1984 by George Orwell . PART 3 (AIS Summer Reading Assignment 2015)

PART THREE

18. Character, Irony/Paradox: How does Parsons feel about being imprisoned as a result of his own daughter reporting him for crime?

-) Normally, a father would be very upset and disappointed as their own daughter betrayed and got them arrested. Yet, Parsons is very committed to the party that he is proud of her daughter and believes his arrest is a good lesson for her. Before being taken away from the guards, he said: "She listened at the keyhole. Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh? I don't bear her any grudge for it. In fact I'm proud of her. It shows I brought her up in the right spirit, anyway." In this respect, we can tell that the party had exerted great influence over the lives of many in Oceania as they had successfully controlled every aspect of a family. 

19. Theme, Plot: Before Winston is interrogated, he sees many prisoners escorted off to Room 101. From their reactions, he gathers the room is extremely unpleasant. What is in Room 101?

-) Room 101 is a mysterious yet horrifying interrogation room in the Ministry of Love. A torture chamber where prisoners will be "reeducated" and are forced to confess to their crimes with their greatest fear. As stated in the novel, it has "The worst thing in the world... varies from individual to individual. It may be burial alive, or death by fire, or by drowning, or by impalement, or fifty other deaths. There are cases where it is some quite trivial things, not even fatal." Room 101 is the place where prisoners would pass the final stage of their Reintegration, "Acceptance".

20. Plot: When and in what way does Winston betray Julia?

-) There are three major stages of Winston's "Reintegration". They are "Learning", "Understanding" and "Acceptance". During the last stage of the Reintegration, he arrived at Room 101 and came face to face with his greatest fear (rats). According to the novel, he yelled to O'Brien, saying: "Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don't care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!" By doing so, he confessed and betrayed Julia. As Winston's love for Julia represent hope and happiness, Winston had given up hope and his will. Every thought, emotion and personalty were being sucked out of his living body. A puppet for the party.

21. Plot: Why does OʼBrien say prisoners are brought to the Ministry of Love?

-) Since the party don't permit anyone of the party to die as a martyr against Big Brother, the party create the Reintegration Program to make prisoners to believe that Big Brother, along with the party cannot be overthrown. Forcing prisoners to accept him through torture. As mentioned in the novel, O'Brien said: "Never again will you be capable of ordinary feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage, or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves." In doing so, the party can seek absolute power and loyalty over everyone. They can make people into believing anything they said without any hesitation.

22. Plot: What happens to Julia?

-) In the very end of the novel, it follows that Winston and Julia had a meeting in the open. According to the description of Julia: "...her face was sallower, and there was a long scar, partly hidden by the hair, across her forehead and temple...her waist had grown thicker, and, in a surprisingly way, had stiffened... her body felt like (a corpse)..." Base on the description above, we can easily conjure up an image of her current physical state. Instead being young and attractive, she now looks old and stiff. Similar to Winston, all their lives had been sucked out empty. We can assume that she had also been into a series of torture as she has a long scar across her forehead and temple.

23. Theme, Irony/Paradox: How does Winston ultimately feel about Big Brother? What is the overall theme of the book? Explain and give specific evidence to support your answer.

-) After forty years of torturing, Winston had completely surrendered to the party.The party had destroyed his mind. As stated in the last paragraph of the novel: "He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark mustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving beast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." This suggest that Winston accepted Big Brother and pledged his loyalty to the party. Now, he doesn't have any feeling for anybody (including Julia), except for Big Brother. As I have stated earlier, he had given up hope and his will. He is now a soulless tool of the party.

   Furthermore, "1984" approaches the idea of power and societal control. Similar to Orwell's previous creation, "Animal Farm", both of them focus on corruption of power and the adoption of totalitarianism. After witnessing what the totalitarian governments in Spain and Russia, what they would commit in order to maintain or strengthen their power, George Orwell wrote "1984" in the late 1940s to warn people about the dangers of totalitarianism (Communism). He himself even stated the purpose of the novel is "to alter other people's idea of the kind of society they should strive after." With the perfect setting of a perfect dystopian society (Oceania), this expresses the two central themes in the novel, "Totalitarianism & Humanity" and "Class Privilege & Struggle".

