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.