Decoding “The Matrix”: Exploring dystopian characteristics through film

North Carolina Curriculum Alignment

English Language Arts (2004)

Grade 9 — English I

• Goal 1: The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text and personal experiences.
  • Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (individually and in groups) to a variety of expressive texts (e.g., memoirs, vignettes, narratives, diaries, monologues, personal responses) in a way that offers an audience:
    • an understanding of the student's personal reaction to the text.
    • a sense of how the reaction results from a careful consideration of the text.
    • an awareness of how personal and cultural influences affect the response.
  • Objective 1.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
    • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
    • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
    • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
    • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
    • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
    • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
    • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
    • identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
• Goal 2: The learner will explain meaning, describe processes, and answer research questions to inform an audience.
  • Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
    • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
    • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
    • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
    • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
    • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
    • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
    • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
    • identifying and analyzing elements of informational environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
  • Objective 2.02: Explain commonly used terms and concepts that:
    • clearly state the subject to be defined.
    • classify the terms and identify distinguishing characteristics.
    • organize ideas and details effectively.
    • use description, comparison, figurative language, and other appropriate strategies purposefully to elaborate ideas.
    • demonstrate a clear sense of audience and purpose.
• Goal 3: The learner will examine argumentation and develop informed opinions.
  • Objective 3.02: Express an informed opinion that:
    • states clearly a personal view.
    • is logical and coherent.
    • engages the reader's interest or curiosity.
  • Objective 3.03: Support that informed opinion by:
    • providing relevant and convincing reasons.
    • using various types of evidence, such as experience or facts.
    • using appropriate and effective language, reasons, and organizational structure for the audience and purpose.
    • demonstrating awareness of the possible questions, concerns, or counterarguments of the audience.
• Goal 4: The learner will create and use standards to critique communication.
  • Objective 4.02: Read and critique various genres by:
    • using preparation, engagement, and reflection strategies appropriate for the text.
    • identifying and using standards to evaluate aspects of the work or the work as a whole.
    • judging the impact of different stylistic and literary devices on the work.
  • Objective 4.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
    • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
    • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
    • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
    • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
    • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
    • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
    • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
    • identifying and analyzing elements of critical environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
• Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various literary genres, concepts, elements, and terms.
  • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze various literary works by:
    • using effective reading strategies for preparation, engagement, reflection.
    • recognizing and analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction (e.g., myths, legends, short stories, novels), non-fiction (e.g., essays, biographies, autobiographies, historical documents), poetry (e.g., epics, sonnets, lyric poetry, ballads) and drama (e.g., tragedy, comedy).
    • interpreting literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, dialogue, diction, and imagery.
    • understanding the importance of tone, mood, diction, and style.
    • explaining and interpreting archetypal characters, themes, settings.
    • explaining how point of view is developed and its effect on literary texts.
    • determining a character's traits from his/her actions, speech, appearance, or what others say about him or her.
    • explaining how the writer creates character, setting, motif, theme, and other elements.
    • making thematic connections among literary texts and media and contemporary issues.
    • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
    • producing creative responses that follow the conventions of a specific genre and using appropriate literary devices for that genre.
  • Objective 5.02: Demonstrating increasing comprehension and ability to respond personally to texts by selecting and exploring a wide range of genres.
  • Objective 5.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print literacy texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
    • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
    • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
    • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
    • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
    • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
    • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
    • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
    • identifying and analyzing elements of literary environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.

Grade 10 — English II

• Goal 1: The learner will react to and reflect upon print and non-print text and personal experiences by examining situations from both subjective and objective perspectives.
  • Objective 1.02: Respond reflectively (through small group discussion, class discussion, journal entry, essay, letter, dialogue) to written and visual texts by:
    • relating personal knowledge to textual information or class discussion.
    • showing an awareness of one's own culture as well as the cultures of others.
    • exhibiting an awareness of culture in which text is set or in which text was written.
    • explaining how culture affects personal responses.
    • demonstrating an understanding of media's impact on personal responses and cultural analyses.
  • Objective 1.03: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
    • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
    • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
    • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
    • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
    • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
    • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
    • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
    • identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
• Goal 2: The learner will evaluate problems, examine cause/effect relationships, and answer research questions to inform an audience.
  • Objective 2.01: Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by:
    • selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
    • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
    • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
    • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
    • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
    • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
    • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
    • making connections between works, self and related topics.
    • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
    • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
    • identifying and analyzing elements of informational environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
  • Objective 2.02: Create responses that examine a cause/effect relationship among events by:
    • effectively summarizing situations.
    • showing a clear, logical connection among events.
    • logically organizing connections by transitioning between points.
    • developing appropriate strategies such as graphics, essays, and multi-media presentations to illustrate points.
• Goal 3: The learner will defend argumentative positions on literary or nonliterary issues.
  • Objective 3.03: Respond to issues in literature in such a way that:
    • requires gathering of information to prove a particular point.
    • effectively uses reason and evidence to prove a given point.
    • emphasizes culturally significant events.
• Goal 4: The learner will critically interpret and evaluate experiences, literature, language, and ideas.
  • Objective 4.02: Analyze thematic connections among literary works by:
    • showing an understanding of cultural context.
    • using specific references from texts to show how a theme is universal.
    • examining how elements such as irony and symbolism impact theme.
  • Objective 4.03: Analyze the ideas of others by identifying the ways in which writers:
    • introduce and develop a main idea.
    • choose and incorporate significant, supporting, relevant details.
    • relate the structure/organization to the ideas.
    • use effective word choice as a basis for coherence.
    • achieve a sense of completeness and closure.
• Goal 5: The learner will demonstrate understanding of selected world literature through interpretation and analysis.
  • Objective 5.01: Read and analyze selected works of world literature by:
    • using effective strategies for preparation, engagement, and reflection.
    • building on prior knowledge of the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry, and exploring how those characteristics apply to literature of world cultures.
    • analyzing literary devices such as allusion, symbolism, figurative language, flashback, dramatic irony, situational irony, and imagery and explaining their effect on the work of world literature.
    • analyzing the importance of tone and mood.
    • analyzing archetypal characters, themes, and settings in world literature.
    • making comparisons and connections between historical and contemporary issues.
    • understanding the importance of cultural and historical impact on literary texts.
  • Objective 5.02: Demonstrate increasing comprehension and ability to respond personally to texts by:
    • selecting and exploring a wide range of works which relate to an issue, author, or theme of world literature.
    • documenting the reading of student-chosen works.

