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.