1984 - Part 1

What is the purpose of marriage according to the Party? What will eventually occur to do away with marriage altogether (therefore, sex)?

To have party babies, no sex for pleasure, chemically create babies is the ultimate goal

Why was newspeak created?

To make thought crime impossible because there will be no words to express it with.

What is the purpose of Newspeak?

To narrow the range of thought.

What is the message that Winston writes over and over again in the notebook?

"DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER"

newspeak

The official language of Oceania.

Who is Charrington?

The owner of the junk shop, and is Winston's connection to the past

doublethink

The power to hold two completely contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accept both of them.

Winston Smith

The protagonist of the story, 39 years old and was 12 when the system was created. Works in the ministry of truth

Who is Emmanuel Goldstein?

The ultimate symbol of opposition to the Party, we are not sure whether Goldstein actually exists. Publicly, he is known as a Party enemy, but he actually serves the Party's purposes as a scapegoat. Every time something goes bad or wrong, the Party attributes it to Goldstein - conveniently.

Who is Mrs.Parsons?

The wife of Tom Parsons and neighbor of Winston's. The mother of two horrific children belonging to the Spies and Youth League

Telescreen

Two way television. All party members have one in every room of their apartments. Because of this, the party member is never out of earshot of the latest party propaganda, and not one second goes by that they are not under the surveillance of the party. There was no way to change the channel, and the telescreen could not be turned off it can only be dimmed

the brotherhood

underground organization that works against the Party

Symbolism. What does Winston buy at the shop and what else does he see? This symbol will evolve, but for now what does Winston's purchase represent?

-Buys a paperweight, magnifying

Why was Winston's conversation with the old man in the Pub such a huge disappointment?

-He did not remember the past; Winston found him useless. -trivial info-meaningless -seen as a "crazy old man" in the pub

Why are Winston's thoughts at the end of Book One so significant? What does it show?

-He knows he will die -Somehow linked to O'Brien -However- to continue to rebel, attempt to take down Big Brother *not doing it for himself*

When Winston says, "I understand HOW: I do not understand WHY." What is the "HOW" and "WHY" he is talking about?

-He understands how the party keeps people from rebelling keeps everyone under submission - All to have POWER

Chapter 8 describes the lottery system for the proles. What is the lottery system set up like and what is the purpose of the lottery?

-It keeps them entertained + hopeful -The lottery is not real it is meant to be a distraction

The Party (government) makes up how much of the population?

15%

The Proles (citizens) makes up how much of the population?

85%

Why is it important that Winston writes "Down with big brother" in his diary?

He is committing a thought crime

What does Winston realize about the dark-haired girl at the end of chapter 8? What is his initial reaction?

He realizes she is spy on him; he wants to kill her. He hates her and does not trust her

What was Winston doing in his dream on page 24? Who was involved? What was the key phrase?

He was seeing and talking to O'Brien, "place where there is no darkness"

What is significant about the notebook Winston has?

He writes and expresses his true thoughts that are considered criminal.

Why would Mrs.Parsons be vaporized, according to Winston?

Her kids would rat her out.

Who is Tom Parsons?

Husband to Mrs. Parsons, and Winston's neighbor and coworker. Works in Ministry of Truth and is loyal to the party

What is the significance and inferred meaning of the Party's slogan: "Proles and animals are free"?

Proles are on the same level as animals and don't have rationalize thoughts, they are trained to follow these laws/rules. They don't think to enough for themselves to do things differently

ministry of truth

Responsible for all Party news, entertainment, education and fine arts. The Party's propaganda machine.

ministry of plenty

Responsible for economic affairs

What did the parsons' kids do at the market to the woman in the skirt? Why?

She bought sausage and wrapped it up in a poster of big brother; the kids set her skirt on fire. They knew it went against the party and are loyal members to the party, they have been molded to act this way.

Emmanuel goldstein

Leader of the Brotherhood. It is not really known if the Brotherhood truly exists or not but Goldstein is the focus of the hate from the society in Oceania.

What is "own life"?

Newspeak and means individualism

thought police

Police who control people who may think differently than Big Brother wants them to

Symbolism. At the end of chapter 8, where does Winston now think "the place of no darkness" is? What does this mean for Winston?

The imagined future. Gives him a bit of hope

What does "He was already dead. He reflected." Mean?

The moment of free thinking (the diary)

Where is the only safe place (safe from thought police) according to Winston?

(mind) 3 cubic cm in the skull

Symbolism. What do the following lines signify? "Under the spreading chestnut tree. / I sold you and you sold me: / There lie they, and here lie we / Under the spreading chestnut tree." When we hear this song again, what is the meaning?

-Represents the past -gave false confessions to avoid the pain - the men ratted each other out to thought police

How is the presence of war and destruction shown as commonplace among the people of Oceanian?

-The ruins of the past, bombs, buildings crumpled and remnants of war all over. -They are desensitized to death and human decay no emotional impact (Winston kicking a severed hand)

Symbolism: Winston once had concrete, unmistakable evidence of an act of falsification. It involves three men known as Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford. Briefly summarize their (1) life, (2) arrest, (3) assimilation back into society, and (4) recapture. Finally, what does this represent to Winston?

