1) Where is Winston in this chapter?
Winston starts of the chapter in the Chesnut Tree Cafe, the place where he allegedly witnessed Aaronson, Rutherford, and Jones many years before.
2) What are a couple of things Winston can do now that he couldn’t before he was arrested?
Before Winston was arrested he had to be on close watch for anything that could give him away to the Party. After he is released from the Ministry of Love, the Party no longer feels that he is a threat to them, so they give him more slack. He is now allowed to show more feeling and is allowed to speak to Julia publicly, rather than in secret.
3) Discuss the symbolism of the chess game Winston plays (with himself…Orwell is so brilliant!).
When Winston is playing chess with himself, it symbolizes the battles throughout the book. He mentions that the white side always wins. One of these battles is his conflict between the Party and himself, with the Party as the white, and Winston as the black pieces. The other struggle is intrapersonal, where the fighting occurs between the black side (his memories and previous beliefs of the Party), against the white side and his new found love for the Party. Chess is also a symbol of war is many cases, so it is also referring to the everlasting war of the three superstates.
4) Winston says the story he has just remembered about his family is false. What does this tell you about what has happened to Winston?
When the memory of Winston as a child, playing with his mother and sister comes to his mind, he quickly washes out this thought, and labels it as worthless and untrue. By doing so it symbolizes that Winston is shifting to believe the Party's virtues and regards all of his past an unimportant.
5) What, according to the last couple sentences of the book, has happened to Winston?
After his treatment in Room 101, Winston has come to accept the Party, and is very excited about his country's small victory in the war, an excitement that would not exist before he was arrested. Winston has finally been converted into a good Party member, and he loves Big Brother.
Wednesday, 30 April 2014
Monday, 28 April 2014
Part 3: Chapter 5
1) How does Winston save himself?
When Winston enters Room 101, he still loves Julia, and is still his own person, not a Party supporter. Once the cage of rats enters the room, and he is threatened that they will attack him, possibly taking out his eyes or other gruesome activities, he thinks quick as to how he can save himself. At this point he is frozen in traumatizing fear, and will do anything they want so long as they take away the rats. In order to save himself he decides that he must throw someone in between himself and the looming threat of these carnivorous rats, and he can only think of one person. He screams to them to do this to Julia, not him. He states that he doesn't care what happens to her, as long as he is let go.
2) In the last paragraph of the chapter, what is symbolically happening to Winston. (Don’t worry if you find this difficult – we’ll discuss this)
After this traumatizing experience, Winston is becoming more of the citizen the Party wants him to be. They want him to betray the ones he loves to the Party, and love nobody but big Brother. When he is saved by throwing Julia under the bus, he is complying to the Party. By doing this, he is losing his freedom to them. He did exactly what he promised he would not do, and that was to betray Julia. The description of falling that he feels, symbolizes that he is losing himself and his individuality to the Party.
When Winston enters Room 101, he still loves Julia, and is still his own person, not a Party supporter. Once the cage of rats enters the room, and he is threatened that they will attack him, possibly taking out his eyes or other gruesome activities, he thinks quick as to how he can save himself. At this point he is frozen in traumatizing fear, and will do anything they want so long as they take away the rats. In order to save himself he decides that he must throw someone in between himself and the looming threat of these carnivorous rats, and he can only think of one person. He screams to them to do this to Julia, not him. He states that he doesn't care what happens to her, as long as he is let go.
2) In the last paragraph of the chapter, what is symbolically happening to Winston. (Don’t worry if you find this difficult – we’ll discuss this)
After this traumatizing experience, Winston is becoming more of the citizen the Party wants him to be. They want him to betray the ones he loves to the Party, and love nobody but big Brother. When he is saved by throwing Julia under the bus, he is complying to the Party. By doing this, he is losing his freedom to them. He did exactly what he promised he would not do, and that was to betray Julia. The description of falling that he feels, symbolizes that he is losing himself and his individuality to the Party.
Part 3: Chapter 4
1) In a single paragraph of at least 125 words, explain how Winston has changed physically and mentally since he last saw O’brien. Use evidence and some quotations to support your argument.
Since Winston and O'Brien's last session, he has grown healthier than he was when he saw himself in the mirror, a picture of skin and bones. He still couldn't stand on his own, and was still fairly frail, but he was being fed more, and was more accepting of his treatment. The Party has started to get to him, and he is beginning to doublethink himself, his existence, and his sanity. He still knows what he originally wanted, and he is still against the Party, but he is starting to comply to the Party's wishes. It came off as frightening to me, when he wrote out some of the Party slogans. It made me wonder if it was him trying to get better treatment by acting in accordance to the Party's demands, or if he was actually becoming brainwashed by them.
2) Explain what Winston means on page 294 when he says, “They would have blown a hole in their own perfection. To die hating them, that was freedom.”
By saying this, Winston is making a statement about how one can have a small victory against the Party, even in their last moment. The Party's goal of the treatments they give to prisoners is to make them love the Party until they die, so they die a slave to them, not free. Winston says that to die while hating them would be freedom, because it would mean he did not become a slave of theirs, he would die with his own thoughts and his own opinions.
Since Winston and O'Brien's last session, he has grown healthier than he was when he saw himself in the mirror, a picture of skin and bones. He still couldn't stand on his own, and was still fairly frail, but he was being fed more, and was more accepting of his treatment. The Party has started to get to him, and he is beginning to doublethink himself, his existence, and his sanity. He still knows what he originally wanted, and he is still against the Party, but he is starting to comply to the Party's wishes. It came off as frightening to me, when he wrote out some of the Party slogans. It made me wonder if it was him trying to get better treatment by acting in accordance to the Party's demands, or if he was actually becoming brainwashed by them.
2) Explain what Winston means on page 294 when he says, “They would have blown a hole in their own perfection. To die hating them, that was freedom.”
By saying this, Winston is making a statement about how one can have a small victory against the Party, even in their last moment. The Party's goal of the treatments they give to prisoners is to make them love the Party until they die, so they die a slave to them, not free. Winston says that to die while hating them would be freedom, because it would mean he did not become a slave of theirs, he would die with his own thoughts and his own opinions.
Sunday, 27 April 2014
Part 3: Chapter 3
1) According to O’Brien, what are the three stages in Winston’s re-integration?
O'Brien states the three stages of re-integrating Winston are learning, understanding, and accepting.
2) Who wrote “the Book”?
Winston originally is told taht the book was written by Goldstein, but during his sessions with O'Brien, he is told that the book was written by a number of people, including O'Brien himself.
3) Explain what Winston means when he says (p. 275) “What can you do…against the lunatic who is more intelligent than yourself, who gives your arguments a fair hearing and then simply persists in his lunacy?”
When Winston says this, he means that he views O'Brien as an intelligent man, but with a much different perspective than his own. Winston recognizes that they will be in constant disagreement, and that he will persist in countering O'Brien's statements with his own beliefs.
4) O’Brien states that the Party is different from all the other oligarchies of the past. Explain what he means by this? (p.275-76)
O'Brien means that the Party is different because they are conscious that their power will be everlasting. He claims that the previous oligarchies, such as the Nazis and Russian Communists, were fighting to eventually establish a place of equality in favor of themselves. The Party is not wanting equality at all, they are simply interested in maintaining power over everything, for the good of their citizens.
5) O’Brien asks Winston to strip and look at himself in the mirror. Why do you think he does this? How does Winston respond?
O'Brien asks Winston to look in the mirror at his frail, contorted body, because he wants to show Winston the horror he has brought onto himself by opposing the Party. O'Brien explains that Winston has always known what will become of him if he proceeds to fight the Party, and that this is what has become of him as a result.
6) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
’Yes, I consider myself superior.’
O’Brien did not speak. Two other voices were speaking. After a moment
Winston recognized one of them as his own. It was a sound-track of the conversation
he had had with O’Brien, on the night when he had enrolled himself
in the Brotherhood. He heard himself promising to lie, to steal, to forge, to
murder, to encourage drug-taking and prostitution, to disseminate venereal diseases,
to throw vitriol in a child’s face.
I thought this part was very cool, it was a twist where O'Brien turned Winston's own words against him, words that Winston had drawn out of him by the illusion that he was going to help in the overthrow of the Party.
O'Brien states the three stages of re-integrating Winston are learning, understanding, and accepting.
2) Who wrote “the Book”?
Winston originally is told taht the book was written by Goldstein, but during his sessions with O'Brien, he is told that the book was written by a number of people, including O'Brien himself.
3) Explain what Winston means when he says (p. 275) “What can you do…against the lunatic who is more intelligent than yourself, who gives your arguments a fair hearing and then simply persists in his lunacy?”
