1984 question

I wish I had read it in high school and the Jungle too!

coming from someone that graduated from a catholic high school almost 3 years ago, we read 1984 in class i think my junior year english, yes it has sex in it but in high school most teen know about it, so i know for us we took it seriously but all teen should now in a coed class i wouldnt put it past some boys to laugh or make joke at something sexual in the book. but you have to look past that and see the story as a whole for the change of lifestyle and government that 1984 is about. and yes the male main character does think about sex but look at the situation he is in not very many women round and in a society that starts to look on sex and something kinda bad in a since. but of course the book was written in 1949 where sex isnt talked about and only married couple can do it. By the time a student reads this book they should already have taken health and have had the "talk" with their parents. so sex in this book isnt anything that students shouldnt and dont already know. I liked it, it was an interesting look on a time that couldve been but didnt happen, especially being written 35 years before 1984 and reading it 23 years after 1984 when my dad was in high school.

Besides, it's not like we need the original poster to discuss our opinions on the subject. It's a neat subject, and we all have cool opinions. Having more detail helps, but it can be done without.

I finished teaching this for the first time last fall, and I must say that it was the most successful novel unit I've ever taught.

It's a great introduction to Marxist theory, as well as some entry-level philosophy (Jeremy Bentham and the panopticon was a great way to introduce the book). The sexual content works in a more ideological way than an erotic one, and, much less so than Huxley's BRAVE NEW WORLD.

The difficulty with your question is the word "appropriate." This is a book for college-bound juniors or seniors who can understand the depth of Orwell's vision and make sense of its increasing relevance. It's not sci-fi, and not a love story (well, kind of..;), but rather an expression of how who we are will affect who we are going to be. It's too important to miss, and my only regret is that I didn't start teaching it earlier.

I myself read it in high school. Personally there are specific scenes that I thought were inappropriate for all ages. However the book does raise questions that are very relevant to this time and age that we live in, such as the unnecessary surveillance of citizens by governments.

Also, I highly recommend reading George Orwell's essay Politics and the English Language.

I read Brave New World at High School, the Perfume was a school option, Bodas de Sangre of Federico García Lorca was also school assigment at High School.

At high school I also saw the films of Dangereux Liasons, Les Miserables, and Clockwork Orange, Death Poetry Society and God Will Hunting.

Some of the books and movies impacted me, although the movies impacted me more.

It is supposed that at that age, one can watch and read those kind of issues. What is missing in the system, is to ask who are very sensitive, so those people can be pardoned.

When did you read the Catcher in the Rye?

The first time I ever read this was a group read in 8th Grade. All I remember was it scared me. When I was a Junior in high school I got a chance to read it again. This time I understood the book and understood why it scared me. I am 32 years old now and read this book about once every 2 years and it still scares me.

I read this book first as it was manditory in school.. and it didn't ruin me. it is the schools purpose to teach you about literature and culture.. this book definately belong to that. and it's a necessary book to understand many comments made in society nowadays.

sex is not necessary bad to read about as a child. depending on how it's written. and I have had much much worse sexual scenes forced down on me for the sake of 'literature' (something to do with the kind of literature we have in my country) frankly.. teenagers know what sex is (and if not there is REALLY something wrong in the education of them) so it won't hurt them to see it in a book. they already see it all around them all day.

I read this in upper sixth (17/18 yrs old). I didn't actually enjoy it but I think it should be taught. Maybe even as young as 15/16. Maybe not any younger. Looking back i don't think many of my classmates would have taken it seriously... It was an opportunity to sensibly analyse a book, meanings... prepared me well for university anyway.

I read it for the first time in high school

I read it middle school

It should be taught but it shouldn't be applied - only treated as a book and a wonderful one at that.

My english teacher nearly killed Shakespeare for me that way... but now I see why.

Victoria wrote: "its sortof on the verg.... im not saying the idea of the book im saying half the book is about this guy who is all about sex. i just finnished it for the 10th grade and i was saprised i wanted to r..."

...It isn't so much about the sex as it is about the sex being a vehicle for freedom from the system. Acutally I don't remember there being that much sex in it, because it was more about Winston and his life in the system, and how the system worked etc for. I was in 11th grade when we read it, so I absolutely think you can read it and understand it in high school.

I think it's appropriate. It should be required reading for anyone that doesn't want to become a sheep.

e.g. facebook has a like, but there is no loathe button
e.g. you are wrong -> that's so not right

We're approaching 1984 as we speak!

yeah!

