Side Characters
George Orwell
1984 IRL
Neologisms
Also Seen in 1984...
Famous Moments
200
He's Winston's wordy, nerdy colleague who is vaporized because he is too smart for his own good.
Who is Syme?
200
Though he lived most of his life in England, Orwell was born in this country, a British colony from 1757-1947.
What is India?
200
Grr! The Detroit Tigers defeated this California baseball team in the 1984 World Series.
Who are the San Diego Padres?
200
It's the name of the not-old language the Party creates to limit the range of its citizens' thought.
What is Newspeak?
200
This Beatles song on The White Album was written by John Lennon in memory of his mother, who passed away in 1958.
What is "Julia"?
200
These are the last four words of the novel.
What is "He loved Big Brother"?
400
It's the surname of Winston's neighbors, whose children represent the terror of being spied on by your own offspring.
What is Parsons?
400
Snowball and Napoleon are prominent characters in this other Orwell novel, which he wrote to serve as an allegory for the Russian revolution.
What is Animal Farm?
400
This actor-turned-president won reelection in a landslide in 1984, carrying 49 of 50 states and winning nearly 60% of the popular vote.
Who is Ronald Reagan?
400
It's the term for accepting two contradictory ideas as true at the same time: "War is Peace" is an example.
What is doublethink?
400
The first name of the British prime minster who saw the UK through World War II with his characteristic "V for Victory" gesture.
What is Winston (Churchill)?
400
Back to basics: It's the number of the room where Party prisoners face their greatest fear.
What is Room 101?
600
She's Winston's estranged wife, who'd rather be doing anything except her "duty to the party."
Who is Katharine?
600
If fake names give you the E.B.-jeebies, you may not know this real name of man who went by the pseudonym George Orwell.
Who is Eric Blair?
600
This company launched its Macintosh 128K computer in 1984, famously promoted by a commercial inspired by Orwell's novel.
What is Apple?
600
It's the Newspeak-shortened term for the Ministry of Peace, which is, obviously, in charge of war.
What is Minipax?
600
Last name of red-headed comedian and talk show host, who briefly helmed "The Tonight Show" from 2009-2010.
What is (Conan) O'Brien?
600
It's the month (and the clock time) that opens the novel.
What is "April" and "13"?
800
It's the name of the fictional military officer created by Winston as part of the Ministry of Truth's revisionist history project.
What is Comrade Ogilvy?
800
Orwell was shot through the throat by a sniper in this war, where he fought on the side of the Republicans against Franco's Nationalists.
What is the Spanish Civil War?
800
The summer Olympics that took place in this U.S. city were boycotted by the Soviet Union as a response to the Americans' boycott of the 1980 Moscow games.
What is Los Angeles?
800
It's the two-word term for where historically... "undesirable"... information goes to die in the Ministry of Truth.
What is a memory hole?
800
It's the name of the continent spanning Australia, New Zealand, and other nearby islands.
What is Oceania?
800
They're the four words spoken from behind the telescreen when Winston and Julia are arrested in Charrington's room.
What is "You are the dead"?
1000
It's the trio of dissidents whose photo is Winston's best proof that the Party alters history. Last seen at the Chestnut Tree Cafe... or were they...?
Who are Rutherford, Jones, and Aaronson?
1000
Orwell had a pet, Muriel, who inspired a character of the same animal species in one of his novels.
What is a goat?
1000
The MPAA releases this new film rating with the release of Red Dawn.
What is PG-13?
1000
It's the one-word practice learned by Party members at a young age that prevents them from having any politically unacceptable thoughts.
What is crimestop?
1000
This competition game show, where houseguests win by "evicting" each other, has aired in the US since 2000.
What is Big Brother?
1000
Not really a moment, but it's a gesture that Winston repeatedly notices O'Brien do: it puts him at ease, even after he is arrested.
What is resettling his glasses on his nose?