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War of the Worlds

Page history last edited by Barbara Bowling 2 years, 3 months ago

REFLECTIONS:  War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells

 

 

 

Pre-reading:

  1. Who was H.G. Wells? Who was Orson Welles?
  2. How did H.G. Wells' life influence his writing?
  3. Who was Giovanni Schiaparelli?

    Do you think Schiaparelli influenced H.G. Wells’ writing?

  4. What is British imperialism?

    How did the Martians represent imperialism?

  5. What is secular cooling? natural selection? What about global warming?

    How does fear relate to these concepts?

    Is global warming caused by man or just the natural cycle of the earth?

  6. What was happening in the world at the time this novel was written?

    - Man v. machine -- the Industrial Age

    - Modes of communication

    - Inventions

    - Mars

 

 

 

Vocabulary 

  • actuate - move to action                                                 
  • canard - hoax, false report
  • deputation - group of persons appointed to represent others                                             
  • efficacious - capable of producing the desired effect                                       
  • impetus - driving force                                                
  • languid - indifferent, withot vigor, slow 
  • parleyed - discussion to come to terms as with an enemy 
  • precipitately - acting with haste, very sudden, unexpected 
  • sidereal - pertaining to the stars
  • ululation - howling, wailing 
  • vitiated - corrupted, weakened morally 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading

  1. Which character did you sympathize with? Why?
  2. Focus on the narrator -- the protagonist.

    Survival v. Fear

    Reality v. Insanity

    What character traits helped him survive?

    Why do you think the narrator remained sane and did not lose his grip on reality?

    What do you fear?

    If you were in a similar situation, what survival skills would you use?

     

Post-reading:

  1. Do you believe there is intelligent life on other planets?
  2. Why do you think this novel is still portrayed in the movies today?
  3. Was the recent version with Tom Cruise alarming to you?
  4. How were the Martians a symbol of imperialism?
  5. Think about the Holocaust.

    Think about Pearl Harbor.

    Where were you on 9/11?

    How do you feel about war?

  6. Compare what was happening in the world in 1938 when Orson Welles broadcast this novel on radio and today. Do you think this could happen today? 
  7. Why do you think people panicked that night?
  8. How do you keep up with the news? Do you listen to the news on TV?  Read the newspaper? Go online?
  9. Do you keep up with the recent discoveries that have been made about Mars?
  10. Are you so busy with surviving high school that you are languid in accessing the news?
  11. Are you dulled even more so than the Londoners in the novel by the bombardment of the news 24/7?
  12. What would actuate you to keep up with the news?
  13. Does the news ever alarm you? How? Why?
  14. Some commentators said that the news media exaggerated the number of people who panicked Halloween night 1938?

    What about the news today?

    How do you know if a news account is a canard?

  15. According to the book, Born Digital, you are a digital native.

    Do you think technology is the answer to man’s survival?

  16. Imagine having all communication technologies banned.

    Do you think this would cause much ululation?

    Would you consider be a part of a deputation to go to Washington to protest the ban? 

 

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