Discussion Director
#1. Do you think that the proles would be willing to rebel against the Party? Or do you think that the extent of the Party's brainwashing and desensitization is so severe that they are actually content living their lives under the impression that they are not being oppressed, when it actuality they are?
#2. What action would you take if you were in Winston's situation? Planning a full-scale rebellion, especially when you work for the Party, most likely would cause the government to find you out and ultimately lead to your death. However, can you really just stand idley by as Oceanian citizens continue to stay oppressed?
#3. "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." What do you think Winston means by this?
#4. What role, if any, do you think the Brotherhood will play in the remainder of the novel? Do you think Winston will seek out the Brotherhood in hopes for help against the Party?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Illustrator, Chapter 7
Illustrator
"In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it."
"In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it."
I chose this quote because it represents the struggle Winston feels with the Party. The absolute helplessness of knowing that the government is oppressing him, but being the only one who sees it. Earlier in chapter 7 he explains that the only hope for taking down the party lies in the proles, being over 85% of the total population of Oceania. The problem is, most of the proles are too brainwashed and apathetic to even know that they are being oppressed.
Literary Luminary Chapter 7
Literary Luminary:
1/31/11
Orwell begins chapter 7 with the passage : "If there is hope [wrote Winston] it lies in the Proles." (pg 60) He then continues to say that the Proles make up the vast majority of Oceania's population, and if anyone were to successfully overthrow the oppressive government, it would be them. This is an example of foreshadowing. I think that soon, Winston is going to start discussing rebellion with the Proles and spreading the idea around He will use his job as an advantage. He already wants to rebel, and the Proles are the only chance for his success.
"But when Winston glanced again at Rutherford's ruinous face, he saw that his eyes were full with tears." (pg 66) Winston uses a metaphor to describe a man's beaten and bruised face. It shows how these former leaders know what's going on, and as a result, were beaten senseless so they don't talk. I think Winston may go to them for help in rebelling.
1/31/11
Orwell begins chapter 7 with the passage : "If there is hope [wrote Winston] it lies in the Proles." (pg 60) He then continues to say that the Proles make up the vast majority of Oceania's population, and if anyone were to successfully overthrow the oppressive government, it would be them. This is an example of foreshadowing. I think that soon, Winston is going to start discussing rebellion with the Proles and spreading the idea around He will use his job as an advantage. He already wants to rebel, and the Proles are the only chance for his success.
"But when Winston glanced again at Rutherford's ruinous face, he saw that his eyes were full with tears." (pg 66) Winston uses a metaphor to describe a man's beaten and bruised face. It shows how these former leaders know what's going on, and as a result, were beaten senseless so they don't talk. I think Winston may go to them for help in rebelling.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Illustrator, Chapters 3-6
Illustrator
"The telescreen was giving forth an ear-splitting whistle which continued on the same note for thirty seconds. It was nought seven fifteen, getting up time for office workers." Page 31
I chose this quote because the concept behind the "Telescreen" is a excellent example of the extent of the Inner Party's control of Oceania. They are controlling to the point of essentially installing a camera into each individual's home which allows them to not only watch everything their citizens are doing, but control when they wake up and actually talk to them to repremand when they are 'getting out of line.' Home is thought to be a place of sanctuary, where you can unwind and be yourself; live by your own rules. This concept in Oceania, however, is more a fantasy then anything else.
"The telescreen was giving forth an ear-splitting whistle which continued on the same note for thirty seconds. It was nought seven fifteen, getting up time for office workers." Page 31
I chose this quote because the concept behind the "Telescreen" is a excellent example of the extent of the Inner Party's control of Oceania. They are controlling to the point of essentially installing a camera into each individual's home which allows them to not only watch everything their citizens are doing, but control when they wake up and actually talk to them to repremand when they are 'getting out of line.' Home is thought to be a place of sanctuary, where you can unwind and be yourself; live by your own rules. This concept in Oceania, however, is more a fantasy then anything else.
Connector Chapters 3-6
Connector:
Chapters 3 and 4:
The more I learn about how gullable the people are, the more I think they remind me of children and their belief in Santa Clause, because they're innocent and don't think about how controlled they are and don't test authority.
Question:
Don't you think it's suspicious that the people don't challenge the government or wonder why they're so controlled?
Chapters 5 and 6:
The plot is starting to remind me of The Giver because he knows things nobody else knows and he is starting to rebel and is possibly going to try to overthrow the system.
