Matched
by Ally Condie
Can she break the hold society has on her?
True Love?
From: http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/30400000/Matched-Fan-Arts-matched-30467933-800-888.png
The Love Triangle
From: http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/30400000/Matched-Fan-Arts-matched-30467935-549-525.jpg
Created by Sadie Johnston
Reading Level: Ages 12 and up
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Speak; Reprint edition (September 20, 2011)
ISBN: 0142419779
Copyright: 2010
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Speak; Reprint edition (September 20, 2011)
ISBN: 0142419779
Copyright: 2010
Summary
Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander’s face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows he is her ideal mate . . . until she sees Ky Markham’s face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black. The Society tells her it’s a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she’s destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can’t stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society’s infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she’s known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.
This comes from Amazon
This comes from Amazon
Book trailer video for Matched by Ally Condie
Teaching about Dystopian Society in the Classroom
While this is a rather long paper to read, Brandon Burford discusses the many things that go along with dystopian science fiction in the classroom. He talks about the pros and cons and the history of this topic. He acknowledges the difficulties teaching this topic and addresses how to avoid these difficulties and problems.
Activity Time!
It was very unlikely for Cassia to be matched with someone that she knew yet somehow that is what happened by the matching from the society.
1. Look at your class and choose one person for everyone to calculate the probability that they would be matched with them.
Ex: if the class has 24 students in it, 10 are boys and 14 are girls. The likelihood for a girl to choose one boy out of the class is 1/10 and 1/14 for a boy to choose a girl.
2. Now let's look to two classes. How many total people are there? How many of them are boys / how many are girls? What's the probability that you still choose a match that is in your class?
3. Now let's look at the whole school. You can estimate the number of boys and girls instead of calculating it all from the yearbook or something. What's the probability that you still choose a match that is in your class?
4. Looking at all of these calculations, what is the more probable situation where you will choose a match from your class?
5. We see how unlikely it is to select someone from your class unless you only use people from your class to select from. Cassia didn't have this choice yet she somehow ended up being matched with someone in her province that she knew. Nobody in the society challenged this system and went along with their matches. Imagine you were in this society and it was up to you to challenge the Officials. What evidence would you use to argue that this kind of society doesn't work? Write a couple of paragraphs (no more than a page) proving your point.
This activity will help your students to realize how difficult it is to be "matched" with someone in your class. They will be able to relate to the book and see how difficult it is for you to be matched with someone that you know in a situation like the book.
Example Answer Key (Answers will vary)
1. Look at your class and choose one person for everyone to calculate the probability that they would be matched with them.
Ex: if the class has 24 students in it, 10 are boys and 14 are girls. The likelihood for a girl to choose one boy out of the class is 1/10 and 1/14 for a boy to choose a girl.
2. Now let's look to two classes. How many total people are there? How many of them are boys / how many are girls? What's the probability that you still choose a match that is in your class?
3. Now let's look at the whole school. You can estimate the number of boys and girls instead of calculating it all from the yearbook or something. What's the probability that you still choose a match that is in your class?
4. Looking at all of these calculations, what is the more probable situation where you will choose a match from your class?
5. We see how unlikely it is to select someone from your class unless you only use people from your class to select from. Cassia didn't have this choice yet she somehow ended up being matched with someone in her province that she knew. Nobody in the society challenged this system and went along with their matches. Imagine you were in this society and it was up to you to challenge the Officials. What evidence would you use to argue that this kind of society doesn't work? Write a couple of paragraphs (no more than a page) proving your point.
This activity will help your students to realize how difficult it is to be "matched" with someone in your class. They will be able to relate to the book and see how difficult it is for you to be matched with someone that you know in a situation like the book.
Example Answer Key (Answers will vary)