The theme of the novel is hard to single out but I believe it is a combination of totalitarianism, control, rebellion, and an overwhelming theme of both irony and warning. The first theme I encountered was totalitarianism. In the first few pages I was introduced to Big Brother, the Thought Police and the idea of INGSOC. Control as a theme was also used throughout the book with the severe punishments for doing things which illustrated your own thoughts or feelings. Winston's attitude toward Big Brother is the root the the rebellious theme in the novel. The Ministry of Truth is where Big Brother rewrote history. The Ministry of Love is where people were tortured and punished. Those were only a few of the many ironies in the book. Lastly, the theme Orwell tried to resonate the most was warning. He believed during the time the book was written (1940's) that if the world ever excepted imperialism or totalitarianism, this could be how the world would end up. This theme of warning connects with the title "1984" because that was the future Orwell envisioned.
I believe the the theme in 1984 is totalitarianism, history, and anticipation. As the author, believes what would happen in the future, he thinks that the government would absolute control over the states. He would believe that 1984 would be a new war, a new problems and a new start for everything to go wrong. The title 1984 would had many thoughts to the readers because of the title of the book would look bizzare. Actually, the beliefs of people were done over again. It is as history is repeating itself. Right now, as the author writes his book, he belives that in 1984, the people will do the same mistake as 1940.
The theme of this novel is anticipation, the author is giving us an idea of what the future holds and the issues other governments would face in 1984. The title 1984 would lead readers to assume that is the year this book takes place in but i think that is the title because the author is predicting the future and in that year there will be simular problems.
I believe the theme of the novel is totalitarianism and history. Orwell hopes the readers will leave 1984 accepting the possibility enough to question government and go cautiously into the future. I think he wants to let the readers know that this society has and will happen again if people forget the lessons taught by history or fail to not argue totalitarian governments. The title fits the theme because George Orwell wanted to discuss the fact the government is finding more ways to control and dictate civilians as the future portrays.
“The thing that he was about to do was to open a diary. This was not illegal (nothing was illegal, since there were no laws), but if detected it was reasonable certain that it would be punished by death, or at least by twenty-five years in a forced-labour camp.” (Page 3)
The significance of this is with the combination of the summary from the back of the book and the excerpt gives you a rough idea of the attitude of the groups running the country that had which was severe and totalitarian. This also indicates the thirty-nine year old Winston Smith, the protagonist, has grown weary of his life to the point in which he willing to buy an empty book which could cost him his life or freedom. This also reveals the setting of a world in which they live completely different from our own and gives a dark, drab, and confined tone.
“The horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in. Within thirty seconds any pretence was always unnecessary. A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against one’s will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic.” (Page 6)
The significance of this excerpt is its revealing of how Big Brother controls the citizens of Oceania. By using hate-fueled propaganda and controlling what they felt in order to agree with their views. In terms of character motivation, these Two Minute hate events made Winston conflict with his own ideas. He was initially against Big Brother buy the sight of Goldstein still furiated him and without knowing it, he would be hollering and screaming at the thought of resistance against Big Brother and he would somehow feel comforted by a sense of protection from this totalitarian government he initially disliked.
Question Writer
1. What threat did the possession of a diary pose to Big Brother?
Individual thought posed a threat to Big Brother because they controlled people’s views by means of constant propaganda and extreme violations
2. What purpose did the ‘Two Minute Hate’ have?
The purpose of these sessions were to fuel people with anger and fear towards the imposed enemies of the state in order to control them by giving and impression of protection from them. It could also be said that these sessions stripped people of their rationality and as a result, caused them to make irrational decision such as surrendering themselves completely to a mysterious government they barely know.
3. What in the real world history can we compare ‘Two Minute Hate’ to?
• German’s propaganda during the World War II against Jewish people. • North American’s propaganda during the World War II against Japanese people. • American’s propaganda used to incite fear against Muslims.
4. What does the diary symbolize?
The diary symbolizes Freedom such as freedom of speech and thought.
5. What does Goldstein represent?
Goldstein represents propaganda which has made him into a false idol of evil in which threatens the country and at the same time, does exactly what its meant to do which is unite the people because of their fear of him allowing control of the citizens thought.