When Winston says this, he means that he views O'Brien as an intelligent man, but with a much different perspective than his own. Winston recognizes that they will be in constant disagreement, and that he will persist in countering O'Brien's statements with his own beliefs.
4) O’Brien states that the Party is different from all the other oligarchies of the past. Explain what he means by this? (p.275-76)
O'Brien means that the Party is different because they are conscious that their power will be everlasting. He claims that the previous oligarchies, such as the Nazis and Russian Communists, were fighting to eventually establish a place of equality in favor of themselves. The Party is not wanting equality at all, they are simply interested in maintaining power over everything, for the good of their citizens.
5) O’Brien asks Winston to strip and look at himself in the mirror. Why do you think he does this? How does Winston respond?
O'Brien asks Winston to look in the mirror at his frail, contorted body, because he wants to show Winston the horror he has brought onto himself by opposing the Party. O'Brien explains that Winston has always known what will become of him if he proceeds to fight the Party, and that this is what has become of him as a result.
6) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
’Yes, I consider myself superior.’
O’Brien did not speak. Two other voices were speaking. After a moment
Winston recognized one of them as his own. It was a sound-track of the conversation
he had had with O’Brien, on the night when he had enrolled himself
in the Brotherhood. He heard himself promising to lie, to steal, to forge, to
murder, to encourage drug-taking and prostitution, to disseminate venereal diseases,
to throw vitriol in a child’s face.
I thought this part was very cool, it was a twist where O'Brien turned Winston's own words against him, words that Winston had drawn out of him by the illusion that he was going to help in the overthrow of the Party.
Saturday, 26 April 2014
Part 3: Chapter 2
1) Make a list of the things to which Winston confesses.
Winston confesses both true and imaginary crimes to the interrogators, such as murdering a Party member, distributing propaganda against the Party, and sabotage. He also confessed he was religious, and that he had been a Eastasian spy, admired capitalism, murdered his own wife, and was a sexual pervert.
2) What does O’brien say is wrong with Winston?
O'Brien is telling Winston that he is insane, that he is a flaw, and that the Party doesn't care for his crimes, but rather are trying to cure him of his illness.
3) On p. 259, Winston thinks: That was doublethink. To what is he referring.
When Winston thinks that, he is referring to the way O'Brien had been holding a real, solid photograph, then placed it into the memory hole, and claimed it had never existed. This is doublethink because O'Brien is saying that something absolutely real that was in his hand a moment ago, had never existed.
4) What is O’brien’s view of reality which he describes to Winston?
O'Brien gets Winston to state one of the Party slogans,“Who controls the present controls the past”, and he questions Winston's beliefs as to whether the past exists or not. According to O'Brien the past only exists if the Party wants it to.
5) Open the following site: Ivan Pavlov In a short paragraph, discuss how Ivan Pavlov’s research is similar to O’brien’s methods with Winston.
Ivan Pavlov's research was similar to how O'Brien worked on getting in Winston's head because they both used stimuli to draw out a certain reflex. Pavlov got his dogs to drool at the sound of a bell or the sight of a lab coat, and O'Brien gets Winston to confess and agree with him through the less humane stimulus of torture.
6) According to O’brien, why has Winston been brought to the Ministry of Love?
Winston has been brought to the Ministry of Love because he needs to be cured, according to O'Brien. He states that Winston is having delusions and that the Party is simply trying to fix him.
7) On page 266 O’brien says “And above all we do not allow the dead to rise up against us.” What does he mean by this? (This is an interesting question that deserves your time – read from the bottom of 265 and all of 266 for the answer.)
O'Brien is making references to famous cases of martyrdom and torture to those who do not agree with the ruling party. Each of these examples are famous cases which O'Brien says the Party had learned from to not make executions public, and to beat the criminals into believing what they had done was wrong.
8) When Winston asks why he s being tortured (p267), O’brien says, “But we make the brain perfect before we blow it out.” In a short paragraph, explain what he means by this. (Read all of 267-268 to provide your answer.)
O'Brien means by this that the Party doesn't want thoughtcrime anywhere, even in the most powerless state of death. He believes that thoughtcrime cannot exist even in the last moment of life. A criminal needs to die believing that he/ she was wrong.
9) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"He had never loved him so deeply as at this moment, and not only because he had stoppped the pain. The old feeling, that at bottom it did not matter whether O'Brien was a friend or enemy, had come back. O'Brien was a person who could be talked to,"
I found this part to be very strange, that Winston still had such admiration and faith that O'Brien was saving him, even though he was being tortured.
Winston confesses both true and imaginary crimes to the interrogators, such as murdering a Party member, distributing propaganda against the Party, and sabotage. He also confessed he was religious, and that he had been a Eastasian spy, admired capitalism, murdered his own wife, and was a sexual pervert.
2) What does O’brien say is wrong with Winston?
O'Brien is telling Winston that he is insane, that he is a flaw, and that the Party doesn't care for his crimes, but rather are trying to cure him of his illness.
3) On p. 259, Winston thinks: That was doublethink. To what is he referring.
When Winston thinks that, he is referring to the way O'Brien had been holding a real, solid photograph, then placed it into the memory hole, and claimed it had never existed. This is doublethink because O'Brien is saying that something absolutely real that was in his hand a moment ago, had never existed.
4) What is O’brien’s view of reality which he describes to Winston?
O'Brien gets Winston to state one of the Party slogans,“Who controls the present controls the past”, and he questions Winston's beliefs as to whether the past exists or not. According to O'Brien the past only exists if the Party wants it to.
5) Open the following site: Ivan Pavlov In a short paragraph, discuss how Ivan Pavlov’s research is similar to O’brien’s methods with Winston.
Ivan Pavlov's research was similar to how O'Brien worked on getting in Winston's head because they both used stimuli to draw out a certain reflex. Pavlov got his dogs to drool at the sound of a bell or the sight of a lab coat, and O'Brien gets Winston to confess and agree with him through the less humane stimulus of torture.
6) According to O’brien, why has Winston been brought to the Ministry of Love?
Winston has been brought to the Ministry of Love because he needs to be cured, according to O'Brien. He states that Winston is having delusions and that the Party is simply trying to fix him.
7) On page 266 O’brien says “And above all we do not allow the dead to rise up against us.” What does he mean by this? (This is an interesting question that deserves your time – read from the bottom of 265 and all of 266 for the answer.)
O'Brien is making references to famous cases of martyrdom and torture to those who do not agree with the ruling party. Each of these examples are famous cases which O'Brien says the Party had learned from to not make executions public, and to beat the criminals into believing what they had done was wrong.
8) When Winston asks why he s being tortured (p267), O’brien says, “But we make the brain perfect before we blow it out.” In a short paragraph, explain what he means by this. (Read all of 267-268 to provide your answer.)
O'Brien means by this that the Party doesn't want thoughtcrime anywhere, even in the most powerless state of death. He believes that thoughtcrime cannot exist even in the last moment of life. A criminal needs to die believing that he/ she was wrong.
9) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"He had never loved him so deeply as at this moment, and not only because he had stoppped the pain. The old feeling, that at bottom it did not matter whether O'Brien was a friend or enemy, had come back. O'Brien was a person who could be talked to,"
I found this part to be very strange, that Winston still had such admiration and faith that O'Brien was saving him, even though he was being tortured.
Thursday, 24 April 2014
Part 3: Chapter 1
1) Winston notices a stark difference between the way Party prisoners behave and are treated and common prisoners. Find at least 10 points of comparison between the two and fill out a table similar to this:
Common : casual, familiar with guards and prison treatment, relaxed, chatty, accepting their fate, no regrets
Treatment: Guards treat them with friendliness, less harsh, are able to bribe, and aren't looked upon as suspicious as the political criminals, they are sent to labour camps
Political : afraid, dreadful, they are very still and silent, some of them, such as Parsons, believe the Party will give them a fair trial and they'll be left off easy, they are too afrai to speak to one another
Treatment: The political criminals are looked down on by the common criminals, the telescreens are quick to order them, the guards beat them mercilessly, they need to watch their tongues more cautiously, dragged off to Room 101 screaming, and they are tortured ruthlessly.
Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Part 2: Chapter 10
1) Where does the voice “You are the dead” come from?
After Julia and Winston make their statement, “We are the dead,” a voice chimes in from the telescreen and says, "You are the dead," which eventually the two of them find out to be Mr. Charrington.
2) What happens to the paperweight? How is this symbolic of Julia and Winston’s story?
The paperweight is smashed when the troops come over to arrest Julia and Winston, and it represents their relationship being smashed apart, and them being torn away from each other, and out of their eternal sanctuary that Winston found them within the glass walls of that paperweight.
3) What does Charrington turn out to be?