I wouldn't recommend it for children, but I think it's great for teens. Yes, there's sex in it, but the points regarding policing the thoughts of others are very important for teens to learn and discuss.

Also, the sex that's in there is shown for what it is: a cheap, first attempt at a greater rebellion against the all-powerful state; and a weak attempt to establish gender again, to feel masculine/strong. Nothing about it really titillates. (Didn't do anything for me anyway.)

I read it in high school. It wasn't on the reading list for me but it was in the house so I read it. I think it's appropriate for high schoolers. Can't be afraid of ideas and there's more sex on tv than there was in the book.

I think especially approprite for high school. I also read it in high school. Made me think that problems in my country and gave me a different perspective about all governments and their policy.

I think it should be mandatory for high school. I had to read it for a high school class in 1976, and I'm thrilled to know it is still required!

I was asked to read Animal Farm in 8th grade (13 years old) and didn't understand it. Unfortunately, either the instructor didn't either, or was unable to explain metaphor to a group of 13-year-olds. Whatever the situation, I didn't get it, and I'm sorry that someone wasn't there to explain it.

Victoria, if you think "this guy is all about sex" - I'm sorry that your teacher didn't explain the book better. :(

I don't know that a teacher would be allowed to teach this book correctly any more. We live in a dystopian world now.

Can you really teach kids about Endless War without making reference to our own Endless War? Can you discuss Newspeak without comparing it with the ways government now uses semantics against us? Can you talk about the idea of people putting government before all without mentioning that the school they are sitting in has programs that have catching drug using parents as a goal as much as teaching kids to avoid illegal substances?

And if you do make those comparisons, get kids thinking about them, can you keep your job?

Absolutely! During my senior year, we didn't have to read it, the school curriculum decided to emphasize Brave New World and other authors instead. But on the advice of one of my teachers, I grabbed a copy and read through it in two sittings. He said "don't graduate without reading this first!" And I did not!

What's more, now that I'm a teacher, I insist on having it on the curriculum. I love the book, have read three times now, and am grateful for the opportunity to engage others with it whenever possible.

This past year, I've been stuck teaching little kids, so I started a book club just so that I would have the opportunity. It was second on our list, and I loved going through it all over again.

There are plans for a GPS identification chip to be installed in every civilian in the future. Constant surveillance. No privacy. 1984 will be here soon if this is true.

In regards to the topic..appropriate for highschool. Have you heard the things they talk about or seen the things teens and even children already do? If you are worried about sex then it should be the media in terms of magazines, videos, and movies that are out there in 2012 rather than a piece of literature.

Victoria wrote: "im saying half the book is about this guy who is all about sex."
What?!
That is the worst description of 1984 I have ever heard in my entire life! And yes, the book is appropriate for HS.

Orwell predicted:

Permanent state of war.
All-purpose enemies that are created as needed.
Militarized State.
Surveillance State.
Institutionalized torture.
Prison-Industrial State.
State-controlled media/propaganda.
Regular use of mass psy-ops.
Destruction of civil liberties.
Propagation of national myths.
Fear.

Thank God he was wrong!

well, I read it in my AP English class (that's all Seniors in high school) and the students were appropriate, for the most part. This, honestly, is mild reading compared to what's in the movies and magazines nowadays anyway... My opinion would be that high school kids should read 1984 because it's a classic and deals with a world unknown yet known to them; and, the guys would like it, and it's syfy!

Spoiler: In real life, people have sex.

This is not going to ruin the fragile mind of a high-schooler. The notion is completely preposterous. If anything is going to have a negative effect, it's pretending like these things are shameful or inappropriate.

Considering I read this book for the first time when I was 13, I'm pretty sure it would be okay for highschoolers to read it; In fact, it's mandatory in my high school. These students should have reached a mature enough age to where they can comprehend the text and almost use it as a warning to prevent (or prolong) the idea of the Big Brother-esque totalitarian government coming into society, and realize the flaws their current government may hold. Only reading ~flowers and smiles~ type novels fails to teach students anything valuable. The fact that most kids don't even read outside of school anymore (or only read young adult novels for plot) shows that they probably aren't going to read it on their own, so we may as well push it on em. If your only argument is that there's sex in the book, you're being very naive as to how much porn teenagers watch.

Lichen: It was required reading in the 1980's as well, for some schools throughout Queensland (Oz).

Victoria: Are you *sure* you're referring to "1984" or some other book? If sex was all you got out of this book, then American Psycho should have featured Mahatma Ghandi.

