Exposing the Hidden Messages in "Classic" Literature
Grades 9-12
Introduction: Why We Read Critically
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." - 1 Thessalonians 5:21
Many books assigned in high school are called "classics" and presented as great literature everyone should read. But have you ever asked:
❓ WHY are these specific books required?
❓ WHO decided they should be taught to millions of students?
❓ WHAT worldview do they promote?
❓ HOW might they shape your thinking?
Important Note
We're not saying you should never read these books. We're saying you should read them with discernment - understanding their worldview, recognizing propaganda techniques, and evaluating them against Scripture.
What We'll Cover
1984 by George Orwell - Totalitarian control
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - Pleasure-based control
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger - Youth alienation
Lord of the Flies by William Golding - Human nature
1Understanding Literary Propaganda
What is Literary Propaganda?
Propaganda in literature is the use of storytelling to shape beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. It's often subtle - you absorb ideas without realizing it.
Common Propaganda Techniques:
Technique
How It Works
Example
Sympathetic Protagonist
Make readers identify with character who holds certain views
Holden Caulfield's rebellion seems relatable
Strawman Opposition
Make opposing views look foolish or evil
Religious characters portrayed as hypocrites
Normalization
Present controversial ideas as normal
Casual immorality without consequences
Predictive Programming
Prepare people to accept future events
Surveillance society seems inevitable
False Dichotomy
Present only two options (neither biblical)
Either totalitarian control OR hedonism
Critical Reading Questions:
What worldview is the author promoting?
Who are the "good" and "bad" characters, and why?
What values are presented as positive/negative?
How does this compare to Scripture?
What response does the author want from readers?
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Messiah." - Colossians 2:8
21984 by George Orwell (Part 1)
1984
George Orwell | Published 1949
The Standard Narrative:
"1984 is a warning against totalitarianism and the dangers of government overreach. It shows what happens when freedom is lost and teaches us to value democracy and individual liberty."
What They Don't Tell You:
George Orwell was a socialist - he supported socialism, just not Stalinism
The book creates hopelessness - Winston's resistance is crushed completely
It presents surveillance as inevitable rather than resistible
The ending implies submission is the only option
It offers no spiritual solution - only political ones that fail
Key Concepts from the Book:
Concept
In the Book
In Our World Today
Big Brother
All-seeing government
Surveillance cameras, phone tracking, social media monitoring
Doublethink
Holding contradictory beliefs
"Follow the science" while suppressing debate
Newspeak
Restricted language to limit thought
Changing definitions, "hate speech" laws
Memory Hole
Destroying inconvenient history
Censorship, "fact-checking," social media bans
Think Critically
1. Do you see any "1984" elements in today's world? Give examples:
31984 by George Orwell (Part 2)
The Missing Solution
Orwell presents a world where:
❌ Rebellion is futile (Winston is destroyed)
❌ Truth can be changed (2+2=5)
❌ Hope is crushed ("If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face - forever")
❌ There is no higher authority than the State
But Scripture teaches:
✅ "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1 John 4:4)
✅ "Yahuah is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?" (Psalm 27:1)
✅ Truth is objective and comes from Yahuah - it cannot be changed
✅ Earthly kingdoms rise and fall, but Yahuah's kingdom is eternal
The Real Warning
1984 describes real dangers, but offers the wrong response. The answer to tyranny isn't:
❌ Political revolution (Orwell's failed solution)
❌ Despair and hopelessness (the book's ending)
The answer is:
✅ Standing firm in truth (Scripture)
✅ Trust in Yahuah's sovereignty
✅ The hope of Yahusha's return
✅ "We ought to obey Elohim rather than men" (Acts 5:29)
"Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." - Matthew 10:28
Compare & Contrast
How does a believer's response to tyranny differ from Winston's in 1984?
4Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (Part 1)
Brave New World
Aldous Huxley | Published 1932
The Standard Narrative:
"Brave New World warns us about the dangers of technology, genetic engineering, and mindless pleasure-seeking. It's a critique of consumerism and conformity."
