DAY 2 - CYCLE 12 - SEMESTER 2

Today was an in class reading day since so many of you had the AP Euro exam this morning and late games last night.

For today, I recommended that you get up to page 213 in the novel. This is, no question, a more disturbing portion of 1984, as we see what happens in the Ministry of Truth. We'll talk a bit on Friday. You might want to check out the links to the left. Be forewarned: they too can be disturbing and you should talk with your parents and read the news to help create a broader context for your understanding. I have provided links to news articles as well.

For Friday: try to be up through 232. For Monday, be up through 266.

Questions we'll consider:
PAGES 194-213

• What is beautiful to Winston about the singing laundry woman below?
• Why does Winston maintain hope in the proles, even if the book makes it pretty clear that such hope is in vain?
• Why don’t Julia and Winston try to escape?
• How effective is the paperweight as a symbol? (198)
• What indications do we have that Winston has been through this before?
• Why don’t the regular criminals talk to the “’polits’” (203)? Why do regular criminals have the power there?
• Winston believes that he will not betray Julia because he loves her. At that same time, he “hardly even wondered what was happening to her” (204). How is this possible? Does he love her?
• What realizations come with each of the prisoners he encounters: the drunk, 60 year old woman; Ampleforth; Parsons; the starving man; Bumstead.
  The starving man makes many offers to avoid room 101. What is signified by these offers?
• Why does the starving man turn on the one person who offered him food?
• What does O’Brien mean when he says, “’They got me a long time ago’” (213)?

PAGES 213-232

• What is the purpose of all that Winston is subjected to? His treatment goes in phases. Identify the various phases of his torment, their purpose, and the result.
• Where do we see Winston's resolve breaking down? Identify the specific instances and be able to explain how you know.
• Why does Winston consider O'Brien both "protector" and "friend" as well as "tormentor" and "inquisitor" (217)?
• What is O'Brien's ultimate goal with Winston? Why?
• Do you believe O'Brien's claim that reality is entirely within the mind?
• Does Winston want to meet O'Brien's goals for him? How do you know?
• According to O'Brien, how does Oceania differ from earlier regimes?
• What does O'Brien mean exactly when he tells Winston "'You do not exist'" (231)?
• Why won't O'Brien answer the question about the Brotherhood (232)?