Grade 11 — English III

• Goal 1: The learner will demonstrate increasing insight and reflection to print and non-print text through personal expression.
  • Objective 1.02: Reflect and respond expressively to texts so that the audience will:
    - discover multiple perspectives.
    - investigate connections between life and literature.
    - explore how the student's life experiences influence his or her response to the selection.
    - recognize how the responses of others may be different.
    - articulate insightful connections between life and literature.
    -consider cultural or historical significance.
• Goal 2: The learner will inform an audience by using a variety of media to research and explain insights into language and culture.
  • Objective 2.03: Respond to informational texts by:
    - using a variety of strategies for preparation, engagement, and reflection.
    - paraphrasing main ideas and supporting details present in texts.
    -explaining significant connections among the speaker's/author's purpose, tone, biases, and the message for the intended audience.
• Goal 4: The learner will critically analyze text to gain meaning, develop thematic connections, and synthesize ideas.
  • Objective 4.01: Interpret meaning for an audience by:
    - examining the functions and the effects of narrative strategies such as plot, conflict, suspense, point of view, characterization, and dialogue.
    - interpreting the effect of figures of speech (e.g., personification, oxymoron) and the effect of devices of sound (e.g., alliteration, onomatopoeia).
    - analyzing stylistic features such as word choice and links between sense and sound.
    - identifying ambiguity, contradiction, irony, parody, and satire.
    - demonstrating how literary works reflect the culture that shaped them.
  • Objective 4.02: Develop thematic connections among literary works by:
    - connecting themes that occur across genres or works from different time periods.
    - using specific references to validate connections.
    -examining how representative elements such as mood, tone, and style impact the development of a theme.
• Goal 5: The learner will interpret and evaluate representative texts to deepen understanding of literature of the United States.
  • Objective 5.01: Interpret the significance of literary movements as they have evolved through the literature of the United States by:
    - analyzing the characteristics of literary genres, including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry, and how the selection of genre shapes meaning.
    - relating ideas, styles, and themes within literary movements of the United States.
    - understanding influences that progress through the literary movements of the United States.
    -evaluating the literary merit and/or historical significance of a work from Colonial Literature, the Romantic Era, Realism, the Modern Era, and Contemporary Literature.
  • Objective 5.02: Analyze the relationships among United States authors and their works by:
    - making and supporting valid responses about the text through references to other works and authors.
    -comparing texts to show similarities or differences in themes, characters, or ideas.

Grade 12 — English IV

• Goal 2: The learner will inform an audience by exploring general principles at work in life and literature.
  • Objective 2.01: Locate, process, and comprehend texts that explain principles, issues, and concepts at work in the world in order to:
    - relate complex issues from a variety of critical stances.
    - discern significant differences and similarities among texts that propose different ideas related to similar concepts.
  • Objective 2.02: Analyze general principles at work in life and literature by:
    - discovering and defining principles at work in personal experience and in literature.
    -predicting what is likely to happen in the future on the basis of those principles.
• Goal 4: The learner will analyze and critique texts from various perspectives and approaches.
  • Objective 4.02: Develop critiques that give an audience:
    - an appreciation of how themes relate among texts.
    -an understanding of how authors' assumptions, cultural backgrounds, and social values affect texts.
    -an understanding of how more than one critical approach affects interpretation.
• Goal 5: The learner will deepen understanding of British literature through exploration and extended engagement.
  • Objective 5.01: Explore British literature by:
    - recognizing common themes that run through works, using evidence from the texts to substantiate ideas.
    - relating the cultural and historical contexts to the literature and identifying perceived ambiguities, prejudices, and complexities.
    - making associations between historical and current viewpoints.
    -understanding how literary movements influence writers.
  • Objective 5.02: Extend engagement with selected works of British literature by:
    - observing how the imaginative experience of literature broadens and enriches real life.
    - relating style, meaning, and genre (including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry).
    - applying literary, grammatical, and rhetorical terms of literature.
    - demonstrating in various print and non-print media the significance of works.
    -discerning the effect of interpreting literature from various critical perspectives.