LESSON 8: “WAKE UP! TIME TO DIE!”
Grade: 9-12 (Elective course)
Duration: 54 minutes
Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will…

• Discuss commonalities and general trajectories of dystopian narratives.
• Continue to examine Blade Runner s a work of dystopian fiction.
• Generate ideas for a comparative analysis of Blade Runner and Frankenstein.
• Begin considering, on a macro-scale, the similarities, differences, and shared appeal of dystopian fiction and the Gothic.
  • Guiding questions: “What can be made of the fact that while one of the genres at hand confronts the mysteries of the past the other contemplates the mysteries of the future? Is this complicated by the fact that both are immensely popular, often sharing a readership? How does this factor into the process of comparing/contrasting the genres?”

MATERIALS

• Blade Runner DVD/Blu-ray
• Blade Runner/Frankenstein Comparative Analysis Assignment [Click here to access!]
• Projector
• Copies of Frankenstein

PROCEDURE

• Students will begin class by discussing the writing assignment with which the last class ended.
  • To facilitate discussion, I will check off the students’ assignments beforehand, scanning for any sentiments that could prove especially evocative if presented in class. When encountering these, I will encourage students to share them with their peers when given the opportunity (in but a few moments’ time).

• The class will then continue the examination of Blade Runner.
  • During this lesson, the students will view the finale of the film.
  • As always, students will be encouraged to review the materials from the previous days and take notes while viewing.

• At this point, students will be presented with the Blade Runner/Frankenstein Comparative Analysis assignment!
  • See attached.

HOMEWORK

• Finish Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein!
• Finish Notes and Quotes assignment!

[next up: lesson 9]