What They Don't Tell You:
Aldous Huxley came from an elite family of eugenicists
His brother Julian was president of the Eugenics Society and first director of UNESCO
The book may be predictive programming - showing what they PLANNED, not warning against it
Huxley later wrote that people would "love their servitude" - and that's exactly what happened
The "savage" who rejects the system is destroyed - suggesting resistance is futile
"There will be, in the next generation or so, a pharmacological method of making people love their servitude, and producing dictatorship without tears, so to speak, producing a kind of painless concentration camp for entire societies."
Was this a warning or a plan?
5Brave New World by Aldous Huxley (Part 2)
Two Types of Control
1984 (Orwell)
Brave New World (Huxley)
Control through PAIN
Control through PLEASURE
Force and fear
Entertainment and drugs
Truth is suppressed
Truth drowns in irrelevance
Books are banned
No one wants to read
People hate their oppressors
People love their oppressors
Which describes our world better? Many argue Huxley was more accurate.
What Scripture Says
The "Brave New World" attacks everything Yahuah established:
Family: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave unto his wife" (Genesis 2:24) - But in BNW, family is abolished
Children: "Children are a heritage of Yahuah" (Psalm 127:3) - But in BNW, babies are manufactured
Truth: "Sanctify them through Your truth" (John 17:17) - But in BNW, truth is irrelevant
Self-control: Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) - But in BNW, self-control is discouraged
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine... and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." - 2 Timothy 4:3-4
Discernment Questions
1. How do entertainment and technology keep people distracted from truth today?
2. Why would the enemy prefer Huxley's control method over Orwell's?
6Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger | Published 1951
The Standard Narrative:
"This coming-of-age classic captures teenage alienation and the struggle against phoniness in society. Holden Caulfield represents the universal teenage experience of questioning adult values."
What They Don't Tell You:
The book normalizes rebellion against all authority
Holden sees EVERYONE as "phony" except himself (pride)
No positive adult role models are presented
The book has been linked to multiple high-profile assassinations and assassination attempts (John Lennon, Reagan shooting)
It promotes a victim mentality - everyone else is the problem
There is no redemption arc - Holden ends in a mental institution
The "Holden Caulfield" Mindset:
What Holden Believes
What Scripture Says
All adults are hypocrites
"Honor your father and mother" (Exodus 20:12)
Society is irredeemably "phony"
We are called to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-14)
Isolation is the answer
"Two are better than one" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10)
I'm the only authentic person
"All have sinned" including me (Romans 3:23)
Life is meaningless
We were created for a purpose (Ephesians 2:10)
A Better Response to Hypocrisy
Yes, there IS hypocrisy in the world - even in churches. But the response isn't:
❌ Cynicism and isolation (Holden's way)
❌ Rebellion against all authority
❌ Thinking you're better than everyone
The biblical response is:
✅ Be authentic yourself - don't add to the problem
✅ Show grace - we're all sinners (Matthew 7:1-5)
✅ Find genuine believers to fellowship with
✅ Focus on Yahusha, not flawed humans
Self-Reflection
Have you ever felt like Holden - that everyone is "fake"? How should a believer handle those feelings?
7Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Lord of the Flies
William Golding | Published 1954
The Standard Narrative:
"This book shows the darkness in human nature. When the restraints of civilization are removed, even innocent children become savage. It's a commentary on the thin veneer of society."
The Hidden Message:
Humans are INHERENTLY evil (half true - but misses redemption)
Without government control, chaos results (justifies authoritarianism)
Religion is just primitive superstition (the "beast" is imagined)
The "good" character (Simon) dies - goodness doesn't survive
Salvation comes from a naval officer (government/military) at the end
A Biblical View of Human Nature
What the book gets RIGHT:
✅ Humans have a sin nature (Romans 3:23)
✅ Sin leads to chaos and destruction
✅ Evil exists in the human heart (Jeremiah 17:9)
What the book gets WRONG:
❌ Offers no hope of redemption
❌ Suggests government is the only solution (not Yahuah)
❌ Ignores the possibility of transformation through faith
❌ The "beast" is REAL in Scripture (spiritual warfare) - not just imagination
"If any man be in Messiah, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." - 2 Corinthians 5:17
Golding shows the problem (sin) but not the solution (redemption)!
