The Unknown Citizen

Which best describes the author's message?

• The Unknown Citizen had no real freedom because his life was micromanaged by the government.

• It's pointless to ask if people are "happy" or "free" because those types of questions can't be answered.

• If people were allowed to do what they wanted without the government intervening, it would be disastrous.

• People have evolved significantly since the era of phonographs and frigidaires.

What does the author use capitalization to emphasize the most?

• The amount of friends the unknown citizen had

• Important locations where the unknown citizen traveled

• The numerous ways the government collected data

• Different companies the unknown citizen worked for

Both Winston Smith and the Unknown Citizen--

• Desire to rebel against the government

• Are expected to live in a certain manner

• Have strained relationships with their family

• Take time to reflect on their situation

The speaker and the author would agree that the unknown citizen was free.

• True

• False

Based on the evidence, the unknown citizen followed the rules his entire life.

• True

• False

Why is the title ironic?

• We learn little about the citizen.

• We learn a lot about the citizen.

• The man in the poem is not a citizen.

• The man in the poem does not know that he is a citizen.

What else might the poem be satirizing?

• Government

• Technology

• Drinking

• All of the above

Why does the speaker consider questions about the citizen's happiness and freedom to be "absurd?"

• The government knew nearly everything about him, so the speaker assumes that if he was not happy or free then the government would know.

• Because the speaker does not care about the citizen

• The citizen does not have any emotions at all, so it does not make sense to ask those questions.

• The speaker thinks that the reader finds the questions absurd.

The speaker in this poem is

• a government official

• the citizen himself

• a military leder

• a computer programmer

The title means

• the citizen died nobly in a war

• government has robbed the citizen of his identity

• all citizens are referred to by number

• the state wishes to honor a famous citizen