Mr. Charrington, the kind and accepting antique store owner turns out to have been a Thought Police, leading Winston and Julia on in thinking he is just an innocent prole storekeeper.
After Julia and Winston make their statement, “We are the dead,” a voice chimes in from the telescreen and says, "You are the dead," which eventually the two of them find out to be Mr. Charrington.
2) What happens to the paperweight? How is this symbolic of Julia and Winston’s story?
The paperweight is smashed when the troops come over to arrest Julia and Winston, and it represents their relationship being smashed apart, and them being torn away from each other, and out of their eternal sanctuary that Winston found them within the glass walls of that paperweight.
3) What does Charrington turn out to be?
Mr. Charrington, the kind and accepting antique store owner turns out to have been a Thought Police, leading Winston and Julia on in thinking he is just an innocent prole storekeeper.
Part 2: Chapter 9
1) What do the crowds do, specifically, when they are told that Oceania is not at war with Eurasia, but is at war with Eastasia?
The crowds went along with this change in enemy, and even found themselves ashamed that they were being hateful towards Eurasia, when the 'real' enemy is Eastasia. Quickly after they understand this, they proceed to aim their hate towards Eastasia, completely disregarding any conflict with Eurasia.
2) In a paragraph, describe what the employees at the Record Department have to do with this new information?
Winston becomes very flustered and busy after this change in enemy, and everyone in the Records Department need to erase any evidence that may suggest that they have not always been at war with Eastasia. The workers were made to work eighteen hours a day, with two three hour blocks of time in which they could sleep. The work that they were doing was not even being allowed to be called by name, because it would be against what the Party wants them to be doing.
3) What is an oligarchy?
An oligarchy is a government run by a group of people, most of which are defined by wealth and status.
4) Who is the author of the book?
Goldstein is found to be the confirmed author of the book that is sent to Winston through O'Brien.
The crowds went along with this change in enemy, and even found themselves ashamed that they were being hateful towards Eurasia, when the 'real' enemy is Eastasia. Quickly after they understand this, they proceed to aim their hate towards Eastasia, completely disregarding any conflict with Eurasia.
2) In a paragraph, describe what the employees at the Record Department have to do with this new information?
Winston becomes very flustered and busy after this change in enemy, and everyone in the Records Department need to erase any evidence that may suggest that they have not always been at war with Eastasia. The workers were made to work eighteen hours a day, with two three hour blocks of time in which they could sleep. The work that they were doing was not even being allowed to be called by name, because it would be against what the Party wants them to be doing.
3) What is an oligarchy?
An oligarchy is a government run by a group of people, most of which are defined by wealth and status.
4) Who is the author of the book?
Goldstein is found to be the confirmed author of the book that is sent to Winston through O'Brien.
Part 2: Chapter 8
1) How is O’Brien’s room different from Winston’s flat? Give details.
Because O'Brien is of higher status than Winston, he is privileged to have a much larger, and more regal living space. O'Brien is allowed to turn off his telescreen and Winston is not allowed to. O'Brien's home is softly lit and comfortable, with carpets that give off a feeling of velvet, and smells like quality food and good tobacco, unfamiliar scents to Winston because he has only smelled cheap food and tobacco.
2) To whom do they raise their wine glasses?
Winston, Julia, and O'Brien all raised their glasses to the Leader of the Brotherhood, Emmanuel Goldstein.
3) State two things Julia and Winston are willing to do for the Party.
Julia and Winston both answer yes to O'Brien when he asked if they would die for the cause, or kill innocent people if it will benefit the Brotherhood, among other drastic situations, almost all of which they confirmed that they would do so as the Brotherhood pleased.
4) What does Julia say she will not do?
Julia states that she will not, under any circumstances, separate
from Winston.
5) Who wrote the book O’brien promises to send Winston?
O'Brien seems to be suggesting to Winston that the book was written by Goldstein himself.
6) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"His tongue worked soundlessly, forming the opening syllables first of one word, then of the other, over and over again. Until he had said it, he did not know which word he was going to say. ‘No,’ he said finally."
I found this quite strange, because once Winston had thought of Julia as very special, and an ally, but when O'Brien asks if they would never see each other again, unlike Julia's firm answer, Winston was in between. Was Winston more interested in this secret society than the girl he claimed to love?
Because O'Brien is of higher status than Winston, he is privileged to have a much larger, and more regal living space. O'Brien is allowed to turn off his telescreen and Winston is not allowed to. O'Brien's home is softly lit and comfortable, with carpets that give off a feeling of velvet, and smells like quality food and good tobacco, unfamiliar scents to Winston because he has only smelled cheap food and tobacco.
2) To whom do they raise their wine glasses?
Winston, Julia, and O'Brien all raised their glasses to the Leader of the Brotherhood, Emmanuel Goldstein.
3) State two things Julia and Winston are willing to do for the Party.
Julia and Winston both answer yes to O'Brien when he asked if they would die for the cause, or kill innocent people if it will benefit the Brotherhood, among other drastic situations, almost all of which they confirmed that they would do so as the Brotherhood pleased.
4) What does Julia say she will not do?
Julia states that she will not, under any circumstances, separate
from Winston.
5) Who wrote the book O’brien promises to send Winston?
O'Brien seems to be suggesting to Winston that the book was written by Goldstein himself.
6) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"His tongue worked soundlessly, forming the opening syllables first of one word, then of the other, over and over again. Until he had said it, he did not know which word he was going to say. ‘No,’ he said finally."
I found this quite strange, because once Winston had thought of Julia as very special, and an ally, but when O'Brien asks if they would never see each other again, unlike Julia's firm answer, Winston was in between. Was Winston more interested in this secret society than the girl he claimed to love?
Saturday, 19 April 2014
Part 2: Chapter 7
1) When Winston thinks back to his childhood, how did he behave towards his mother and sister? Provide details.
Winston behaved very disrespectfully towards his mother and sister as a child, thinking of himself as more important than either of them. He whines and complains, and stomps his feet at his mother when all she is doing is trying to provide food for her children. Winston is very ignorant to the fact that his little sister is ill, taking her chocolate and running away without a second thought. His mother allowed him extra food when he was hungry because he was the boy, and when there wasn't much left she gave her portion to the sister. Winston was very ungrateful to have a mother like that, always asking for more and more for himself.
2) What happens to his mother and sister?
When Winston returns home from running off with his sister's chocolate portion, he finds that his mother and sister are missing. It is possible that they were vaporized, or sent to prison camps. Winston also thinks his sister was left to die somewhere. It is unknown to him what ever happened to them.
3) What does Winston mean when he says, “The proles had stayed human”? (p.172)
When Winston says that, "the proles had stayed human," he is referring to the way that the Party never forced their affection and emotion out of them. The proles still care for their families as best as they can, and they care for each other. Though the proles are poor and starving, they felt more than any of the Party members could.
4) Re-read from the last paragraph of page 173 to the end of the chapter on page 174. Use a sticky note to tag this part; it will become important later in the book. What do Julia and Winston believe the Party will never be able to do?
Julia and Winston believe the party will never be able to make someone stop believing something. They say that no matter the torture and questioning they endure the Party will not be able to make them believe any different than they do now.
5) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"It was no use, it changed nothing, it did not produce more chocolate, it did not avert the child's death or her own; but it seemed natural to her to do it." Winston says this reflecting on the way his mother cradled his sister after he ran off with her chocolate. I like this line because of the way it depicts the human instinct to care for something or someone that is in trouble, even if they have nothing else to give.
Winston behaved very disrespectfully towards his mother and sister as a child, thinking of himself as more important than either of them. He whines and complains, and stomps his feet at his mother when all she is doing is trying to provide food for her children. Winston is very ignorant to the fact that his little sister is ill, taking her chocolate and running away without a second thought. His mother allowed him extra food when he was hungry because he was the boy, and when there wasn't much left she gave her portion to the sister. Winston was very ungrateful to have a mother like that, always asking for more and more for himself.
2) What happens to his mother and sister?
When Winston returns home from running off with his sister's chocolate portion, he finds that his mother and sister are missing. It is possible that they were vaporized, or sent to prison camps. Winston also thinks his sister was left to die somewhere. It is unknown to him what ever happened to them.
3) What does Winston mean when he says, “The proles had stayed human”? (p.172)
When Winston says that, "the proles had stayed human," he is referring to the way that the Party never forced their affection and emotion out of them. The proles still care for their families as best as they can, and they care for each other. Though the proles are poor and starving, they felt more than any of the Party members could.
4) Re-read from the last paragraph of page 173 to the end of the chapter on page 174. Use a sticky note to tag this part; it will become important later in the book. What do Julia and Winston believe the Party will never be able to do?