Character Tracker
Winston Smith
Winston has a complex personality which can be described as depressed and his thoughts morbid; because at one point, he had thoughts of brutally killing a woman he had found attractive because he was starved of physical gratification and all the pretty women he saw wore chastity belts. Winston’s change in personality was almost instant. When he takes the risk of buying a diary, it shows he is willingly able to disobey the strict codes of individuality when at the age of thirty-nine, could never do that before. His motivations at the moment aren’t clear because although he doesn’t show complete surrender to the Brotherhood and hasn’t succumbed to the propaganda completely but, he still shows signs of weakness during the Two Minute Hate in which he uncontrollably joined the crowd in its infectious irrationality.
Word Wizard
Vindictiveness: Disposed or inclined to revenge; vengeful. (Page 16) His vindictiveness became his downfall.
Compendium: A summary, epitome, or abridgment. (Page 15) The compendium of global warming has yet to be reached. Backslider: To setback into bad habits, sinful behavior, or undesirable activities. (Page 13) Dr. House was the backslider who had gone to rehab but reverted back to his drug addiction.
Interminable: Incapable of being terminated; unending. (Page 9) The nightmares that recurred seemed to be interminable.
Impedimenta: Baggage or other things that retard one’s progress. (Page 23) The Impedimenta of the soldiers had resulted in a slowdown of two hours.
Responses
Breanna Evans
“War is important for consuming the products of human labour; if this work were be used to increase the standard of living; the control of the party over the people would decrease. There is an emotional need to believe in the ultimate victory of Big Brother.”
Edward Chow
“Winston Smith is a character who is suppression his thoughts and expressions. He trying to have no emotions to what he does but the Two Minute Hate usually gets him. He did not like the way of the Big Brother and believes in Goldstein. He is a daring person, who can forbid the law and look past it. He challenged Big Brother by buying a diary for his thoughts and opinions”
Jenigab Arte
“The World depicted in this book is void of happiness because fundamental freedoms have been stripped away and even things such as sex have been changed to make it a disgusting, minor, operation with the purpose of procreation only. If I were to live under such confinement, I would probably reflect some of Winston’s personality because people are a product of their environment and living in a war-torn city which even my thoughts would be policed”
Sammy Dodd
“Early in the novel, Winston starts to have thoughts against the ruling dictatorship so he brought a book to use as a diary as he purchases it, his life became very dangerous and life threatening.”
6 comments:
The theme of the novel is hard to single out but I believe it is a combination of totalitarianism, control, rebellion, and an overwhelming theme of both irony and warning. The first theme I encountered was totalitarianism. In the first few pages I was introduced to Big Brother, the Thought Police and the idea of INGSOC. Control as a theme was also used throughout the book with the severe punishments for doing things which illustrated your own thoughts or feelings. Winston's attitude toward Big Brother is the root the the rebellious theme in the novel. The Ministry of Truth is where Big Brother rewrote history. The Ministry of Love is where people were tortured and punished. Those were only a few of the many ironies in the book. Lastly, the theme Orwell tried to resonate the most was warning. He believed during the time the book was written (1940's) that if the world ever excepted imperialism or totalitarianism, this could be how the world would end up. This theme of warning connects with the title "1984" because that was the future Orwell envisioned.
I believe the the theme in 1984 is totalitarianism, history, and anticipation. As the author, believes what would happen in the future, he thinks that the government would absolute control over the states. He would believe that 1984 would be a new war, a new problems and a new start for everything to go wrong. The title 1984 would had many thoughts to the readers because of the title of the book would look bizzare. Actually, the beliefs of people were done over again. It is as history is repeating itself. Right now, as the author writes his book, he belives that in 1984, the people will do the same mistake as 1940.
The theme of this novel is anticipation, the author is giving us an idea of what the future holds and the issues other governments would face in 1984. The title 1984 would lead readers to assume that is the year this book takes place in but i think that is the title because the author is predicting the future and in that year there will be simular problems.
I believe the theme of the novel is totalitarianism and history. Orwell hopes the readers will leave 1984 accepting the possibility enough to question government and go cautiously into the future. I think he wants to let the readers know that this society has and will happen again if people forget the lessons taught by history or fail to not argue totalitarian governments. The title fits the theme because George Orwell wanted to discuss the fact the government is finding more ways to control and dictate civilians as the future portrays.
English 12
1984 Group
George Orwell’s 1984
Session #1
Quotable Quoters
“The thing that he was about to do was to open a diary. This was not illegal (nothing was illegal, since there were no laws), but if detected it was reasonable certain that it would be punished by death, or at least by twenty-five years in a forced-labour camp.” (Page 3)
The significance of this is with the combination of the summary from the back of the book and the excerpt gives you a rough idea of the attitude of the groups running the country that had which was severe and totalitarian. This also indicates the thirty-nine year old Winston Smith, the protagonist, has grown weary of his life to the point in which he willing to buy an empty book which could cost him his life or freedom. This also reveals the setting of a world in which they live completely different from our own and gives a dark, drab, and confined tone.
