1984 part 1 notes
- 1. 1984 In Class Notes Part 1 Ms. Ramirez Cruz
- 2. Main Character • Winston Smith is introduced as a frail 39 year old man with a varicose ulcer • He is malnourished – food is rationed • He drinks the cheap “Victory Gin” and smokes • Although he is extremely fearful and paranoid of the party when the novel begins he takes a brave step and rebels by beginning a diary
- 3. Setting • 1984 takes place in the dark, bleak world of Airstrip One (London) in the fictional empire of Oceania • Airstrip One is in a constant state of war with Eurasia or Eastasia • The enemy changes from time to time and the previous enemy must be forgotten • The city is in shambles with several bomb sites, shacks and poorly maintained buildings • Above the city loom the ministry buildings: Minitrue, Miniluv, Miniplenty, and Minpax
- 4. Ministries • The Ministries are the official agencies that control the government • Their names are paradoxes: • Minitruth – Ministry of Truth - Winston’s place of employment is in charge of recreating and rewriting events and history • Minpax – Ministry of Peace – in charge of matters of war • Miniplenty – Ministry of Plenty – in charge of rationing food and products – dealing in “with starvation” • Miniluv – Ministry of Love – in charge of torturing opponents of the Big Brother
- 5. Setting • Air Strip One is ruled by a tyrannical government that relentlessly monitors and controls every move of it’s citizens through surveillance and telescreens • Winston must watch even his facial expressions from the telescreens • The “leader” of the party is the ever present “Big Bother” or BB • His mustaged image can be seen everywhere with the caption: “Big Brother is Watching”
- 6. The Party Slogans • WAR IS PEACE • FREEDOM IS SLAVERY • IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
- 7. Newspeak • Newspeak is the official language of Oceania • Devised to meet the ideological needs of Ingsoc – English Socialism - the political ideology that governs Oceania • Vocabulary decreases each year and it is dedicated to the “destruction of words” • It was created so it would not be possible to think a dissenting thought and ultimately eliminate thoughtcrime
- 8. Newspeak Terms • Doublethink – the power to hold two completely contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously and accept them both • Thoughtcrime – to even consider a thought not in line with the principals of the party • Thought Police – police force in charge of eliminating thoughtcrime, they monitor everything • Prole – Proletarians – 85% of Oceania’s population – were viewed as animals – “Animals and proles are free”
- 9. Newspeak Terms • facecrime – to wear an improper expression on your face that might demonstrate nonconformity with Big Brother • Two minute hate – daily propaganda telescreen specials which all citizens must participate in - they show terrible images and loud noises – hate is directed towards enemy and Goldstein (enemy of the people) former party leader that betrayed BB and formed the Brotherhood – an underground network of conspirators dedicated to overthrowing the state
- 10. Winston’s Job • Winston works for Minitrue • His job is rewrite history by rewriting articles and news stories to realign them with the message of Big Brother • He enjoys his work because he can “lose” himself in it • He uses three orifices: speakwrite, a pneumatic tube, and memory holes • Memory hole is a paradox – they are used to destroy evidence thus eliminate proof and memory
- 11. Comrade Ogilvy • In order to replace the disgrace of Comrade Withers who most likely has now been vaporized Winston creates Ogilvy • Ogilvy is the epitome of a party member • He sacrifices all personality, privacy, family all sense of “self” for the sake to the party • This is ironic • By creating Ogilvy Winston is actually mocking the ideals of the party someone like Ogilvy could not possibly exist
- 12. Winston • When Winston begins writing in his diary at first he can’t even remember what he wanted to say • After the descriptions of the film and the two minute hate he writes: • DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER! several times
- 13. Winston • Is seemingly different from the other party members • He still shows empathy and emotion • The movie scene • He sees hope in the proles to overthrow the state • He takes the step of rebelling by writing in the dairy although he knows it will bring about his doom • “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death”
- 14. Winston • He longs for human connection • Feels deep resentment and hatred towards the party for creating his state of isolation • Isolation = Death • He ends his marriage to Katherine because of its lack of intimacy – sex was for procreation – “Duty to the party”
- 15. Winston’s Quest for Connection • His writing in the journal is the first step to connect to his consciousness • In his encounter with the prostitute – at first she is more human and real – “party women never paint their faces” • Her perfume smells of “fornication” – lust, human desire • The encounter fails – it is really an encounter with death • Basement – underground • The woman is death – white face, white hair, no teeth, mouth is “cavernous blackness”
- 16. Winston’s Quest for Connection • He hates the party for killing human connection and intimacy – humanity • Hatred for women • Katharine his wife • The girl with the dark hair – his desire for her is manifest in his hatred for her – wants to hill her – Junior – Anti – Sex League
- 17. Winston’s Quest for Connection • Winston believes that O’Brian is a member of “the Brotherhood” • A brief glance at the two minute hate • After he writes in his diary he begins to dream • Emotions have been awakened • Dreams of O’Brien – “We will meet at the place where there is no darkness” • Light=Knowledge – awakening
- 18. • Dreams about his mother and sister – feels guilt – they died for me • Dreams about the girl with the dark hair – the act of her flinging her clothes is rebellion • She can destroy an entire era
- 19. Intimacy and Thought are Rebellion • His thoughts about O’Brian • His memories of the past • The dark haired girl’s clothes in the dream • Once he had proof of an act of falsification • At work he had seen a Times article that put Jones, Aaronson and Rutherford at a party meeting in New York. During the trials they had confessed to being in Eurasia conspiring with the enemy • “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”
- 20. Winston Longs for the Past • He feels frustrated that he can’t prove anything that went on in the past • This is ironic since it is his job to rewrite the past • When finds himself at the antique shop where he purchased the diary • Mr. Charrington shows him a room above the shop
- 21. The Room Above the Antique Shop • “There’s no telescreen!” – privacy • The room is a connection to the past • Comforting, antique furniture • “We lived here till my wife died” – a real couple lived here – love and intimacy existed in this room
- 22. The Room Above the Antique Shop • This is a holy place • The picture of St Clement’s Church hangs on the wall • Finds out from Charrington that it still exists • Charrington teaches him the old rhyme • “Oranges and lemons say the bells of St. Clement’s”