Julia and Winston believe the party will never be able to make someone stop believing something. They say that no matter the torture and questioning they endure the Party will not be able to make them believe any different than they do now.
5) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"It was no use, it changed nothing, it did not produce more chocolate, it did not avert the child's death or her own; but it seemed natural to her to do it." Winston says this reflecting on the way his mother cradled his sister after he ran off with her chocolate. I like this line because of the way it depicts the human instinct to care for something or someone that is in trouble, even if they have nothing else to give.
Part 2: Chapter 6
1) Under what pretense are Winston and O’brien meeting?
O'Brien and Winston casually encounter each other, and O'Brien gives Winston cues that lead him to believe that O'Brien is definitely on his side, and wanting to discuss something with him. O'Brien and Winston talk about the Newspeak dictionary as a way of making the Party think that is all they're talking about, when it's actually an excuse for O'Brien to give Winston his address.
2) What changes have been made to the 10th Edition of Newspeak? What might the Party’s motive be in making this particular change?
O'Brien mentions the few words Winston used that are no longer in the 10th Edition, and he also says that the number of verbs are being cut down. The Party is possibly doing this to make thoughtcrime impossible, but also to keep people from discussions involving any activity that needs the use of a verb to describe it. How is one supposed to plan to run away, when 'running' is no longer a word?
3) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"Any identifiable reference to him would have been mortally dangerous," is Winston's comment to how O'Brien mentioned Syme without actually saying his name or identifying him. This sentence shows how much of a thin line they stand on while trying to meet, with the Party listening to every word.
O'Brien and Winston casually encounter each other, and O'Brien gives Winston cues that lead him to believe that O'Brien is definitely on his side, and wanting to discuss something with him. O'Brien and Winston talk about the Newspeak dictionary as a way of making the Party think that is all they're talking about, when it's actually an excuse for O'Brien to give Winston his address.
2) What changes have been made to the 10th Edition of Newspeak? What might the Party’s motive be in making this particular change?
O'Brien mentions the few words Winston used that are no longer in the 10th Edition, and he also says that the number of verbs are being cut down. The Party is possibly doing this to make thoughtcrime impossible, but also to keep people from discussions involving any activity that needs the use of a verb to describe it. How is one supposed to plan to run away, when 'running' is no longer a word?
3) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"Any identifiable reference to him would have been mortally dangerous," is Winston's comment to how O'Brien mentioned Syme without actually saying his name or identifying him. This sentence shows how much of a thin line they stand on while trying to meet, with the Party listening to every word.
Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Part 2: Chapter 5
1) Describe some of the details of Syme’s disappearance?
When Syme disappeared from work, some careless people mentioned him, but soon realized his fate and proceeded to believe he was non-existent. Winston confirmed that he was vaporized by checking the board in the Records Department, which had the chess team members names on it. It was one name shorter, proving he 'had never existed'.
2) List 5 non-violent preparations being made for Hate Week.
-waxwork displays
-military parades/celebrations
-extra Junior Anti-Sex League / volunteer meetings
-lectures
-films
3) List 3 acts of violence likely engineering by the Party for Hate Week.
Acts of violence coming from the Party were the bombings (to frighten everyone), the new Hate Song, and the posters of the grim Eurasian soldier.
4) List 4-5 things Julia believes that surprises Winston? (p160-61)
- Julia is very good at interpreting faces so she trusted O'Brien easily
-Julia believed that aeroplanes were invented by the Party
-She had very limited knowledge of the war, and also believes that it isn't really happening
-Julia didn't know who Goldstein was, or what he stood for
5) Go back to Part II, Number 2. Add 5 more adjectives to your list, based on this chapter.
Adjective Page # Evidence
Indifferent 160 “In some ways she was far more acute than Winston, and far less susceptible to Party propaganda.”
In the Moment 163 “I’m not interested in the next generation, dear. I’m interested in us.”
Comfortable 163 “She was one of those people who can go to sleep at any hour and in any position.”
Nonchalant 163 “…she became bored and confused and said she never paid attention to that kind of thing.”
Content 163 “She knew when to cheer and when to boo, and that was all one needed.”
6) What does Winston mean when he says, “You’re only a rebel from the waist downwards.” (p163)
Winston means by this that Julia is really only interested in indulgent things like sex, and getting good food from the Inner Party, but her upper body (like her head) is not really interested in rebelling.
7) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"The rat had never come back, but the bugs had multiplied hideously in the heat. It did not seem to matter. Dirty or clean, the room was paradise," described how desperate Winston and Julia were for an escape. Even a dingy old room on top of a prole antique shop would be a paradise compared to what they deal with outside the room.
When Syme disappeared from work, some careless people mentioned him, but soon realized his fate and proceeded to believe he was non-existent. Winston confirmed that he was vaporized by checking the board in the Records Department, which had the chess team members names on it. It was one name shorter, proving he 'had never existed'.
2) List 5 non-violent preparations being made for Hate Week.
-waxwork displays
-military parades/celebrations
-extra Junior Anti-Sex League / volunteer meetings
-lectures
-films
3) List 3 acts of violence likely engineering by the Party for Hate Week.
Acts of violence coming from the Party were the bombings (to frighten everyone), the new Hate Song, and the posters of the grim Eurasian soldier.
4) List 4-5 things Julia believes that surprises Winston? (p160-61)
- Julia is very good at interpreting faces so she trusted O'Brien easily
-Julia believed that aeroplanes were invented by the Party
-She had very limited knowledge of the war, and also believes that it isn't really happening
-Julia didn't know who Goldstein was, or what he stood for
5) Go back to Part II, Number 2. Add 5 more adjectives to your list, based on this chapter.
Adjective Page # Evidence
Indifferent 160 “In some ways she was far more acute than Winston, and far less susceptible to Party propaganda.”
In the Moment 163 “I’m not interested in the next generation, dear. I’m interested in us.”
Comfortable 163 “She was one of those people who can go to sleep at any hour and in any position.”
Nonchalant 163 “…she became bored and confused and said she never paid attention to that kind of thing.”
Content 163 “She knew when to cheer and when to boo, and that was all one needed.”
6) What does Winston mean when he says, “You’re only a rebel from the waist downwards.” (p163)
Winston means by this that Julia is really only interested in indulgent things like sex, and getting good food from the Inner Party, but her upper body (like her head) is not really interested in rebelling.
7) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"The rat had never come back, but the bugs had multiplied hideously in the heat. It did not seem to matter. Dirty or clean, the room was paradise," described how desperate Winston and Julia were for an escape. Even a dingy old room on top of a prole antique shop would be a paradise compared to what they deal with outside the room.
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
Part 2: Chapter 4
1) Who is Mr. Charrington and where do Julia and Winston now meet?
Mr. Charrington is the owner of the antique shop Winston got the paperweight. Mr. Charrington rents the upstairs room to Winston and Julia for some extra money, and to give them some much needed privacy.
2) What is a “versificator”? (p145)
A versificator is a machine that produces songs and music without any human assistance.
3) Julia shows up with groceries. Where did she get them?
Julia got the groceries from a waiter or servants who sneak some of the Inner Party's food away.
4) What does Julia talk about that horrifies Winston?
Julia sees a rat in the room they are in, and throws her shoe at it, then goes on with talking about rats, which Winston dislikes very much.
5) Describe the paperweight (p152). Why does Winston like it? How is the paperweight like a metaphor for their relationship? (p154)
The paperweight is a piece of coral inside glass that Winston describes as having so much depth, yet has the transparent quality of air. Winston likes it because of its uselessness and beauty. He feels like the glass is the world around him, and the piece of coral is Julia's life and his own frozen in time at the center of this beautiful object.
6) Nursery rhymes are mentioned throughout the novel. Write two verses of a nursery rhyme you sang as a child. Google the song and write a few notes about the origins. What is Orwell pointing out by mentioning nursery rhymes so often? (Hint: Inner and Outer party members are not allowed to sing these songs.)
Hey diddle diddle,
The Cat and the fiddle... This song possibly dates back into the 16th century and has a few suspected references from various plays. It also has many theories about its meaning.
Orwell's mention of nursery rhymes could be because of their catchy tune and how they are remembered from before the Revolution. Party members should not sing them, because it may lead to thinking about life before the Revolution and thoughtcrime.
7) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"He had never before seen or imagined a woman of
the Party with cosmetics on her face," was interesting to me because it seemed so strange, that women of the Party were not allowed to wear makeup and could not look feminine. Maybe this rule was made so women look less desirable to men.
"In this room I’m
going to be a woman, not a Party comrade," is said by Julia and gives the reader an idea of her daringness, and want for a change. She wants to feel like an individual, and wants to be a strong woman, not just another slave to the government.