  

  "Totalitarianism & Humanity" 

  In order to further emphasis the dangers of totalitarianism, George Orwell purposely set the novel in Britain (Airstrip One). By doing so, readers can acknowledge the fact that totalitarianism could succeed anywhere if it were not fought against. Yet, if it succeeded, Orwell addressed that the future and the fate of humanity will be crushed in the eradication of privacy, individuality and freedom. As stated in the novel, he illustrates the future of a world with totalitarianism as "a boot stamping on a human face - forever." The boot represent the strong military oppression as the face represent the future, the fate of humanity and the people. In other words, Orwell strongly suggests that the future will be dominated by a autocrat. Only one voice will be accepted while the others are forced to follow. 

  "Class Privilege & Struggle"

 Apart from totalitarianism and humanity, Orwell, also addresses class privilege and struggle through the relationships of each social class in Oceania. To do so, Orwell uses Goldstein's book (The Theory and Practise of Oligarchical Collectivism) to explain the influence of class privilege and struggle to human societies. The book itself holds an important message. It follows that humanity has always been a series of struggle between each social groups. The "High", the "Middle" and the "Low". The "High" are the ones who rule, the "Middle" obey and follow the "High" and the 'Low" who are the poorest of all and comprises the majority of the population.  Similar to Marxism, the book explain how human society is divided and reconstructed. Initially, the "Middle" would overthrow the "High" by promoting the "Low". In deposing the old rulers, the "Middle" becomes the new rulers as the "Low" become the new middle class. As time pass, the cycle continues and repeats. Comparable to the following ideal, Oceania is made out of three major classes. They are the ultimate Inner Party (2%), the industrious Outer Party (13%) and the underprivileged proles (85% of the population). With the same setting, Winston believes that the proles will overthrow the Inner Party with their enormous manpower as soon as they realise they are capable to revolt against the Inner Party. This is stated in the novel: "Until they (the proles) become conscious they will never rebel, and until they have rebelled they cannot become conscious." 

   


Overall, 1984 approaches the idea of power and social disorder from a socialist perspective. Orwell has successfully presents the dangers of totalitarianism. Even to this day, it is still a direct warning against totalitarianism.

1984 by George Orwell . PART 2 (AIS Summer Reading Assignment 2015)

PART TWO

10. Character: In what ways are Julia and Winston alike? In what ways are they different?

-) Julia and Winston share a few similarities. They are unwilling to fully obey and follow the party's teaching. Despite the fact that having an love affair in Oceania is considered to be a criminal offence that can result in torture and death, they still enjoys to indulge in human pleasure to fulfil their sexual desire.

   Apart from their similarities, Winston has suspicion of the party. He would question the party's principles and tries to understand how a society should be. On the other hand, Julia is satisfied with her daily life style and tries to make the best of her life. She is some-how more self-centred and only has interest in gaining pleasures for herself. Furthermore, there are also major physical differences between Winston and Julia. Winston is an older man with a less impressive appearances but he is more intellectual while Julia is in her twenties, who is much younger than Winston and is more attractive. 

11. Theme: Why does the party permit couples to marry but discourage love?

-) Since sex instinct is part of the social basis of human (and animal) behaviour, it is a natural response to ensure the development of humans, socially and genetically. In spite of the fact that the Party permit couples (who are members of the party) to marry, they strongly discourage love in marriage. Marriage must be approved by the party. Other love relationships would result in torture or death by the Ministry of Love. According to the novel: "Ideally, the party would prefer complete celibacy, which would mean that men and women would forge fewer bounds of individual loyalties and children could be produced artificially. Failing this, it tried to present the sex act as a rather disgusting preliminary necessity."By doing so, it can sustain the strength or loyalty to the party. Couples must produce children for the Party. 

12. Plot: OʼBrien asks Winston and Julia what they are willing to do for the Brotherhood. What are they willing to do? What is the one thing they are unwilling to do?

-) As stated in the novel, Winston and Julia are willing to commit murder, suicide, acts of sabotage, betray their country to foreign powers, give up their identities and a series of immoral action, such as "throwing sulphuric acid in a child's face." Aside from these things, they refuse of being separate for the rest of their lives.

13. What types of things does OʼBrien tell them they might have to face as members of the Brotherhood?

-) Obrien states that Winston and Julia must always follow and obey the orders from the Brotherhood without knowing the reason. Other than that, they need to be ready to abandon their current identity to preserve the Brotherhood's secrecy. Furthermore, Obrien also tells Winston and Julia not to expect any reinforcement from other members of the Brotherhood since members have no way of recognising one another.