“The horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in. Within thirty seconds any pretence was always unnecessary. A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces with a sledge hammer, seemed to flow through the whole group of people like an electric current, turning one even against one’s will into a grimacing, screaming lunatic.” (Page 6)
The significance of this excerpt is its revealing of how Big Brother controls the citizens of Oceania. By using hate-fueled propaganda and controlling what they felt in order to agree with their views. In terms of character motivation, these Two Minute hate events made Winston conflict with his own ideas. He was initially against Big Brother buy the sight of Goldstein still furiated him and without knowing it, he would be hollering and screaming at the thought of resistance against Big Brother and he would somehow feel comforted by a sense of protection from this totalitarian government he initially disliked.
Question Writer
1. What threat did the possession of a diary pose to Big Brother?
Individual thought posed a threat to Big Brother because they controlled people’s views by means of constant propaganda and extreme violations
2. What purpose did the ‘Two Minute Hate’ have?
The purpose of these sessions were to fuel people with anger and fear towards the imposed enemies of the state in order to control them by giving and impression of protection from them. It could also be said that these sessions stripped people of their rationality and as a result, caused them to make irrational decision such as surrendering themselves completely to a mysterious government they barely know.
3. What in the real world history can we compare ‘Two Minute Hate’ to?
• German’s propaganda during the World War II against Jewish people.
• North American’s propaganda during the World War II against Japanese people.
• American’s propaganda used to incite fear against Muslims.
4. What does the diary symbolize?
The diary symbolizes Freedom such as freedom of speech and thought.
5. What does Goldstein represent?
Goldstein represents propaganda which has made him into a false idol of evil in which threatens the country and at the same time, does exactly what its meant to do which is unite the people because of their fear of him allowing control of the citizens thought.
Character Tracker
Winston Smith
Winston has a complex personality which can be described as depressed and his thoughts morbid; because at one point, he had thoughts of brutally killing a woman he had found attractive because he was starved of physical gratification and all the pretty women he saw wore chastity belts. Winston’s change in personality was almost instant. When he takes the risk of buying a diary, it shows he is willingly able to disobey the strict codes of individuality when at the age of thirty-nine, could never do that before. His motivations at the moment aren’t clear because although he doesn’t show complete surrender to the Brotherhood and hasn’t succumbed to the propaganda completely but, he still shows signs of weakness during the Two Minute Hate in which he uncontrollably joined the crowd in its infectious irrationality.
Word Wizard
Vindictiveness: Disposed or inclined to revenge; vengeful. (Page 16)
His vindictiveness became his downfall.
Compendium: A summary, epitome, or abridgment. (Page 15)
The compendium of global warming has yet to be reached.
Backslider: To setback into bad habits, sinful behavior, or undesirable activities. (Page 13)
Dr. House was the backslider who had gone to rehab but reverted back to his drug addiction.
Interminable: Incapable of being terminated; unending. (Page 9)
The nightmares that recurred seemed to be interminable.
Impedimenta: Baggage or other things that retard one’s progress. (Page 23)
The Impedimenta of the soldiers had resulted in a slowdown of two hours.
Responses
Breanna Evans
“War is important for consuming the products of human labour; if this work were be used to increase the standard of living; the control of the party over the people would decrease. There is an emotional need to believe in the ultimate victory of Big Brother.”
Edward Chow
“Winston Smith is a character who is suppression his thoughts and expressions. He trying to have no emotions to what he does but the Two Minute Hate usually gets him. He did not like the way of the Big Brother and believes in Goldstein. He is a daring person, who can forbid the law and look past it. He challenged Big Brother by buying a diary for his thoughts and opinions”
Jenigab Arte
“The World depicted in this book is void of happiness because fundamental freedoms have been stripped away and even things such as sex have been changed to make it a disgusting, minor, operation with the purpose of procreation only. If I were to live under such confinement, I would probably reflect some of Winston’s personality because people are a product of their environment and living in a war-torn city which even my thoughts would be policed”
Sammy Dodd
“Early in the novel, Winston starts to have thoughts against the ruling dictatorship so he brought a book to use as a diary as he purchases it, his life became very dangerous and life threatening.”
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