It reminds me of the first image you showed us Professor. If you combine both images, perhaps they could mean that as much as a slave can thrive and work harder, and as much as he can try to climb, he will never be able to achieve anything better for his position in such a society?"

She develops Linnea's point, "The nakedness could symbolise vulnerability and a lack of privacy or dignity. The ladder could symbolise a height, a destination that he or she has to climb to that seems unreachable."

She shook her head a little. "Look beyond the literal, look for a deeper meaning."

OOC - I have to go now. I'll continue class tommorow!

Having given that message to her pupils, she conjurs up a different image.



"Can anyone explain to me what this cover of 'Animal Farm' seems to show?"

Rosa raised her hand: 'well, those letters look russian, and the pig is fat and looks mad and lazy and it's wearing a whip. the horse is thin and pulling a very heavy car. and it's mostly read, which is the color of the commusnism. the cover itself is already saying what orwell put in the book, that communism isn't working.'

"I know that's a foreign language," she smirked, disdainfully. "What do those things you described, show you about the novel? What message is Orwell trying to display? 5 points to Ravenclaw for your observations," she added, vaguely impressed compared to the rest of the standards of the class.

'well..' rosa said 'I think the whip means power. or ruling. on the animal farm the pigs rule. and the horse is working. all animals had to work really hard, except for the pigs, who ruled, and the dogs, who made sure nobody objected to the pigs. so perhaps he's saying. and the horse and the pig are opposites, so perhaps he's trying to say... that in communism, where the goal is to get everybody equal, people get inequal.'

"Very good." she smiled widely, honestly. "A further 5 points to Ravenclaw." Turning to address the rest of the class, she added, "The point being made is that one of the major themes of 'Animal Farm' and indeed '1984' also, is hypocrisy. One rule for the masses and another rules for the others. Can anyone link that theme to historic events, that possibly took place around the time of Orwell?"

Alex studied the cover of the book carefully. She slowly raised her hand, unsure of the answer. "It was a satirical allegory of the Russian Revolution, particularly directed against Stalin's Russia. Led by the pigs, the Animals on Mr Jones's farm revolt against their human masters. After their victory they decide to run the farm themselves on egalitarian principles. Inspired by the example of Boxer, the hard-working horse, the cooperation prosper. The pigs become corrupted by power and a new tyranny is established under Napoleon (Stalin). 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.' Snowball (Trotsky), an idealist, is driven out. The final betrayal is made when the pigs engineer a rapproachement with Mr Jones. It presented a socialist viewpoint: the system is good, but the individuals are corruptible. "

"Thank you for that wonderful synopsis, Alex. That should make the subject matter all the more clearer for those in the class who are, shall we say, less endowed. 5 points to Slytherin for your efforts."

With a tap of her wand, the projector slipped and another slide came into view.



"Can anyone give me a synopsis of this novel? What is the significance of the artwork?"