Language and Power in The Handmaid’s Tale and the World

Materials and Technology

Websites

Preparation

 

MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY

• Definition and Examples of Neologism
• Examining Language in The Handmaid’s Tale Student Handout
• Examining Language in The Handmaid’s Tale Teacher Notes
• Copies of The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
• Sticky notes
• Presentation Notes Handout
• Reflection Activity
• Other Books that Focus on Language and Power
• Venn Diagram Tool (optional)

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WEBSITES

• New Words from the Seventh Update of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary
  

  This site is a brief article about neologisms that were added to the 2007 version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary.  Twenty sample words are offered as well as a brief explanation of how words are added to the dictionary.

• AskOxford: How new words get into the OED
  

  Using the example of the word “e-tailers” (electronic retailers), the process of how a new word is added to the Oxford English Dictionary is explained.

• US Presidential Speeches Tag Cloud
  

  This site creates tag clouds from the top 100 words used in “presidential speeches, official documents, declarations, and letters written by the Presidents of the US between 1776 – 2007.” Words that are used more frequently show up in a larger font.  Students are able to scroll through the tag clouds and see how words and phrases come into and out of favor in official communication.

• The Handmaid’s Tale: A WebQuest on the Background of the Novel
  

  This WebQuest, covering topics such as dystopian literature, the American Fundamentalist movement, and feminism, can be useful as a student activity or a collection of teacher Web resources.

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PREPARATION

• This activity is designed to occur after students have read the first fifteen chapters of The Handmaid’s Tale.  It assumes that students understand the basic plot of these chapters and have a firm understanding of how the society of Gilead is structured, came to power, and maintains its power.  Consult this Study Guide to Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid's Tale from Washington State University's Department of English for additional support.
• Prepare a transparency of the Definition and Examples of Neologism.
  
• Make an appropriate number of copies of the Examining Language in The Handmaid’s Tale Student Handout and Presentation Notes Handout.
  
• Read through the Examining Language in The Handmaid’s Tale Teacher Notes and review the assigned chapters, adding any additional language examples you would like students to discuss.
  
• Test the Venn Diagram Tool on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the Technical Support page.

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