Lesson plan

The Final Programme

The Final Programme is a novel by British science fiction and fantasy writer Michael Moorcock. Written in 1965 as the underground culture was beginning to emerge, it was not published for several years. Moorcock has stated that publishers at the time considered it was "too freaky". It was the first of his Jerry Cornelius series of novels and stories and was originally published in paperback in the US by Avon Books in 1968 then in London in hardback by Allison & Busby in October 1969. It was made into a 1973 film of the same name (directed by Robert Fuest), but Moorcock was critical of the version released on the screen. Set in a world less abstract and chaotic than depicted in the later volumes, it introduces Jerry Cornelius as a hip super agent playboy and follows his adventures as he attempts to subvert a plot by his disreputable brother Frank and Miss Brunner to build a super computer for nefarious ends. Jerry is sucked into the plans of Miss Brunner to create the perfect being by merging the bodies of Jerry and herself together. When this is done, a radiantly charismatic hermaphroditic being emerges from the machinery. All who see the new creature fall quaking to their knees. As things turn out, Jerry discovers that "it's a tasty world".…

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Article summary

The Final Programme is a novel by British science fiction and fantasy writer Michael Moorcock. Written in 1965 as the underground culture was beginning to emerge, it was not published for several years. Moorcock has stated that publishers at the time considered it was "too freaky". It was the first of his Jerry Cornelius series of novels and stories and was originally published in paperback in the US by Avon Books in 1968 then in London in hardback by Allison & Busby in October 1969. It was made into a 1973 film of the same name (directed by Robert Fuest), but Moorcock was critical of the version released on the screen. Set in a world less abstract and chaotic than depicted in the later volumes, it introduces Jerry Cornelius as a hip super agent playboy and follows his adventures as he attempts to subvert a plot by his disreputable brother Frank and Miss Brunner to build a super computer for nefarious ends. Jerry is sucked into the plans of Miss Brunner to create the perfect being by merging the bodies of Jerry and herself together. When this is done, a radiantly charismatic hermaphroditic being emerges from the machinery. All who see the new creature fall quaking to their knees. As things turn out, Jerry discovers that "it's a tasty world".…

Key claims

  1. publication date: 1968 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
  2. publication date: 1979 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

  1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
  2. The record states that the publication date is "1968". What evidence would count against this claim?
  3. The record states that the publication date is "1979". What evidence would count against this claim?
  4. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
  5. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

  1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364838187

Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.