1. They were high officials in the party 2. Arrested as traitors + counterrevolutionaries 3. They confessed to numerous crimes, then pardoned and given jobs 4. arrested for for fresh conspiracies, and executed

Interpret the line "Until they become conscious, they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious."

-nobody thought to bring it down, indifferent to what is happening, disillusioned -walking through life mindless -proles are repressed beaten into submission

Who is Tillotson?

A coworker of Winston's, he sits across from him in the Records Department and is extremely secretive about his work. Works in ministry of truth

Who is Ampleforth?

A poet-of-sorts who works with Winston in the Ministry of truth

Big Brother is watching you

A warning that appears on posters throughout Oceania, the fictional dictatorship described by George Orwell in his book Nineteen Eighty-Four. The term Big Brother is used to refer to any ruler or government that invaded the privacy of its citizens.

In 1984, there is an organization named Spies. What is this organization?

An organization of children that snitch on their parents or anyone they catch commenting a thought crime. They are able to do this because they are innocent and naive

How did the party describe capitalists? Why would they do this?

As very rich, few evil, wicked people, fat ugly with wicked faces. To produce feelings on hatred, making them enemy

two minutes hate

Daily telescreen specials in which various elements of crimethink were packaged into a parade of horrible images and sounds, at which, the viewers were expected to boo, hiss, curse, and release any negative emotions upon.

ministry of love

Dealt with law and order, hate and torture.

What is the Golden Country? What happens in the Golden Country?

Dreamscape- Winston's dream Dark

Who is Oceania at war with right now? What does Winston realize about this?

Eurasia, East Asia

Interpret the following axiom (or recognized truth): "Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two make four. If that is granted all else follows."

Freedom is being allowed to follow logic, truth, instead of having to blindly believe whatever the party spouts out.

Who is O'Brien?

Inner party member who works with Winston in ministry of truth. Winston thinks he is against Big Brother.

Who is O'Brien

Inner party member who works with Winston. Winston thinks he is against Big Brother.

Who was the "human soundtrack"? Why was this person called this?

Katherine (Winston's ex-wife) she is very loyal to the party and often times restates the party's slogans

Who is the dark-haired girl?

She works in the Ministry of Truth's fiction section. She belongs to the Anti-Sex League and Winston thinks she is a spy at first.

Symbolism. What do the following lines remembered by Charrington relate to and what is the significance of this? "Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St.Clement's / You owe me three farthings, say the bells of St. Martin's - here comes a candle to light you to bed, here comes a chopper to chop off your head."

Symbol of London before Party (churches (moral, soul) use to exist), overall nostalgia (also a thread that the main characters tie together).

Victory Mansions

The apartment building where Wilson lives. It was built in 1930 and is falling apart. Nothing, from the plumbing to the electricity, works right. The hallway smells like boiled cabbage and old rags.

What is the main theme of 1984?

The dangers of totalitarian government

What interaction does Winston have with the girl with dark hair that makes him nervous?

The dark haired girl is staring at him

Why are the Parsons' children so disappointed on page 23? What does this say about their society?

They aren't able to go to the hanging; they are desensitized

Why then did Winston and Katherine split up? What was Katharine's attitude in general to sex?

They couldn't have party children, no children = no need for sex

Who is Jones, Aaronson and Rutherford?

Three Inner Party members wrongly arrested in 1965 and forced to incriminate themselves of various crimes, including treason and murder. They are eventually killed.

Examples of Paradox:

War is Peace Ministry of Peace Freedom is Slavery. Ministry of Love Ignorance is Strength Ministry of Truth Ministry of Plenty

Summarize. Explain your understanding of the relationship between characterization and theme. How does Orwell use characterization to express theme?

Winston's behaviors and decisive actions show there has been destruction in human values, alienation, isolation and control

Who is Katharine?

Winston's former wife who was a "mouthpiece for the Party." He hated being with her and she hated sex, and couldn't produce a kid, so they parted.

Who is Comrade Ogilvy?

a character Winston makes up. He is the perfect Oceanian citizen. He is not real.

Why in this society are there no longer friends, just comrades?

comrade is formal, distant and cold concept= destruction of human values

Who is Syme?

comrade, almost a friend, works in research dept a philologist and expert on newspeak, working on 11th edition of dictionary. Works in Ministry of Truth

ministry of peace

concerned itself with war

What was the "unforgivable crime" among party members?

no sex, promiscuity= cannot buy or engage in sexual acts that are not to procreate.

Who is Big Brother?

leader of the party

Explain the shock and horror of Winston's memory of the prostitute

shows people crave a deep, primal, need for human connection. you cannot erase primal nature

How did the party "prove" that life was better now than it was before the revolution?

statistics, administrative truth, make it look as if it is better, -change of info, past was erases, lies become truth (double think)

What is the "real undeclared purpose" of making sexuality a crime?

take out an emotion and pleasure

"the book"

written by Goldstein, a book that goes against the party and it's policies. no title and terrifying