Mr. Charrington is the owner of the antique shop Winston got the paperweight. Mr. Charrington rents the upstairs room to Winston and Julia for some extra money, and to give them some much needed privacy.
2) What is a “versificator”? (p145)
A versificator is a machine that produces songs and music without any human assistance.
3) Julia shows up with groceries. Where did she get them?
Julia got the groceries from a waiter or servants who sneak some of the Inner Party's food away.
4) What does Julia talk about that horrifies Winston?
Julia sees a rat in the room they are in, and throws her shoe at it, then goes on with talking about rats, which Winston dislikes very much.
5) Describe the paperweight (p152). Why does Winston like it? How is the paperweight like a metaphor for their relationship? (p154)
The paperweight is a piece of coral inside glass that Winston describes as having so much depth, yet has the transparent quality of air. Winston likes it because of its uselessness and beauty. He feels like the glass is the world around him, and the piece of coral is Julia's life and his own frozen in time at the center of this beautiful object.
6) Nursery rhymes are mentioned throughout the novel. Write two verses of a nursery rhyme you sang as a child. Google the song and write a few notes about the origins. What is Orwell pointing out by mentioning nursery rhymes so often? (Hint: Inner and Outer party members are not allowed to sing these songs.)
Hey diddle diddle,
The Cat and the fiddle... This song possibly dates back into the 16th century and has a few suspected references from various plays. It also has many theories about its meaning.
Orwell's mention of nursery rhymes could be because of their catchy tune and how they are remembered from before the Revolution. Party members should not sing them, because it may lead to thinking about life before the Revolution and thoughtcrime.
7) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"He had never before seen or imagined a woman of
the Party with cosmetics on her face," was interesting to me because it seemed so strange, that women of the Party were not allowed to wear makeup and could not look feminine. Maybe this rule was made so women look less desirable to men.
"In this room I’m
going to be a woman, not a Party comrade," is said by Julia and gives the reader an idea of her daringness, and want for a change. She wants to feel like an individual, and wants to be a strong woman, not just another slave to the government.
Sunday, 13 April 2014
Part 2: Chapter 3
1) Julia and Winston have very little time to meet. What keeps Julia so busy and why does she do it?
Julia keeps busy by doing volunteer work for the Junior Anti-Sex League so that it gives her the appearance of being a perfect citizen, so that she is less suspected to do anything bad.
2) Choose 5 powerful descriptive adjectives (use a thesaurus) that describe Julia. Provide evidence to support your choice and a page # for each choice. Please submit using the following format:
Adjective Page# Evidence
Positive pg.142 “Don’t you enjoy being alive? Don’t you like feeling: This is me, this is real, and I’m alive!”
Rooted pg. 133 “She is alert and businesslike, she told Winston details of the journey to home.”
Daring pg. 134 “She kissed Winston almost violently and right after disappeared.”
Ininterested pg. 138 “She made no general criticism of things what she is not interested in.”
Straightforward pg.136 “Always in the stink of women, How I hate women! She always says parenthetically.”
3) Describe Pornosec?
Pornsec is the sub-section in the Fiction Department that makes pornography for the proles.
4) When did Julia have her first love affair?
Julia had her first love affair at sixteen years old.
5) What does Julia think of the Brotherhood?
Julia was born after the time they were around, so she doesn't believe they exist.
6) What is ‘goodthinkful”?
To be 'goodthinkful' is to be orthdox, not able to think a bad thought.
7) What does Julia mean when she says “All this marching up and down and cheering and waving flags is simply sex gone sour.” (p.139)
Julia thinks this because when one has intercourse it is using up energy, and afterwards very lazy and relaxed. The Party is making it's people use up their energy on marching and cheering for them, rather than enjoyable things, like sex or any other physical activity.
8) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"Oh, rubbish! Which would you sooner sleep with, me or
a skeleton? Don’t you enjoy being alive?" I like this line because it shows off Julia's spunk and attitude towards life that is quite different from Winston's, even though they both hate the Party.
"The family had
become in effect an extension of the Thought Police," was so interesting to read, because it was so eery, and makes the reader understand the paranoia that families with children in 1984 had to live with everyday.
Julia keeps busy by doing volunteer work for the Junior Anti-Sex League so that it gives her the appearance of being a perfect citizen, so that she is less suspected to do anything bad.
2) Choose 5 powerful descriptive adjectives (use a thesaurus) that describe Julia. Provide evidence to support your choice and a page # for each choice. Please submit using the following format:
Adjective Page# Evidence
Positive pg.142 “Don’t you enjoy being alive? Don’t you like feeling: This is me, this is real, and I’m alive!”
Rooted pg. 133 “She is alert and businesslike, she told Winston details of the journey to home.”
Daring pg. 134 “She kissed Winston almost violently and right after disappeared.”
Ininterested pg. 138 “She made no general criticism of things what she is not interested in.”
Straightforward pg.136 “Always in the stink of women, How I hate women! She always says parenthetically.”
Pornsec is the sub-section in the Fiction Department that makes pornography for the proles.
4) When did Julia have her first love affair?
Julia had her first love affair at sixteen years old.
5) What does Julia think of the Brotherhood?
Julia was born after the time they were around, so she doesn't believe they exist.
6) What is ‘goodthinkful”?
To be 'goodthinkful' is to be orthdox, not able to think a bad thought.
7) What does Julia mean when she says “All this marching up and down and cheering and waving flags is simply sex gone sour.” (p.139)
Julia thinks this because when one has intercourse it is using up energy, and afterwards very lazy and relaxed. The Party is making it's people use up their energy on marching and cheering for them, rather than enjoyable things, like sex or any other physical activity.
8) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"Oh, rubbish! Which would you sooner sleep with, me or
a skeleton? Don’t you enjoy being alive?" I like this line because it shows off Julia's spunk and attitude towards life that is quite different from Winston's, even though they both hate the Party.
"The family had
become in effect an extension of the Thought Police," was so interesting to read, because it was so eery, and makes the reader understand the paranoia that families with children in 1984 had to live with everyday.
Saturday, 12 April 2014
Part 2: Chapter 2
1) When Julia asks Winston what he thought of her before that day, how does he respond?
He tells her the whole truth without hesitation, he tells her that he originally hated her and wanted to rape and murder her, because he thought she was a Thought Police.
2) What does Julia rip off her body?
Her Junior Anti-Sex League sash
3) Where did Julia get the chocolate?
Julia got the chocolate from the black market
4) At the top of page 130 a thrush appears. Orwell describes the thrush in detail. What do you think the thrush symbolizes? (there are multiple answers)
I believe the thrush represents freedom, natural instinct, and enjoyment. The symbol of a bird in general will lead most to believe it is freedom because it can fly anywhere it wants, and see anything it wants to see. But it also sings, apparently without reason, but just out of spite. It sings for enjoyment, not because anyone told it too.
5) What does Julia say when Winston asks, “have you done this before?”
She says that she has done it many times.
6) Why is Winston so happy about her response?
He feels that the more men she has been with, the more corrupt she is, and he loves that she defies the Party that way. Also, she mentions being with only Party members, which gives Winston the hope that all the Party has some amount of bad in them.
7) In the context of the story, explain why Winston says” “I have purity, I have goodness! I don’t want any virtue to exist anywhere. I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones.”
He is so sick of the people around him being afraid to do anything that may get them in trouble, and he just wants everyone to have emotions, and hate toward the Party and to stand up for themselves, he wants everyone to show some kind of human emotion. He wants the Party's sterile kingdom to be overthrown by people who are finally facing fear and being corrupt.
8) Write a short (5-6 sentences) response explaining the last 3 sentences of this chapter.
By Winston saying 'it was a political act', he is meaning that by the simple act him and Julia participated in, it was a protest, a small victory against the Party. They were being human, letting their natural instinct bring them together, to do a natural thing. Sex for pleasure was such a big crime to the Party, especially being intimate with the partner, that by doing it Winston and Julia have broken an unspoken rule, but it was worth it. Winston looks at intercourse as a battle, facing the fear of the Party, and being defiant. He feels that there is no such thing as pure love or lust, but instead a fight for human intuition.
9) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
When Julia says, " I adore it," it is a simple statement with so much power behind it. By simply saying this, it is similar to saying that she loves to go against the Party, and participate in an act so looked down upon.
"Not merely the love of one person, but the animal instinct, the simple undifferentiated desire: that was the force that would tear the Party to pieces," I felt was a very powerful line, saying how much it would impact everyone if people stuck to the natural instinct they had, and how it could destroy the Party's reign.
He tells her the whole truth without hesitation, he tells her that he originally hated her and wanted to rape and murder her, because he thought she was a Thought Police.
2) What does Julia rip off her body?
Her Junior Anti-Sex League sash
3) Where did Julia get the chocolate?