14. Irony/Paradox: Julia tells Winston that even though the Party can torture a person and make him say anything, they cannot make him believe it. How do you feel about this statement?

-) I partly agree with Julia. Firstly, I support the statement that the party can make people to say and act anything they want through torturing. Yet the party cannot simply control people's mind and make them to believe it. After studying few major historic events, I believe children or young adults are most vulnerable to "Brainwashing". We can take Hitler's rise to power as an example. After turning Germany into a totalitarian state through the "Enabling Act" in 1933. Since Hitler wanted to cultivate a loyal following for his Nazi Regime, they changed the whole education curriculum and spread his Nazi ideals to children through education. By doing so, he successfully brainwashed most of the population. In conclusion, I believe it is possible to brainwash people in their teens through education in harsh conditions. 

15. How easy is it to brainwash a person? Do you think governments actually use brainwashing? Discuss.

-) In my own opinion, I believe it is easy to brainwash a person through torture and education from an early stage. Since there are too many records of government agencies using brainwashing, there is no denying the fact that some governments still uses brainwashing on their people nowadays. As I have stated earlier, the government has control over their education system, the government can simply instill misleading concepts into children and young adults. As a result, the government can exert much greater control over the people.
 

16. Plot: Why are the three superpowers always at war according to the Brotherhoodʼs handbook?

-) According to the "Theory and Practise of Obligatory and Collectivism", written by Emmanuel Goldstein, the three superpowers Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia are constantly at war with each other because of their international relationships and strength of each superpower. Since all these superpowers have a similar ideology and level of military power, it is very unlikely for them fight or conquer each other. Instead of going to war with each other, they believe keeping their regime in place is more important. Therefore, they use the danger of war to sustain their strength and territory. Consequently, the party can unite the people together by the fear of war.

17. Plot, Irony/Paradox: How are Winston and Julia betrayed? 

-) Winston and Julia were betrayed by Mr Charrington. A member of the Thought Police in disguise of an old shop keeper in the Prole District. He sold Winston a diary and rented a "Secure"room for them, a small living space without any telescreen and security cameras. But it turned out to be a lie as a hidden telescreen is installed behind a picture in the room.

1984 by George Orwell . PART 1 (AIS Summer Reading Assignment 2015)

PART ONE

1.Language/Logic, Setting: What does the opening sentence suggest about the book?

-) The opening sentence of the novel holds two unusual details which suggest that society has evolved into another form, where everything is different from the past. First of all, as the month "April" represents the time when trees and flowers begin to open, the phrase "a bright cold day in April" from the opening sentence conjures up a cold image, a society frozen in time, oblivious to the evolution and progress of nature . Other than that, the phrase "the clocks were striking thirteen" marks that the past was either being erased or forgotten as the following phrase only implies to military time. Which suggest that the life of an ordinary citizen in Oceania is strictly controlled and monitored by the government.

2.Irony, Language/Logic, Character: The name “Winston” means “from a friendly country.” “Smith” is a common last name. From these names, can you suggest a possible irony? Also, consider the association of Winston Smith with Winston Churchill. What similarities do you see between the two? What else do we know about Winston concerning his age, abilities, and occupation?

-) Winston Smith is the main protagonist of the novel. Throughout the novel, readers would experience the complex journey of living under the control of an oppressive government in Winston's perspective. Winston is a middle-aged (39 years old) man who works in the Records Department of the Ministry of Truth, in which to reedit documents such as newspapers and photographs for the party.

    Aside from Winston's background, his name also has some interesting meaning. Since the name "Winston" means "from a friendly country", "Smith" is an typical last name in the English language, readers would identify Winston as an ordinary character who would make good effort in extreme conditions in order to make the situation better. Ironically, Winston Smith lives in the Land of Oceania (London). A totalitarian regime where everything is closely monitored by the government. Other than that, Winston is an exceptional character with extraordinary personalities. He is thoughtful and curious of how why the government (Party) would wield ultimate power over Oceania. 

      Furthermore, there are many similarities between Winston Smith and the honourable British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Both of them have a strong personalities and would always question their beliefs. They would always make good effort to change for the better.

3.Irony/Paradox, Language/Logic: What are the Party mottos? What is unusual about them?

-) The Party mottos are:
    
    "War is Peace"
    "Freedom is Slavery"
    "Ignorance is Strength" 

        These Party mottos are confusing and incompatible because each motto contains two contradictaory words, which make the mottos nonsense. Moreover, it is very unusual of the society to follow and obey these ideas.

