In times of chaos, everyone responds differently. Some may protest with signs and whistles. Others will call or email their local representatives, sharing their opinions in support of change. Maybe they donate to a cause, either with money or time. For English teachers Julia Callander and Jessica Gokhberg, the answer was a book club.

George Orwell’s “1984” is, according to the Orwell Foundation, “a testament to the potential power of modern political systems.” The book tells the story of Winston Smith, a low-ranking government worker in the dystopian world of Oceania, who is conflicted between living passively under a totalitarian regime or taking action against it.

Callander, with Gokhberg’s help, wanted to create a book club to demonstrate these ideas to students. They made it opt-in to allow the group to be more available to students and staff. “1984” felt, to them, like the perfect book.

“There are lots of other dystopian or political novels we could’ve read … [Orwell is] a pretty accessible writer. He’s pretty engaging,” Callander said.

The first meeting took place during tutorial on Feb. 12. Books, which were purchased by the school, were distributed, and the first 10 pages were read aloud by Gokhberg.

Junior Eli Perry has read “1984” in the past and appreciates literary discussions at school.
“I had a very pleasant experience in a large majority of my English class conversations. And I think one of the real strengths of SPA is our ability to have important discussions about literature and important topics,” he said.

Callander and Gokhberg felt compelled to create the group in light of the current political environment, specifically U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s presence in Minnesota.

In a society where othering is common, Gokhberg said, “It’s easier to hate someone when you don’t believe that they’re as human as you are. What I really value about ‘1984’ is that it lays bare the process by which a government can do that and the way in which an individual is both complicit and victim to that process.”

Sophomore Kieran Ahearne-Kroll joined the group, along with 59 other students and faculty members, to do just that.

“I really want to talk about the issues that relate to today … I feel like there’s not very many places … built into … classroom environments where we get to talk about it,” they said.

For Ahearne-Kroll, the line between action and discussion can blur. While they don’t believe discussion is action, they noted, “It can lead to action. [Action] starts with talking about the situation.”

Despite not having read “Animal Farm,” a staple of the English 10 curriculum, ninth-grader Brooke Spilseth joined the group looking to discuss more literature.

“I like reading books, and I like discussing books, and it seemed like a good opportunity,” she said.

However, Spilseth wasn’t sure if “1984” was the best book for these discussions.

“It’s similar to what’s happening now … but also, I think there are more current, more tailored to what’s actually happening now, books that we could be reading,” she said.

Responding to Spilseth’s comment, Gokhberg said, “That’s a really great point, and I would love to hear any recommendations.” However, they did acknowledge that the book’s historic qualities were intentional.

“I think what is really valuable about looking to books from the past is in creating some distance between the reader and the topic in a novel,” they said.

The book club will continue during Friday tutorials, from 9:30-9:55 a.m. Students and teachers will read the novel and discuss Orwell’s prose.