Question:
Do you think that Winston will successfully overthrow the government or get other Oceania residents to rebel?
Chapters 3 and 4:
The more I learn about how gullable the people are, the more I think they remind me of children and their belief in Santa Clause, because they're innocent and don't think about how controlled they are and don't test authority.
Question:
Don't you think it's suspicious that the people don't challenge the government or wonder why they're so controlled?
Chapters 5 and 6:
The plot is starting to remind me of The Giver because he knows things nobody else knows and he is starting to rebel and is possibly going to try to overthrow the system.
Question:
Do you think that Winston will successfully overthrow the government or get other Oceania residents to rebel?
Summarizer Chapters 3-6
Summarizer:
Chapter 3:
Winston dreams about his mothers disappearance in a political disagreement 20 years prior. Then he dreams of a perfect society. When he awakens, he thinks of the word Shakespeare without knowing why. He wakes up to a loud whistle from his telescreen. It is time for him to exercise. As he exercises, he is thinking about how is country is at war with Eurasia and Eastasia and how even though nobody heard of their leader until the 1960's, the books say he's been a leader since the 1930's and nobody notices. Suddenly, the telescreen calls out his name and tells him to work harder.
Chapter 4:
Winston works in the record section of the Ministry of Truth, where he takes records of people protesting or situations that make the government look wrong and changes them to where they're always right. He takes a recently executed Comrade Withers out of a speech and replaces him with a loyal figure from his imagination. Winston then examines activity in the Ministry of Truth where others are trying to correct the flow of history to meet "party ideology".
Chapter 5:
In this chapter, Winston converses with his colleague from the Ministry of Truth and finds out his job is to eliminate words from the Newspeak Dictionary that could bring in rebellious thoughts. As they are talking, the intercom buzzes and announces that they had record production of chocolate. Winston notices that their quota that day was less than before, but nobody seems to notice. This bugs Winston. He is sure that the thought police are after him. He feels like he is being watched, and when he looks up, a shady woman with brown hair is staring at him.
Chapter 6:
When Winston returns home, he writes in his diary how the Ministry is going to take passion out of sex, and merely make it a reproductive act. Winston longs for sex and says the last time he had sex was with an older, ugly woman, but he didn't mind. She was a prole prostitute. His ex-wife hated sex, and when she found out she was infertile, she left him. He feels like sex will be the ultimate way to rebel against the government.
Chapter 3:
Winston dreams about his mothers disappearance in a political disagreement 20 years prior. Then he dreams of a perfect society. When he awakens, he thinks of the word Shakespeare without knowing why. He wakes up to a loud whistle from his telescreen. It is time for him to exercise. As he exercises, he is thinking about how is country is at war with Eurasia and Eastasia and how even though nobody heard of their leader until the 1960's, the books say he's been a leader since the 1930's and nobody notices. Suddenly, the telescreen calls out his name and tells him to work harder.
Chapter 4:
Winston works in the record section of the Ministry of Truth, where he takes records of people protesting or situations that make the government look wrong and changes them to where they're always right. He takes a recently executed Comrade Withers out of a speech and replaces him with a loyal figure from his imagination. Winston then examines activity in the Ministry of Truth where others are trying to correct the flow of history to meet "party ideology".
Chapter 5:
In this chapter, Winston converses with his colleague from the Ministry of Truth and finds out his job is to eliminate words from the Newspeak Dictionary that could bring in rebellious thoughts. As they are talking, the intercom buzzes and announces that they had record production of chocolate. Winston notices that their quota that day was less than before, but nobody seems to notice. This bugs Winston. He is sure that the thought police are after him. He feels like he is being watched, and when he looks up, a shady woman with brown hair is staring at him.
Chapter 6:
When Winston returns home, he writes in his diary how the Ministry is going to take passion out of sex, and merely make it a reproductive act. Winston longs for sex and says the last time he had sex was with an older, ugly woman, but he didn't mind. She was a prole prostitute. His ex-wife hated sex, and when she found out she was infertile, she left him. He feels like sex will be the ultimate way to rebel against the government.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Connector Chapters 1 and 2
Connection:
Reading how controlled the people are by the government reminds me of Communism and the recent topic of North Korea's government.
Question:
Do you notice similarities between Oceania's Society and Communism?
Reading how controlled the people are by the government reminds me of Communism and the recent topic of North Korea's government.
Question:
Do you notice similarities between Oceania's Society and Communism?
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