Julia got the chocolate from the black market
4) At the top of page 130 a thrush appears. Orwell describes the thrush in detail. What do you think the thrush symbolizes? (there are multiple answers)
I believe the thrush represents freedom, natural instinct, and enjoyment. The symbol of a bird in general will lead most to believe it is freedom because it can fly anywhere it wants, and see anything it wants to see. But it also sings, apparently without reason, but just out of spite. It sings for enjoyment, not because anyone told it too.
5) What does Julia say when Winston asks, “have you done this before?”
She says that she has done it many times.
6) Why is Winston so happy about her response?
He feels that the more men she has been with, the more corrupt she is, and he loves that she defies the Party that way. Also, she mentions being with only Party members, which gives Winston the hope that all the Party has some amount of bad in them.
7) In the context of the story, explain why Winston says” “I have purity, I have goodness! I don’t want any virtue to exist anywhere. I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones.”
He is so sick of the people around him being afraid to do anything that may get them in trouble, and he just wants everyone to have emotions, and hate toward the Party and to stand up for themselves, he wants everyone to show some kind of human emotion. He wants the Party's sterile kingdom to be overthrown by people who are finally facing fear and being corrupt.
8) Write a short (5-6 sentences) response explaining the last 3 sentences of this chapter.
By Winston saying 'it was a political act', he is meaning that by the simple act him and Julia participated in, it was a protest, a small victory against the Party. They were being human, letting their natural instinct bring them together, to do a natural thing. Sex for pleasure was such a big crime to the Party, especially being intimate with the partner, that by doing it Winston and Julia have broken an unspoken rule, but it was worth it. Winston looks at intercourse as a battle, facing the fear of the Party, and being defiant. He feels that there is no such thing as pure love or lust, but instead a fight for human intuition.
9) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
When Julia says, " I adore it," it is a simple statement with so much power behind it. By simply saying this, it is similar to saying that she loves to go against the Party, and participate in an act so looked down upon.
"Not merely the love of one person, but the animal instinct, the simple undifferentiated desire: that was the force that would tear the Party to pieces," I felt was a very powerful line, saying how much it would impact everyone if people stuck to the natural instinct they had, and how it could destroy the Party's reign.
Part 2: Chapter 1
1) What is written on the piece of paper the girl gives Winston at work?
"I love you"
2) What are the two possibilities Winston believes are behind the piece of paper?
Either that the girl is telling the truth and actually does have feelings for him, or that she is part of a trap the Party has set up.
3) Winton considers how to meet with the girl. What are two ideas he dismisses and what does he finally decide to do?
He considers finding out where she lives or what time she gets off work, or finding her somewhere in the Fiction Department. He can't do either because it is far too suspicious. He finally decides to meet her in the canteen.
4) How long does it take Winston to talk to the girl?
It takes Winston one week to talk to the girl.
5) Where do they meet?
Winston and the girl originally meet at Victory Square during a prison convoy.
6) Who is in control of their meetings? Give evidence.
Julia is the one who is giving him directions and leading him to the safest places where they can meet, so she is controlling their encounters.
7) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"It was a queer thing, even a compromising thing, for a Party member to have in his possession," was spoken by Winston about his new paperweight. I feel that this sentence really describes how idiotic some of the Party's expectations were. They were to be suspicious of someone for simply having a pretty paperweight?
"The proper thing was to kill yourself before they got you," is interesting because it tells us that what the police and Party do to you is far worse than taking your own life. It took courage to do so, and it was also hard to find a way to do it, but it was a better way out than whatever the Party does.
"I love you"
2) What are the two possibilities Winston believes are behind the piece of paper?
Either that the girl is telling the truth and actually does have feelings for him, or that she is part of a trap the Party has set up.
3) Winton considers how to meet with the girl. What are two ideas he dismisses and what does he finally decide to do?
He considers finding out where she lives or what time she gets off work, or finding her somewhere in the Fiction Department. He can't do either because it is far too suspicious. He finally decides to meet her in the canteen.
4) How long does it take Winston to talk to the girl?
It takes Winston one week to talk to the girl.
5) Where do they meet?
Winston and the girl originally meet at Victory Square during a prison convoy.
6) Who is in control of their meetings? Give evidence.
Julia is the one who is giving him directions and leading him to the safest places where they can meet, so she is controlling their encounters.
7) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
"It was a queer thing, even a compromising thing, for a Party member to have in his possession," was spoken by Winston about his new paperweight. I feel that this sentence really describes how idiotic some of the Party's expectations were. They were to be suspicious of someone for simply having a pretty paperweight?
"The proper thing was to kill yourself before they got you," is interesting because it tells us that what the police and Party do to you is far worse than taking your own life. It took courage to do so, and it was also hard to find a way to do it, but it was a better way out than whatever the Party does.
Part 1: Chapter 8
1) Do party members ever spend time alone? Explain.
It is considered unorthodox to be alone, because when one is alone they tend to think a lot more, and ponder ideas. The Party is not a fan of thinking, so it is abnormal to loiter around or be alone.
2) What is “ownlife”?
Ownlife is the enjoyment of being by yourself, which the Party will see as very suspicious.
3) What is a “steamer”?
A steamer is the prole term for a rocket. The proles refer to it when it hits nearby and explodes.
4) What is Winston wearing that makes him stand out to the proles?
Winston is wearing his blue coveralls, which makes him stand out as a Party member to the proles.
5) What does Winston do to the human hand he finds in the gutter? What does this say about Winton’s previous experiences?
Winston kicks the hand away into the gutter, after only a slight bit of disgust towards it. This action makes it seem as though this was a usual occurrence for Winston to have, as if this is a common occurrence and Winston in desensitized to this.
6) How do proles feel about the Lottery? What is the truth about the Lottery?
The proles spend a lot of time hoping to win the lottery, when in reality the grand prize is not worth much, and any big prizes were awarded to imaginary people. The Lottery's main purpose is to keep the prole's minds busy and entertained, so they don't take notice of the Party's injustices.
7) Why does Winston feel that “it could only be a prole” (p.90) who could give a “truthful account of conditions in the early part of the century”?
Winston feels like this because everyone who is a member of the Party is already brainwashed or too afraid to tell him anything of the past. However, the proles could have the answers he wants because they haven't been forced to forget a life before the Revolution.
8) What question does Winston ask the man in the bar? What does Winston conclude at the end of the conversation with the man?
Winston asks the man about life before the Revolution, and if he felt more free than he does now. Winston finds that this man's memory is fleeting, as would most people who lived before the Revolution. Because of this answer, Winston concludes that the people who did live before the Revolution were very likely to not remember much of their past.
9) Describe the glass object Winston buys in the antique shop. (p99) Why is it “doubly attractive”?
Winston buys a glass paperweight with a piece of coral inside it. He feels that it is 'doubly attractive' because it is useless, yet still beautiful. This sort of object is something members of the Party rarely come across, as everything they use has a purpose, and such items as this are considered suspicious.
10) What is the name of the owner of the antique shop?
Mr. Charrington is the owner of the antique shop and he is widowed.
11) When Winston runs into a female party member, what does he first consider doing and why does he change his mind?
Winston considers killing the girl because he feels threatened by her, but then decides not to because it would require too much effort.
It is considered unorthodox to be alone, because when one is alone they tend to think a lot more, and ponder ideas. The Party is not a fan of thinking, so it is abnormal to loiter around or be alone.
2) What is “ownlife”?
Ownlife is the enjoyment of being by yourself, which the Party will see as very suspicious.
3) What is a “steamer”?
A steamer is the prole term for a rocket. The proles refer to it when it hits nearby and explodes.
4) What is Winston wearing that makes him stand out to the proles?
Winston is wearing his blue coveralls, which makes him stand out as a Party member to the proles.
5) What does Winston do to the human hand he finds in the gutter? What does this say about Winton’s previous experiences?
Winston kicks the hand away into the gutter, after only a slight bit of disgust towards it. This action makes it seem as though this was a usual occurrence for Winston to have, as if this is a common occurrence and Winston in desensitized to this.
6) How do proles feel about the Lottery? What is the truth about the Lottery?
The proles spend a lot of time hoping to win the lottery, when in reality the grand prize is not worth much, and any big prizes were awarded to imaginary people. The Lottery's main purpose is to keep the prole's minds busy and entertained, so they don't take notice of the Party's injustices.
7) Why does Winston feel that “it could only be a prole” (p.90) who could give a “truthful account of conditions in the early part of the century”?
Winston feels like this because everyone who is a member of the Party is already brainwashed or too afraid to tell him anything of the past. However, the proles could have the answers he wants because they haven't been forced to forget a life before the Revolution.
