We also answered questions about the reading covering 179-194. Note may be found on the wikispace. Questions included:
- Is Winston’s hope in the proles in vain?
- What are the four ways a state can fail? Which are the ones of legitimate concern to Big Brother and how are they managed?
- Did Big Brother ever exist?
- Why is Big Brother necessary as a figure?
- Would the regime fail if Big Brother's non-existence were revealed?
- What’s the purpose of the two tier party system?
- How does the fact that position within the Party is not hereditary help it survive? (“The essence of oligarchical rule is not a father-to-son inheritance, but the persistence of a certain world-view and a certain way of life, imposed by the dead upon the living. A ruling group is a ruling group so long as it can nominate its successors.” [186]).
- If what The Book says about the inner party is true, should we trust O’Brien (171-172, 187)?
- Can reducing the language to Newspeak really reduce independent thought?
- Do you think crimestop is possible?
- Are Winston and Julia as independent of mind as they believe?
- Why is there no law in Oceania?
- Why is the book a relief to Winston when its message is so bleak?
- Given what we learn in the book, is it possible for Big Brother to be defeated?
- What do you think "the motive" for the regime is?
- Is Winston living a worthwhile existence?
- What are Winston’s options at this point?
- If they are trying to get rid of the word and idea of revolution, why do they continue to build up the Goldstein story?
- Julia isn’t particularly impressed by the book. Is her lack of interest a product of the party or the personality?
Read to page 213. Tomorrow will be a reading day. We will conclude the novel for Monday.
No comments:
Post a Comment