"Lord of the Flies" = Ba'al-Zebub
The title "Lord of the Flies" is a translation of "Beelzebub" - a name for Satan! (See Matthew 12:24)
The book shows demonic influence but presents it as merely psychological, not spiritual reality.
8Recognizing Patterns
Common Themes in Assigned Literature
Notice these patterns across "classics" taught in schools:
Pattern
Purpose
Examples
Hopelessness
Discourages resistance
1984, Brave New World, Lord of the Flies endings
Authority = Evil
Promotes rebellion
Catcher in the Rye, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Religion = Oppression
Undermines faith
The Scarlet Letter, The Crucible
Traditional values = Bad
Promotes progressivism
Almost all modern "classics"
Sexual "liberation"
Normalizes immorality
Brave New World, countless others
Man is just an animal
Removes dignity and accountability
Lord of the Flies, Of Mice and Men
Ask Yourself
Is it coincidence that generation after generation reads the same books that:
Undermine faith and family?
Promote despair and hopelessness?
Present authority as evil?
Show human nature without redemption?
Or is there a pattern?
What to Read Instead (or Also)
Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan - Hope, redemption, perseverance
Foxe's Book of Martyrs - Real heroes who stood firm
C.S. Lewis - Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters
Reformation history - Real courage against tyranny
Scripture itself! - The original and best literature
9Developing Discernment Skills
"But strong meat belongs to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." - Hebrews 5:14
Questions to Ask While Reading
Who is the author? What's their worldview and background?
When was it written? What was the historical context?
What's the main message? What does the author want me to believe?
Who are the heroes/villains? What values do they represent?
What's the ending? Is there hope? Redemption? Or despair?
How does this compare to Scripture? Does it align or contradict?
Why is this taught in schools? Who benefits from students reading this?
Red Flags to Watch For:
🚩 All religious characters are hypocrites or villains
🚩 Traditional values are mocked or destroyed
🚩 No positive authority figures exist
🚩 Sexual immorality is normalized or celebrated
🚩 The ending offers no hope or redemption
🚩 Human nature is presented as unchangeably evil
🚩 Rebellion is presented as the highest virtue
Practice Discernment
Think of a book, movie, or show you've consumed recently. Apply the questions above:
10Review: Reading with Wisdom
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." - Philippians 4:8
Summary: Books We Analyzed
Book
Hidden Message
Biblical Counter
1984
Resistance is futile; despair
Greater is He in us; hope in Yahusha
Brave New World
Pleasure-control is inevitable
Self-control through the Spirit
Catcher in the Rye
Rebel against all authority
Honor authority; be salt & light
Lord of the Flies
Humans are hopeless animals
New creation in Messiah
Your Commitment
I will read all literature - assigned and chosen - with biblical discernment, asking:
✅ What worldview is being promoted?
✅ Does this align with or contradict Scripture?
✅ What response does the author want from me?
✅ How can I think biblically about these themes?
Final Reflection
How has this course changed the way you'll approach assigned literature?
What's one book from this course you'll re-evaluate with new understanding?
Discussion Guide / Answer Key
This workbook is primarily about developing critical thinking skills. Key truths to reinforce:
Main Takeaways:
All literature carries a worldview - read with discernment
Many "classics" subtly undermine biblical values
The problem (sin) is real, but secular literature often misses the solution (redemption)
Scripture provides the lens through which to evaluate all other writings
We can engage with these works without accepting their premises
Key Scriptures:
1 Thessalonians 5:21 - "Prove all things"
Colossians 2:8 - Beware of philosophy that isn't based on Messiah
Philippians 4:8 - Think on things that are true, honest, just, pure
2 Corinthians 5:17 - We can be new creations (counters Lord of the Flies)
1 John 4:4 - Greater is He that is in you (counters 1984's despair)