Moving on ...
I'm having to say, "Yes, very much appropriate" for high school students. It teaches that raw element of thinking for yourself, the harsh truth that things around you are "wrong", that rebellion can happen in the smallest of ways - there's a myriad of lessons learnt in this book.

But I speak of students that have their wiring correct, or mostly correct. This or any other brain book will put the right ideas into the already wrong and badly-wired brain of someone not balanced and cause all manner of ill-harm to everyone around them.

I was going to refer to the recent US shooting case (Dec 2012), but can't really point to a clear direction without others perhaps reading it in a wrong light. So I won't.

However - yes, encouraged most definetly!

I'm a high schooler who read it in eighth grade. I think it should be read. The book's message is especially valid for someone who soon will be a voting, law-abiding, member of society. Also, it's dystopian government is easily a mere exaderation of today's world, and I think that image would stick with many high-schoolers.

It clearly is not light reading material, but a challenge is good.

Whether it is appropriate or not depends on how you define appropriate.

It's worth remembering that when Nineteen Eighty-Four first came out it was promoted as suitable for American schools by... the CIA.

They saw it as a useful propaganda tool in the fight against socialism, which is ironic seeing as Orwell was a life-long socialist. It is still a fine book and deserves to be read, but I can't help thinking that Brave New World might be a more subversive or thought-provoking choice given the world we live in today. Huxley's prophecy has proved much more accurate than Orwell's.

Not only is 1984 appropriate for high school students, it is essential for them. Every high school student should be taught about great literature, and Orwell's work has much commentary, discussion of which will help develop young minds.

I read this book in 1974 at my conservative Catholic girl's high school as part of my sophomore English reading requirement. Along with The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, Brave New World, Animal Farm, A Farewell to Arms and A Separate Peace. In fact, my entire Sophomore year reading list seemed to have been selected from the banned classics list for the American Libary Association. In 2012, I am not sure what people think they are protecting teenagers from.

In the 35 years since reading these books, I've had reason to think about all of them from time to time. I thought of the Grapes of Wrath when Ronald Reagan told people to 'vote with their feet' and move to where the jobs were. I thought of it again when my ethics professor in 1992 told us that Michiganians who moved to Texas in the 1980's for jobs were referred to as 'blacks' because their license plates at the time were black and white. I hated that book in high school. Glad I read it.

I think of 1984 and Brave New World whenever I deal with politics these days. Doublespeak and doublethink explain alot.

I read this in 10th grade. It was one of several options I could choose for a class I took. I loved it then, and I know many other people who read it in high school and loved it too. At that age, you're really questioning authority so I think it is the perfect time.

In 8th grade we read Farenheit 451, which I feel is very similar to this book, so I might even recommend 1984 to someone late in middle school as well.

If a student is mature enough, then T consider it appropriate for high school.

Well, I don't really think it matters because when you are in middle school, you are in FLE and get to learn all about sex. So I don't think reading about is going to destroy your mind or anything, as long as it isn't too explicit.

Our society has such strange priorities; the sadistic violence ought to be of far more concern than the sexual content. Though I don't believe either here makes the novel inappropriate for study at the upper levels of high school.

I've had English teachers caution us away from writing or reading 'inappropriate' things for class before in case it impacts our grade. I know there has to be a line somewhere but I don't think it's healthy for students to be taught to self-censor their work in such a way.

Victoria wrote: "its sortof on the verg.... im not saying the idea of the book im saying half the book is about this guy who is all about sex. i just finnished it for the 10th grade and i was saprised i wanted to r..."


the sexual content in the book was part of the serious subject matter that meant that it was illegal to have sexual intercourse. The female was actually the one who was the guilty party as much if not more than the male, but they were both guilty in this society.

By 10th grade I assume that you have had sexual education or you should have already discussed this in health class.

Discussing the novel with the teacher in class is the place to ask these questions as it brings up a very good question about sex and should be dealt with even if it is uncomfortable.

Lets be seriously honest here, by the 10th grade if you are telling me you have not discussed sex with your friends (not saying you should have experienced sex by all means this is something you talk about with your parents or should be! The guidance counseler is also a good start but your female teachers if you are female and male if you are male, but the best case scenario is in class with the teacher that assigned this book)

being mature about the subject is another question.

I think that it is certainly appropriate for someone in high school, and may be more impacting if read during that time. The sexual content is purposeful and hardly gratuitous, and I think most high school students will probably be able to understand that. The book may be better suited to upperclass-men simply because teachers may want a to expose the contents within to a more mature and learned mind that can form a proper analysis of the work. I also have a hard time believing that there would be a teacher that would be offended by you mentioning the sexual content if handled maturely.

