English 4: Media and Information Manipulation

Documentaries to watch, discuss, and write about—we watch a variety of unrated documentaries in order to examine issues people today face, how to (and how not to) problem-solve, and the difference between communicating through film and through writing

Your January essay will be connected to the following topics:

• What is the purpose of the news?
• What is bias? How and when is it easily identifiable?
• What information is omitted that could change opinions? [Give an example of information omitted from many news sources that could change public opinion. Why do you think this happens?]
• Give an example of a news program or anchor who exhibits bias regarding a particular story. Why do you think this happens?
• What programs that touch on current news topics are clearly biased? How do you know?
• Where do you get your information? Is it from reliable sources? How do you know?
• How does a scene’s setting (music, images, dialogue, lighting, etc.) affect the information presented’s impact?
• Who is the ideal audience for a piece? How do you know? How does it impact the film?
• How does your frame of reference (personal knowledge) affect your understanding of a topic presented in the news media or in a documentary film?

2057: The Body. The City. The World (2007)

• What technology do you really hope to see in the future? Why?
• What is “Big Brother”? Does it exist? Why do you think that?
• What is “Little Brother”? Does it exist? Why do you think that?
• What are the chances we will end up in a world with some form of suspended animation? Why do you think that?
• What technology from each part is already on its way to existing? Why do you think that?
• What elements of this documentary do you like? Explain.
• What elements of this documentary do you hate? Explain?
• How likely is it that advertising will really be tracked according to our interests? Where does it already happen?
• What are the dangers of government scrutiny of individual citizens? Why do you think that?
• What are the dangers of private company scrutiny of individual citizens? Why do you think that?
• What are the dangers to people who oppose the government? Private companies?
• Notes:
• Big Brother is a term coined in Aldous Huxley’s 1984 and refers to government surveillance of individual citizens to ensure people do what they are supposed to
• Little Brother is a term coined by Cory Doctorow in his 2008 book of the same name and refers to the surveillance of the individual by other individuals

Poster Girl (2010)—the story of an Iraqi War Vet who came home and had to deal with severe PTSD

• Is there anything you have been planning to do your whole life? How does your image of this thing match Robyn's image of what life in the military would be like? Explain.
• Have you ever been broken/shattered/shocked by an event? How did your response compare to Robyn's?
• Is there anything from Poster Girl (lesson, idea, etc.) that you can connect to your own life? Explain.
• Who is Poster Girl meant for? How do you know?
• What information is Poster Girl trying to convey? How do you know?
• How does the Sara Nesson (filmmaker) want the audience to feel about the topic? How do you know?
• Why this topic? Explain.
• Why this approach? Explain.
• How do you see Robyn’s story being manipulated?
• How do you see information about the US Military or Veterans’ Services being manipulated? 
• What can be done to help people currently in the military? 
• What can be done to help people who have recently returned from active combat?

The Stories We Tell (2013)—Sarah Polly tries to understand her parents, their marriage, and why we tell ourselves different versions of the same story

• What are the things (3-5) that are the basis for a strong marriage? Briefly explain.
• What is your passion? What would make you give it up? Briefly explain.
• What kinds of people are best at keeping secrets—those who seem open or those who have obvious walls? Briefly explain.
• Why do we sometimes keep secrets from the people we love? Briefly explain.
• Why is Sarah Polly (the filmmaker) an obvious part of this documentary?
• Should we see other people’s stories? What needs does this fill for the audiences? Briefly explain.
• Have you ever gone through the same moment as someone else and had a totally different memory from that other person? Briefly explain.
• Have you ever read or watched a story that reminded you of your own life? Briefly explain.
• Why does Sarah Polly try to get everyone’s version of her mother and her parents’ marriage? Briefly explain. 
• Notes:
• Margaret Atwood is a Canadian author of science fiction that focuses on equality, equity, and abuses of power
• Diane lived large (and kept many secrets) while her husband, Michael, lived quietly and for the people he cared about