Pages 1-37 This section introduces us to Winston Smith and his daily world. Note the first sentence of the passage and keep an eye on the details presented; draw a mental picture. 1. This society shows everything as thoroughly manipulated as possible. In the first sentence, what strikes you as wrong? In looking at his room and the housing, what is unusual? How does the government try to control everybody? 2. What are the three party slogans? What do you suppose they mean? 3. What does Winston keep hidden? What thought did Winston finally write down? How is the journal "thoughtcrime"? Why wouldn't the government want this? 4. What is Two Minutes Hate? Who do they scream at? Why do they hate him? What principles does he espouse? What might everyone get very angry during two minutes hate? As a government, why would you want this exercise? What other examples of Two Minutes hate exist in history? (or present day)?
Pages 37-69 5. Describe Winston's next door neighbors. Why does she need Winston's help? Why do the kids scare him and the woman? How does he act when he is confronted by the kids? Why are "Spies" an effective idea? 6. Complete this quote; "Whoever controls the past, " What does this mean? How is it true in this society? What is the converse of this? What is an example of this principle from history? Winston's day continues, with just a touch of excitement thrown in. 1. Where does Winston work? What is his job? Why does its name strike us as odd? How does he feel about destroying all these facts? Why does he feel this way? Why is his job important? 2. What is Syme working on?
Why is his job important? Would it be effective? How have people used "newspeak" today? 3. Describe Parsons. Who is more likely to live to age 40: Parsons, Syme or Smith? Why? Why are his kids so cool in 1984? How do most Minitrue people look? Why? 4. Who had Winston been married to? What was wrong with her? How would the state feel about marriage and family? Why would they arrange marriages? Why would they not frown on prostitutes so much? If they frown on sex, why do they have a porno division in Minitrue? Pages 69-104 Winston thinks about proles, continues to write in his diary, and finds a special place. 1. Who are the Proles? How much of Oceania's population is prole? Complete this quote: "Proles and animals "
The party teaches two contradictory things about the proles: what are they? Why is it important for the Party to have a class of proles? What f functions do they serve? Would you want to be a prole or a member of the outer party? 2. What does jus primae noctis mean? Is the schoolbook history accurate? Why is it important that the schoolbook history be changed? Where would you go for the truth, if the books aren't right? 3. Who did Winston see in the Chestnut Tree Cafe? Why were they there? What was wrong with them? Why would the party want them where people can see them? Does present society do something similar? Explain. 4. Complete this quote: "Freedom is the freedom to say " Why is that Freedom? How would Big Brother have you say this? How much research and science goes on in Airstrip One? What bit of truth did Winston uncover? How are his actions thoughtcrime? 5. Where did Winston go that night, instead of to the rally? Who does he offer a drink to? Why? Is this a good or bad idea? 6. Where does Winston wind up going after the bar? What does he buy?
How is that object symbolic? How is the color of the object important? What interests him in the room upstairs? Writing Create another object, not in the book, that Winston might be, that would do the same thing as the paperweight? Explain. End of Part One Pages 105-136 Julia enters Winston's life and everything changes for the better, I guess. 1. What gets passed to Winston on his way to the bathroom? What does he suspect it is? What is written on the slip? How is Winston's angst similar to anyone else's angst at this point? How is his dating "ritual" similar to a high school one 2. Where do they first meet and talk to one another? Why is this a good place to meet? Who is Winston looking at when he talks to Julia? Why is that significant?
3. On page 98, How is nature described. Please quote? How is this passage different from the one at the very beginning of the book? Why has nature changed so much? What is the "Golden Land" Much of this is an allusion to another book and another couple. Who? Explain. 4. What don't they do right away? Why not? Winston says he has no desire to lie to her. Why wouldn't he? Why did he want to kill her two weeks ago? How was that a success of his training? How could their love-making be a political act? 5. Explain how Julia rebels against the government? Why is it better that she joins in on all the groups? Why does Julia break the rules? Why does Winston want to break the rules? 6. Complete this quote; "I hate purity " Explain. This seems an odd idea. Why does he think it? How does this also show a triumph of Ingsoc? Writing Predict what will happen to Winston and Julia. Be detailed.
Pages 136-167 Winston's life has changed. Somewhat for the better and he sees that most illusive of things, Hope. 1. Where else do they succeed in making love? Why don't they get to more often? Generally, what do they do when they are around each other? According to Julia, what are two reasons why the state doesn't want sex? Julia later says "I'm not interested in the next generation, I'm interested in us." What does she mean? Would Winston ever say it? 2. How much work does Winston do? (Hours) Julia? Why does she join the Jr. Anti-Sex league Complete the line "If you keep the little rules, " Explain. For her, what is life for? Why do you suppose this thinking comes from female characters? 3. What does Winston wish he had done? Why? Katherine could belong to any of the other anti-utopian novels. Why? Why does Winston say that "We are the dead."