8) What question does Winston ask the man in the bar? What does Winston conclude at the end of the conversation with the man?
Winston asks the man about life before the Revolution, and if he felt more free than he does now. Winston finds that this man's memory is fleeting, as would most people who lived before the Revolution. Because of this answer, Winston concludes that the people who did live before the Revolution were very likely to not remember much of their past.
9) Describe the glass object Winston buys in the antique shop. (p99) Why is it “doubly attractive”?
Winston buys a glass paperweight with a piece of coral inside it. He feels that it is 'doubly attractive' because it is useless, yet still beautiful. This sort of object is something members of the Party rarely come across, as everything they use has a purpose, and such items as this are considered suspicious.
10) What is the name of the owner of the antique shop?
Mr. Charrington is the owner of the antique shop and he is widowed.
11) When Winston runs into a female party member, what does he first consider doing and why does he change his mind?
Winston considers killing the girl because he feels threatened by her, but then decides not to because it would require too much effort.
Thursday, 10 April 2014
Part 1: Chapter 7
1) Why does Winston state that “If there was hope, it must lie with the proles.”
He recognizes that Party members are for the most part brainwashed by the Party, or too afraid to pose a threat against them. He sees the way the proles act, how they're allowed to do things he's not, they have less rules. He sees that though they are less educated, they have the numbers to go up against the Party, and make things right.
2) How are the proles presented in the novel? What kind of people are they? How are they treated differently from the Inner and Outer Party and why?
The proles remind me of the people you see in movies that live in the Southern places, they seem to stick to the traditional ways of living, as opposed to following the strict rules of the Party. They have more emotions, and more friends to be with. They may be looked down upon by Party members, but in my opinion they live a life of freedom, despite the lack of food and resources. Inner and Outer Party members are forced to do what Big Brother wants by strict unspoken rules and socially acceptable and unacceptable expectations. The proles are free to feel love, happiness, sadness, passion and more whereas the Party members can't.
3) How does the Party represent capitalists before the Revolution?
The Party is basically the same as the capitalists and they are no better to the people than the capitalists were. The capitalists only cared for themselves and let the people below them starve. This is similar to the Party, where they lack food so they let proles starve and others just get by. The Party and the capitalists only think about how they can treat themselves, except the Party just doesn't want to admit that they're as bad as the capitalists were.
4) Who is Big Brother, Goldstein, Jones, Aaronson and Rutherford? What is their story?
Big Brother is the dictator of Oceania, he is harsh and ruthless, and constantly lies to his citizens. Goldstein is a man who Big Brother puts all the blame on. During the Revolution, Goldstein, Aaronson, Rutherford and Jones were the only surviving counter-revolutionaries. Goldstein had disappeared, and only Aaronson, Rutherford and Jones were left. The three came and went, leaving people guessing whether they were dead or alive. They had been arrested, but when they got in trouble they promised to be good to the Party so they got released. They soon started conspiring against the Party, so they were executed.
5) What is the Chestnut Tree Café?
The Chestnut Tree Cafe is is a small cafe where Winston sees the three men at a table nearby. There was not many people there and he remembers watching them motionless and not talking, and soon after he saw them they were executed.
6) What is the significance of the photograph found by Winston (p.81)?
It is a photograph which includes Jones, Rutherford and Aaronson. He sees it as evidence against the Party, and he believes that if it could be published to the masses, it could blow up the Party.
7) What does Winston do with the photograph?
Once he realizes what it is, he promptly covers it up.
8) How does Winston feel about O’brien?
Winston feels that O'Brien and him are on the same page, both have similar feelings towards the Party, and he feels like he could trust O'Brien. He writes his diary to O'Brien.
9) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
" Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two makes four. If that is granted, all else follows," is written by Winston in his diary. It is a phrase against doublethink, meaning that if the people could be allowed to know something is true, without having to 'doublethink' it they would have a much easier time living, and maybe even realize what is wrong with their world.
"It was like a single equation with two unknowns," gives the idea that citizens are caged in this constant battle of confusion brought upon them by the Party.
8) How does Winston feel about O’brien?
Winston feels that O'Brien and him are on the same page, both have similar feelings towards the Party, and he feels like he could trust O'Brien. He writes his diary to O'Brien.
9) Choose one or two lines that attracted your attention. Discuss why.
" Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two makes four. If that is granted, all else follows," is written by Winston in his diary. It is a phrase against doublethink, meaning that if the people could be allowed to know something is true, without having to 'doublethink' it they would have a much easier time living, and maybe even realize what is wrong with their world.
"It was like a single equation with two unknowns," gives the idea that citizens are caged in this constant battle of confusion brought upon them by the Party.
Tuesday, 8 April 2014
Part 1: Chapter 6
Part 1: Chapter 6
1. The Party believes that marriage is a bond between people who want to
have children. Sex is also seen as something for only producing a
child, the most impressionable citizens for the Party.
2. The
Junior Anti-Sex League is a group of young women who wear red sashes and
are completely against sex. This is beneficial to the Party, because
sex (hopefully in most cases) is intimate, and when you are intimate
with someone you trust them, which may lead to discussions against the
Party.
3.
Artsem is artificial insemination, a fake thing that keeps the hope for
women to reproduce without sex. Supposedly they will impregnate you
artificially, so women have no use for sex anymore.
4. Winston and Katharine were distant from each other, and after they didn't have a child they separated. Katherine stayed true to the Party's ideals about sex, and was very dispassionate when they did have intercourse, which in Katharine's mind was solely for the purpose of procreation and "(their) duty to the Party."
5. "He saw himself ...the thought of Katharine's white body, frozen forever by the hypnotic power of the Party," shows the way that the Party's ideals had basically taken away this woman's passion and feelings of any love.
"Only the proles used scent. In his mind the smell of it was inextricably mixed up with fornication," gives you the idea that proles have a very different view of sexuality. They are more slack with the Party's idea of acceptable sexual relations.
Part 1: Chapter 5
1. Syme also
works in the Ministry of Truth, but he works on rewriting and editing
the Newspeak dictionary as a philologist in the Research Department. His
job is essence is to narrow down language, making overall less words.
Winston calls him venomously orthodox, because Syme is dangerously
fascinated in the destruction of thought, and has hopes for a future
without thought.
2.
Newspeak is the language that Party uses in order to make the other
Party members less capable of thoughtcrime, by making the dictionary
smaller and smaller, and taking away describing words and replacing them
with "-er" or "-est". Syme thinks his work on the Newspeak dictionary
is art, he loves the destruction of words.
3.
A thoughtcrime is when someone makes a statement or does something
(possibly by accident) that is against any part of the Party.
4.
Oldspeak is basically what we readers speak. It has a lot more words
than Newspeak, so there are a lot more ways to express yourself.
Oldspeak sounds smarter and is smarter, you could convince and persuade
people using Oldspeak because of its large number of different words
that sound much more professional than "doubleplusgood." Getting rid of
Oldspeak makes independent thought much harder, when you don't have many
words to think about.
5.
Syme believes that orthodoxy is unconsciousness or not thinking, and
that is why he loves to destroy words. By destroying words, you don't
need to think much about what you will say because you will only have a
few words to choose from.
6.
Winston thinks Syme is too intelligent and will be vaporized, and
Winston fears that Syme speaks too much of his mind, and the Party does
not favour that kind of behaviour.
7.
Parsons is a firm believer in the Party, and though he was sorry for
Winston that his son had shot at him with a catapult, he was proud of
their keenness and passion for the Spies. Parsons is definitely that man
who works many hours and loves his job, and is in a higher rank than
many. He's a family man, and I personally would say he is like Stan
Smith of 'American Dad'. Proud to be working for the government.
8.
The statistics on the tele screens will say thing one day, contradict
it the next, and nobody in their right mind is to call them on it. For
example at one point they said there was an increase in the chocolate
ration, but the previous weeks ration was larger than the announced
portion. Also, the Party says that Oceania is plentiful and resourceful,
when in reality Winston has to specially save razorblades, and others
use the same ones for weeks because razor blades are the current item
that the Party cannot produce at that time.
9.
Facecrime is when your facial expression leads to a belief that you are
against something of the Party. It may be rolling your eyes, or sighing
at a statement, or maybe being to happy or too sad will set them off.
10.
" Every year fewer and fewer words, and the range of consciousness
always a little smaller," is spoke by Syme and shows his true love for
cutting down language, and getting rid of independent thought. It's
quite creepy to me, his desire for that to be his future.
"We're cutting
the language down to the bone," is also told by Syme to Winston, and
it's an upsetting idea that such beautiful words will no longer be used
and to use words that the Dictionary doesn't accept will be considered
abnormal.