4.Language/Logic, Theme: What is Newspeak? What is its purpose?

-) Newspeak was the official language of Oceania, a replacement of the Standard English. The Party (Current Government) created Newspeak with the purpose of destroying the English Language, which would abolish free thoughts, love, happiness and desire.

5.Why is it essential for the Party to rid the language of synonyms and antonyms?

-) On the surface, the Party promote Newspeak to make people stop using unnecessary words to make communications more simpler and easier. However, the true aim of promoting Newspeak is to place a limit on the English Vocabulary, which has an affect of stopping free thoughts. Other than that, the Party can easily control people's mind by removing synonyms and antonyms.

6.Language/Logic: Who is Big Brother and what is the significance of his name?

-) "Big Brother" is known to be the leader of the Great Revolution in Oceania (A Ruler). He was a middle-aged man whose face is commonly being displayed on big posters in Oceania. According to the novel, it follows that those posters "depicted simply an enormous face, more than a meter wide: the face of a man about forty-five, with a heavy black mustache and ruggedly handsome features". Moreover, those posters would also bear the message: " BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.". The significance of his name represent his almighty presence in Oceania, which can be a replacement of a "Family" since he is always watching you and looking after you.

7.Language/Logic: What is facecrime? Why is it so easy to commit?

-) Facecrime is a new unlawful act that is punishable by the party (Party of Oceania). It is a concept of one's thoughts being reflected through facial expressions. To the party, it is offensive for citizen and members of the party to spread their feelings and thoughts through facial expressions. According to the novel, it follows that: "It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within a range of a telescreen. The smallest thing can give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself- anything that carried with it the suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide. In any case, to wear an improper expression on your face was itself a punishable offence. There was even a word for it in Newspeak: Facecrime, it was called." One can easily commit Facecrime as facial expressions are spontaneous reactions of a human body. It is part of an natural mechanism that is difficult to conceal.

8.Theme, Irony/Paradox: How does the Party control history? Why?

-) The Party established the Ministry of Truth (Record Department) to reedit every piece of records. Including newspapers, photographs and other data to control history. By doing so, it would change the minds of people. People would always believe in what the party says since they don't know the difference. This means that the party would choose and determine what is "Fact". As stated in the novel: "And if all others accepted the lie which the party imposed - if all records told the same tale - then the lies passed into history and became truth. "Who controls the past," ran the party slogans, "controls the future: who controls the present controls the past." And yet the past, though of its nature alterable, never had been altered. Whatever was true now was true from everlasting to everlasting. It was quite simple. All that was needed was an unending series of victories over your own memory. "Reality control," they called it: in Newspeak, "doublethink." As history is constantly being reedit, even lies can become facts.

9.Plot, Theme: Who is Emmanuel Goldstein and how is he presented to the people of Oceania? What is the probable significance of using the obviously Jewish name?

-) In contrast to Big Brother, Emmanuel Goldstein is declared to be the "Enemy of the People" in Oceania. He was known to be once part of the "Inner Party" with Big Brother but is now accuse of being the leader of the so-called "Brotherhood",  an secret organisation who work against the party by spreading corruptions and promoting crimes such as thoughtcrime, drug abuse and prostitution to weaken the party. As mentioned in the novel:"He was the primal traitor, the earliest defiler of the party's purity. All subsequent crimes against the party, all treacheries, act of sabotage, heresies, deviations, sprang directly out of his teaching."

    Moreover, the name "Emmanuel" and "Goldstein" also hold few reflective meanings. For instance, the name "Emmanuel" represent "Saviour" and the name "Goldstein" is an obvious Jewish name. As Jewish people are often considered to be minorities everywhere, George Orwell would like to emphasise the fact that Emmanuel is and "Outsider", causing readers to conjure up an conflicting image among other characters. According to the novel's description of Goldstein:"It was a lean Jewish face, with a great fuzzy aureole of white hair and a small goatee beard - a clever face, and yet some-how inherently despicable, with a kind of senile silliness in the long thin nose near the end of which a pair of spectacles was perched. It resembled the face of a sheep, and the voice, too, had a sheeplike quality."

     Furthermore, Emmanuel Goldstein and Big Brother both share a similarity in the novel. Both of them were unknown and their existences are very questionable.  In spite of the fact that there are certain pictures and written records about them, it is possible that they are simply conceptual characters created by the party as a form of propaganda.