I just finished reading 1984 and was about to make it part of the reading list for my Home Eduacted children next year (they would be in 7th and 8th grade) as they study modern history (1850 to present).
I have since reconsidered because of some of the torture scenes are surprisingly intense (even though they are not as graphic as they could be) and the fact that some of the discussion about sex are a little above them. I think that they could get a lot out of the setting as described in Part 1, and have since decided we will probably wait until Junior year in high school for 1984, but to read Animal Farm next year.
I think 1984 has brilliant and keen insight into culture and while we have not yet sunk to that level, there is a lot to think about in the world of Oceania. I think it takes a more mature perspective on culture and economics to fully appreciate 1984. [one of my personal favorite insights was how music and books were written by machines, not people--I think you have to have outgrown Justin Bieber to realize that he is actually the product of a versificator. Thankfully, my kids never got into his "music."]
There is a lot of cynicism about how the government maintains a perpetual war to keep everyone busy while ensuring no growth in the standard of living. It takes a little more maturity and experience to fully appreciate these insights as they were intended and to fully disucss them productively.
[I will not make this a political commentary, although it would be easy.]

maybe better for college students or older people

I think so. It did mention sex, but the sex parts are ultimately about politics, about how sexual repression is used as a tool of totalitarianism.

Appropriate and recommended. But I advise to propose this book just to the junior and senior classes, not because of themes touched by the author, but with the purpose of giving the students a more fulfilling reading experience.

I feel high school students should be allowed to read 1984. It has important political and social elements that are really profound when analyzed in a school setting :D I learned a lot from studying this book in class.

We read this book at my high school I believe it is appropriate, part of high school is preparing students for college and I believe that this book is a good stepping stone to how students will be challenged in college. It's important to give high school students thought provoking books that will challenge and prepare them academically.

I think it is not just appropriate, it should be mandatory.

I do not see how sex in 1984 would be inappropriate. That would be restricting many books for high school students if every book with a bit of sexual exposure would suddenly be restricted in schools. Especially when it comes to the theatrical department. I can not think of a single play I've read that was not in some way sexual.
I also do not see how experiencing sexual content outside of school is any better. At least a level of maturity is met while in class and the conversations go beyond just sex. Other wise a lot of students would be making jokes and vulgar remarks. When discussing the story with my peers in school very little did anyone bring up the sex other than the fact that it was used as leverage for Big Brother to stay in control. We spent the majority of the time focusing on the symbolism and issues presented in the book rather than focusing on the sex. After all sex is something that is natural and has become the norm to encounter in some form on a daily basis.

Seriously? Because it has a few not even sexually explicit sex scenes that automatically makes it inappropriate for hormonal teenagers who likely think of sex much of their High School days to begin with? All I can say is lol. And if you, Mr or Miss OP thought this book had a lot of sex in it, well, that just proves my point. You say you had a hard time writing about anything not related to sex, I say, you might be a tad hypersensitive to like 3 sex scenes in a 200 page book! Come on now.

I absolutely think 1984 is appropriate for school, at least high school. References to 1984 and Big Brother, as well as the term 'Orwellian' are so common in pop culture and so frequently misused, that I think it would be good for students to read the book and know where the reference is from.

1984 is definitely appropriate for high school .The worst thing to possibly do to anyone in school (whether it be in middle or high school) is to censor reading. It's a rarity that kids choose to read for leisure in modern society. I'm fairly young myself, being a sophomore in high school. I've never been censored when it came to literature (or anything for that matter). I think it's important to introduce different types of literature to every young adult. Young adult books now are all about romance and love triangles and it's exhausting to have to dig out meaningful literature from the back of libraries. Young adults should definitely read 1984 for its allegorical meaning. No matter what anyone reads it can always be interpreted differently and censoring books is by far the worst thing I could possibly think of doing considering how bad the world is. Children now a day are too shielded, parents covering their children's eyes as soon as violence or god forbade human anatomy becomes present. It's important for kids to read books, especially like 1984, so they become aware of themselves. By reading they can make connections from the utopian society of 1984 to modern day times. I would never censor a book, regardless of sex, violence or graphicness. Reading is reading, and different perspectives and knowledge on any subject lead to connections in books and in life; ultimately leading to better people.

Victoria wrote: "its sortof on the verg.... im not saying the idea of the book im saying half the book is about this guy who is all about sex. i just finnished it for the 10th grade and i was saprised i wanted to r..."

god forbid basic human functions