How does Julia try to wake him up? What does she say? 4. What has Winston gone and done? Why is that foolish? Why has he done it? 5. What does she wear? Why does she want to wear it? 6. Winston is deathly afraid of something, what is it? How does she reassure him? Symbolically, how is he reassured? Why is the song "Bells of St. Martin's" important? 7. How does Winston know that Syme has been taken? Why was he taken? Why does O'Brien mention Syme? Why does that make Winston so happy? 8. What celebration is coming? How are they preparing for it? Why do they have this? What purpose does it serve? 9. What does the glass paperweight symbolize? How is their room like the paperweight? What is the drawback to living in a glass paperweight? What does Winston dream about?
10. What is real betrayal? Writing Imagine you were Winston or Julia, what would you do in order to ensure that you could keep your affair going? Pages 167-184 Winston goes for the big one here. Work slowly with the end of this chapter. Don't be afraid if you miss some of it. Remember, Orwell was an essayist, primarily and not a novelist. 1. What had they finally done? What was Winston's attitude in the office? When else have we seen this excitement? What privilege does O'Brien have? 2. When does Julia wince? What does she seem to be afraid of? Do you trust him? Remembering what real betrayal was, does O'Brien lead them to it? Where will they meet again? What does Winston think that quote means? 3. What swift and sudden change occurs in Oceania? What gets changed?
Why might the government do this to the people? How has the US government done this recently? 4. In Oceania, what is the purpose of war How can war actually bring Peace? Where is this war fought? Who fights in it? Who is dropping rocket bombs on London? Why does the government want this war to continue? How is this policy true today? Writing In your own words, please explain how "War is Peace." Pages 184-224 This is serious heavy sledding. Orwell gets real political in Goldstein's book. Try not to do a Julia through it. Troubles, however, happen. 1. Is Julia very interested in the book? Explain. Why is Winston so juiced about this? 2. What does Doublethink mean? Why was this concept introduced? What current subject do we use Doublethink on? 3. How can Ignorance be Strength?
How can Intelligence be weakness? Where has this appeared in the last few years in our world? How has Ingsoc stopped class warfare? 4. What are the two reasons for changing the past? 5. What does Winston think about the prole woman? Explain? How is she more beautiful than Julia? 6. Where was the viewscreen? Why do they repeat what Winston and Julia say? What happens to the paperweight? How is that important? Writing Why were Winston and Julia arrested? Aside from their crime, what have they done that is dangerous? End of Part two Pages 225-287 This is the most interesting part of the novel, in my opinion. The Thought police are nothing, if not effective. 1. What is the torture O'Brien is inflicting?
Why does he tell Winston what Winston is thinking? How does O'Brien try to build trust? Why is he doing this? What other characters have we read that are similar to O'Brien? How is O'Brien different? 2. What are some of the delusions that Winston has been suffering from? How is Winston mentally deranged? How does the party control the past? Where does Reality exist, according to the party? When does 2+2=5? Whose eyes does he have then? 3. Why is he in the Ministry of Love? Why are there no Martyrdoms? How are martyrs powerful? Why must Winston surrender of his own free will? Will Winston die at the end of this process? Do you suppose he will ever see Julia again? Explain. 4. What questions does Winston ask? Why would a torturer offer that opportunity to Winston? Why is trust so important to O'Brien? Is he telling the truth? Does it matter? Explain. 5. Does Big Brother exist? What does O'Brien mean "you do not exist."?
Does O'Brien exist? Writing Describe the room where they have tortured Winston so far? What would be in your Room 101? Pages 287-297 The famous final scene. Room 101 comes and goes and Winston loves Big Brother. 1. Why does the government crush the people? (Quote) How do they control matter? Is there any reality outside the human skull? What will the future look like? If they control matter inside the skull, foment a plan for upsetting this world? 2. According to O'Brien, What is Winston? Explain this. What will men look like in the future? What did men look like in the past? 3. What is the only shred of humanity Winston has left, before Room 101? What has he lost? 4. What is in Room 101? When did you know these is what would be there? What would be in Julia's 101?
5. Is Winston human anymore? 6. What is the last line of the novel? Does he mean it? Explain. Writing Imagine you are in 1984 and you are a rebel. How would you attempt to overthrow this society?