Monday, 7 April 2014
Part 1: Chapter 4
1. Winston works in the Records Department at the Ministry of Truth, which specializes in education and entertainment. Specifically, Winston's job was to recreate and omit parts of any document that contradicts the Party. For example, he had to rewrite an article in which Big Brother mentioned war between Oceania and Eastasia, when at that present time he was talking about war with Eurasia and saying that Oceania was never at war with Eastasia. Winston had to take this part of the article and rewrite it in the Party and Big Brother's favor.
2. In this statement he was mentioning how the Party erases the past and rewrites it as they want it to be. Basically, they don't even just remake it once, but anytime that the past seems to contradict the Party they redo it, piling lie after lie on top of each other.
3. Vaporization is worse than death. It is not only execution, but once you are dead, they completely erase you from everything. An 'unperson' is the person who has been vaporized, as they no longer exist, and according to any records, they never existed.
4. The Records Department has a number of sub-sections, it was a very large department. They had print shops and typographers for faking photographs. They made tele-programmes, recalled books and periodicals, correct documents and burned the originals, and coordinated the effort to do all these said jobs.
5. The proles make up 85% of the citizens, and they are the lowest class. They are not as educated as the Outer and Inner Party, and they don't associate with them. To be in the prole parts of town is considered unorthdox. However, Winston believes the proles to be the only hope to regain a good government with good ethics and such.
6. A speakwrite is an instrument that Party members use for making notes or record information through speaking into a device in place of using a pen or pencil, because it is much faster this way. The Ministry of Truth uses these often.
7. Comrade Ogilivy is an imaginary person that Winston makes up to take the place of Comrade Withers, who was vapourized, but part of a document. Ogilvy is made to be the perfect Party member, he doesn't drink or smoke, is celibate, and a firm believer in the Party's virtues. Ogilvy was a war hero and represented what every citizen should be (according to the Party). Ogilvy represents the fact that one person may be taken completely out of history, but another can be imagined and put in his spot in an instant.
8. "The reporting...is extremely unsatisfactory and makes references to non-existent persons." Caught my eye because it simply sounds strange and messed up, to have a non-existent person.
"Perhaps Big Brother was merely trying to get rid of a too-popular subordinate," was strange because of the way it portrays Big Brothers odd ideas.
2. In this statement he was mentioning how the Party erases the past and rewrites it as they want it to be. Basically, they don't even just remake it once, but anytime that the past seems to contradict the Party they redo it, piling lie after lie on top of each other.
3. Vaporization is worse than death. It is not only execution, but once you are dead, they completely erase you from everything. An 'unperson' is the person who has been vaporized, as they no longer exist, and according to any records, they never existed.
4. The Records Department has a number of sub-sections, it was a very large department. They had print shops and typographers for faking photographs. They made tele-programmes, recalled books and periodicals, correct documents and burned the originals, and coordinated the effort to do all these said jobs.
5. The proles make up 85% of the citizens, and they are the lowest class. They are not as educated as the Outer and Inner Party, and they don't associate with them. To be in the prole parts of town is considered unorthdox. However, Winston believes the proles to be the only hope to regain a good government with good ethics and such.
6. A speakwrite is an instrument that Party members use for making notes or record information through speaking into a device in place of using a pen or pencil, because it is much faster this way. The Ministry of Truth uses these often.
7. Comrade Ogilivy is an imaginary person that Winston makes up to take the place of Comrade Withers, who was vapourized, but part of a document. Ogilvy is made to be the perfect Party member, he doesn't drink or smoke, is celibate, and a firm believer in the Party's virtues. Ogilvy was a war hero and represented what every citizen should be (according to the Party). Ogilvy represents the fact that one person may be taken completely out of history, but another can be imagined and put in his spot in an instant.
8. "The reporting...is extremely unsatisfactory and makes references to non-existent persons." Caught my eye because it simply sounds strange and messed up, to have a non-existent person.
"Perhaps Big Brother was merely trying to get rid of a too-popular subordinate," was strange because of the way it portrays Big Brothers odd ideas.
Part 1: Chapter 3
1.
I believe that George Orwell put these ideas together because
Shakespeare and his work were what Winston used to represent the
past. Shakespeare's work was all very thought provoking, and filled
with various emotions. These emotions that he wrote of were unheard
of in Winston's world, the people could not feel the way
Shakespeare's characters felt. It is almost ironic though, that
Winston thought tragedy was a thing of the past, when really to us
reading this novel, his world is very tragic.
2. Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia are at war. Big Brother wants the people of Oceania to believe that the other countries are the cause for their misfortunes, and to blame them for anything bad, even though Oceania is the best country according to Big Brother and the Party.
3. Doublethink is the idea of thinking one thing and believing it to be true, but also believing the opposite to be true. It is a confusion that happens when you believe in one thing, but authority tells and convinces you otherwise. Today, as we talked about in class, many fast food restaurants are trying to get people to believe that they are a healthy option, even though we almost all know that to be very wrong.
4. The Party tells the people many lies to cover up for when they are wrong. A lie/ cover-up that they have is that when the Party messes up, or refers to something that is no longer true, any documents or records of that have to be sent in to Winston's work, where they take it out or replace the mistake. Each of the Party's slogans is a lie in itself as well.
5. 'The next moment he was doubled up by a violent coughing fit which nearly always attacked him soon after waking up,' is interesting because it sublty points out the lack of healthcare he recieves, but at the same time, the Party promotes health by making people participate in the Physical Jerks.
'-if all records told the same tale- then the lie passed into history and became truth,' is interesting because it talks about the way the Party uses lies and cover ups in media to make itself look good.
2. Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia are at war. Big Brother wants the people of Oceania to believe that the other countries are the cause for their misfortunes, and to blame them for anything bad, even though Oceania is the best country according to Big Brother and the Party.
3. Doublethink is the idea of thinking one thing and believing it to be true, but also believing the opposite to be true. It is a confusion that happens when you believe in one thing, but authority tells and convinces you otherwise. Today, as we talked about in class, many fast food restaurants are trying to get people to believe that they are a healthy option, even though we almost all know that to be very wrong.
4. The Party tells the people many lies to cover up for when they are wrong. A lie/ cover-up that they have is that when the Party messes up, or refers to something that is no longer true, any documents or records of that have to be sent in to Winston's work, where they take it out or replace the mistake. Each of the Party's slogans is a lie in itself as well.
5. 'The next moment he was doubled up by a violent coughing fit which nearly always attacked him soon after waking up,' is interesting because it sublty points out the lack of healthcare he recieves, but at the same time, the Party promotes health by making people participate in the Physical Jerks.
'-if all records told the same tale- then the lie passed into history and became truth,' is interesting because it talks about the way the Party uses lies and cover ups in media to make itself look good.
Part 1: Chapter 2
|
1. Mrs. Parsons seems to live a dreary, fearful life. She isn't abnormal, but her children pose the constant threat of reporting her to the Thought Police. Her husband is even into the Party's ways of being, so she is constantly in fear. 2. Her children are being trained as spies, and when Winston enters their home, they act aggressively towards him, and pretend he is a bad guy. Mrs. Parsons is nervous because many children in 1984 turned their parents in, and it was encouraged in their education to do so, if their parents were against the Party. 3. A child hero is a child who turns their parents in, or reports someone else. They are congratulated for this. 4. When Winston says this, it is about someone who has leaked some sort of clue to the Party that they are not quite happy with them, and Winston is referring to the fact that they will be vaporized. The Party tends to vaporize anyone who seems even slightly unhappy with or against the Party's wishes. To vaporize is not only just to kill them, but completely erase them from the past. It is to make it so that they never existed. The Party can make up many reasons for vaporizing people, so the person Winston referred to could really be vaporize for any reason. 5. O'Brien is a man that works with Winston, and Winston has exchanged glances with him and believes that they are on the same page in their belief that the Party is wrong to do what they are doing. He feels strongly that O'Brien is an ally, and someone he could possibly trust. 6. 'Winston raised his hands above his head, but with an uneasy feeling, so vicious was the boy's demeanor, that it was not altogether a game,' and 'It was somehow slightly frightening, like the gambolling of tiger cubs which will soon grow up into man-eaters,” are both interesting to me because it pints out that even though these are children, the are impressionable and a big threat to anyone. 7. This movement is similar to the Youth League, because they both consisted of children being made to believe the governments virtues, and they were more focused on fighting for their cause than anything else. These children would turn in family if they had to, and reported anyone who was against their leaders beliefs. 8. The White Rose was a group of university students and professor that were against the Nazis. They felt that the way they treated Jews was unethical and disgusting, and spread word of their thoughts by graffiti and leaflets. They wanted to bring awareness to how cruel the people truly were for supporting and joining the Nazis. |
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