1984 Test

"Under the spreading chestnut tree; I sold you and you sold me" (77, 293). Explain how the lyrics describe Winston and Julia's relationship?

It describes the end of their relationship because they both betrayed each other while being tortured.

Explain how Big Brother is a symbol.

Big Brother is a symbol of the Party and the constant surveillance it has over everyone. He represents power and the dictatorship the Party has. Through "Big Brother is watching you" it shows the Party is always watching them.

Describe the characteristic of a dystopia. How does 1984 fit into this concept of the dystopia?

Characteristics of dystopia consist of a society that is under constant watch and is being controlled through propaganda. 1984 fits into the concept of the dystopia through the use of the telescreen and the Thought police to keep watch on the citizens. Propaganda is present through the posters and the way the Party changes history to fit what they want it to say.

How does George Orwell use imagery in the novel 1984? Give at least two examples from the novel.

George Orwell uses imagery to help the reader create a mental image of what is going on. One example of imagery is when the chocolate Julia gives Winston is being described with the smell and taste of it along with the wrapper it is in. A second example of imagery is when Winston and Julia are in the woods and Orwell writes about the unmistakeable crackle of a foot on twigs.

What time-period did George Orwell write the novel in 1984? How does this time-period contribute to our understanding of the novel? Explain.

He wrote it in the time-period after World War II. It contributes to our understanding of the novel because what the Party did to its citizens are similar to what the Nazi Party did to the citizens of Germany. For example, through propaganda and the Thought Police are similar to the Gestapo.

How does Julia's character develop from the beginning of the novel to the end of the novel? How does she change, compared to Winston?

In the beginning of the novel Julia was very rebellious and free spirited and by the end she was very stiff. Her change started with being care free, but it took some time for Winston to be care free. By the end both are broken because of the Party.

Characterize Julia. List at least three traits about Julia.

Julia is Winston's love interest in 1984. Julia is dominant, rebellious, and naive.

Explain what the glass paperweight symbolizes to Winston.

The glass paperweight symbolizes a safe environment for Winston where him and Julia can be together. He sees it as beautiful and it represents Winston's dreams.

What does the poem about St. Clement's Church symbolize to Winston? Why does it have that meaning for him?

The poem symbolizes the past for Winston and the beauty it has. It has this meaning because Winston at this point of the book was trying to find out what the past was like in an act of rebellion.

What are the proles a symbol of in the novel?

The proles are a symbol of a rebellion that could take place against the Party.

What did the room over Mr. Charrington's shop symbolize?

The room over Mr. Charrington's shop symbolized a life where Winston and Julia could be free from the Party and be in a relationship. It also represented freedom and privacy from the Party.

Give at least two examples of psychological mind control in the novel.

Two examples of psychological mind control in the novel are when O'Brien is torturing Winston to say that 2+2=4 and that they had always been at war with Eastasia and not Eurasia. Another example of psychological mind control is how the Party controls what its citizens know about the war to keep them from knowing the truth and make them dependent on the Party.

Explain the symbolism behind the place where there is no darkness.

Winston heard this be said by O'Brien in a dream. It finally came true when Winston is in his cell in the Ministry of Love because the lights are never off. And this is where O'Brien and him talk and where Winston is tortured by him.

How does Winston's character develop from the beginning of the novel to the end of the novel? What contributes to the changes in his character?

Winston in the beginning of the novel was rebellious in little ways. Toward the middle thats when he was the most rebellious while being with Julia along with being the happiest he had been. By the end of the novel he had lost all of that because the Party had taken control of him. The changes are from Julia entering his life and the torture he endured while in the Ministry of Love.

Characterize Winston. List at least three traits.

Winston is the everyman character and protagonist in 1984. He is imaginative, thoughtful, and rebellious.