1984 question

Definitely appropriate, and becoming more important every year. As technology advances, the type of society presented becomes more and more feasible. The books message is a good one to be discussed.

I do not think that high schoolers should be allowed to read 1984.

I am afraid that some of them might look at their schools -- with blaring squawkboxes, authoritarian rules, constant supervision, drug-sniffing dogs, medicated students, bullies, and ceaseless propaganda -- and see that high school is remarkably like the world of 1984.

Then, when they graduate, they will encounter things like: gov't reading our emails and spying on citizens without warrants, secret prisons, America's endless wars, the Patriot Act, the War on Drugs, and zillions of other things the government does. They might be tempted to question these programs and draw parallels between the world of 1984 and the America of today.

Some readers may even be led to question our government. We don't need that kind of stuff. We need more patriots who will do whatever they are told by the government.

So by all means, keep this book away from students. In fact, I think it should be banned for all readers of all ages.

What a ridiculous question.

I don't think anyone can be considered an educated person unless they've read this book and Animal Farm as well.... so definitely appropriate for school.

"Is it appropriate?" is a question filtered through an adult perspective, that peculiar,busily analytical prism that assumes the majority of young people are gullible,without intellect, and morally fragile. When I was that age, a book either looked intriguing and kind of cool, or it looked like a snooze. I don't recall Orwell doing anything more dangerous than making me think, and books with sexual content struck me as amusing, but not "dirty". The chilling concepts of a totalitarian government or allegiance to blind conformity are not that unfamiliar to most young people, for our education system itself has historically provided an unwitting point of reference in hopes of turning out "productive" and "normal" automatons, without consideration of individual interests and natural proclivity.

Yes. This book is an important piece in getting teens to think critically about what kind of society they want to help create, especially since certain aspects of the society in this book are slowly coming true. If taught properly, this book could be a very powerful tool in turning the tide away from what is becoming a paranoid and power-hungry government.

This book is fine for high school. I do wish we read it later in school than freshman year, due to my belief that it would be more appreciated and understood the older you are. All in all, however, there is no question as to the fact that this is a school appropriate novel.

It is a very, very good book and I have read it in high school too but I think it might be a bit too much for some kids. I had nightmares. Maybe that just means that the message got through but as a result I don´t wish to read it again, it was such a strong experience.

It's scary that anybody even needs to ask.

Adriana has, imo, the only good argument against reading it in school - kids have a tendency not to like the stuff they're _made_ to do in school (I can remember all the books I hated in High School, and still don't like them, and there's still a whole list of vegetables I won't eat that they forced me to eat in English schools!) - but that doesn't mean they're inappropriate.

And I don't think because a book gives you nightmares, is a reason to keep it from kids. Sometimes we _should_ have nightmares.

I think school is the most appropriate place for the more controversial books. I never have understood parents wanting to bar books from school libraries or classrooms. Within the classroom, there is discussion and room for both pro's and con's. Symbolism is discussed and related to present and future events. Why anyone would want to limit someone's access to ideas is just beyond me.

1984 is very appropriate for high school. I read it my junior year it was very influential to the way i thought about things. I think that it is one of those books that should be introduced at time where you begin to question they way things are. High-school could not be a better place.

Yes, it is appropriate for school and high school I think. I live in Ecuador and sometines I can feel that my life is like Winston's life. When I turn on the TV I can feel the same feeling about telescreen. Perhaps, if teachers suggest to read this book, students will realize that our government is not a good government. In my humble opinion, it is necessary for improve the way that people use to thinking.

Books that change how you think and grow you as an individual as appropriate for school - I kinda think they may be one of the main reasons we have school. So yes, it is appropriate for school.

sidenote - I just finished Fahrenheit 451 today. That is definitely a good book for school. My final year of high school we had to read 5 books off a list of around 60. That was on our list but I didn't read it then, but reading it as an adult I think its a good one for teens

I read 1984 back in high school (nearly 40 years ago) and it scared the living daylights out of me. i couldn't put it down. especially the scene where the torturers stick a rat in Winston's face; along with the scene in Darkness Visible where they drag Rubashov off to execute him, it revealed the scope of humanity's cruelty. Teenagers think about sex anyway, so why not let them know that sex can be an agent of purity and sanity? In a sanitized world of appropriate words and images, designed to spare youth from the intensity of real experience, our teenagers need this book more than ever. Why not let them know that heroes who stand up for humanity can be lost and crushed, but never forgotten?

I've read this book for the first time when I was 14. And no, not in school, this book was illegal in my country back then, so everybody was reading it in hiding.

I can't see what's innapropriate in this book for high school kids, unless, as someone already said, you don't want them to learn independent thinking.
Of course a teacher has to be prepared to present this book appropriately and give students the background of what that book is all about. It would be a shame if they treated that as just another boring lecture they have to endure in school.

I teach this book to high school freshman every single year. Some love it, some don't (though most disputes are over the ambiguity of the ending). None of them are ever shocked or scared.

Definitely appropriate for school.

I'd like to know why this question is being asked. Is there something inappropriate in the book? I read it, yes; it is a dismal omen of the future when it was written. I'm dead set against banning any books. In the long run though the schools curriculum is decided on the powers that be of the school board in their state, area, whatever. If a majority of mindless nit-wits sit on those boards and feel a need to force their personal agenda down the kid’s throats that is the way it will be.

yeah!

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 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 do believe that this book is appropriate for high school. It is a interesting book that would catch anyones attention. This book opens your eyes into what really can happen.

The Catholic Church is not stupid, they will never endorse it.

as a socialist,it is one of my all time favourites, but is my 12yr old ready for concepts like doublespeak, doublethink, 2 minute hate etc? im just not sure. but he has read most teen dystopian novels/series and has just finished animal farm but i would prefer he wait a year or 2. Am i wrong?? what did other 12 yr olds think

I don't see how it could possibly be appropriate for today's teenagers, since it requires an attention span of more than 1 microsecond to read and understand it.

I think it is extremely appropriate for school. All of our world's innovation and change has come from questioning things. This could be anywhere from science, religion, government, teachers, etc. Not exposing the youth to 1984, would hinder them from from seeing the effects of being ok with a totalitarian government as described in the novel. In the novel we see nobody question anything the party does and the ones that do question them are turned in by others. This includes friends and family. Once the government or anyone with authority isn't questioned, they have total control. This takes away even the most basic of our freedoms and it stalls innovation and discovery, all of which is what makes humans human.

I recently read this book for my english 2 sophomore class. I deem it appropriate for high school because although it is fiction and quite vulgar, it opens up your eyes to what could possibly be, considering how much information the government may be hiding from us citizens. There are sections of the novel that many people deem inappropriate. However, I think a high schooler should be able to be mature enough to read this book. It's nothing teenagers haven't heard of before.

I think this is appropriate for high schoolers. High school is roughly apart of childhood and it is at this stage when we learn about specific information easily. This book is an eye opener and I think anyone can read it.

It is completely appropriate as 1984 demonstrates how NOT to be controlled by the government therefore making the youth less susceptible to the brainwashing material that is distributed to the masses.

It is a great book. It makes you see the truth even if you don't want to. But the issue with political books is that you need to have a critical way of thinking. You can't wait for someone else to tell you what's the point. There are several points and each person sees something different at the end. So age it's not the problem but I'm not sure if school as an institution give this freedom to kinds.