Chapter 1
Discuss the message conveyed by the Big Brother posters hanging in apartment buildings. How would this message differ if the posters only hung in public places?
The Big Brother posters in apartment buildings convey that citizens are being watched at all times and have no privacy or security even in their own homes. If the posters only hung in public places, they would remind people that they are being watched in the public sphere, much like the security cameras in retail stores, but they would still have privacy in their homes.
Assess the role of children in Airstrip One. How are children trained to support the Party?
Children are viewed as informants who frequently turn in people, even their own parents, for thoughtcrime. Through the Spies and viewing violent government-sponsored acts such as hangings, children are indoctrinated into the Party’s beliefs from a young age.
Tell about Winston’s family.
Winston’s mother and father disappeared during a political purge in the Fifties. Winston also had a sister who no longer seems to be alive.
Explain what a speakwrite is and how it works.
A speakwrite transcribes spoken words into print.
Give an example of facecrime.
Any facial expression, whether it is intentional or subconscious, that portrays emotions could be considered facecrime.
Analyze why Winston is not certain of the exact date and how a lack of time-keeping reinforces the Party’s manipulation of history.
Not keeping track of exact dates allows the Party to make each day just like any other day, without celebrating holidays or days off work. Not having dates also allows the Party to eliminate historical accuracy and perspective since much of history hinges on particular dates and events.
Interpret the comment that O’Brien says in Winston’s dream and predict how it will reoccur in the novel.
In Winston’s dream, O’Brien tells Winston “We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.” Winston believes this is a sign of a relationship between himself and O’Brien. It could foreshadow a future meeting between Winston and O’Brien.
Describe Winston’s dream about the Golden Country.
Winston dreams of a natural sun-bathed landscape teeming with animal life. While there, the dark-haired girl from work removes her clothes while running through the field.
Describe what happens to citizens after they are arrested.
People are either vaporized, released for a year or two before they are executed, or reappear at a trial to implicate others.
Demonstrate how Newspeak hopes to eradicate all thoughtcrime.
By deleting most words, Newspeak hopes to eradicate thoughtcrime. Newspeak eliminates words which could allow anti-government thoughts, as well as any words that allow shades of meaning or creativity.
Summarize Winston’s feelings about O’Brien.
Winston feels that even though O’Brien is a member of the Inner Party, he is more civilized and reasonable that other Party members. Even though he has never spoken to him, Winston thinks O’Brien is charming and intelligent. Both O’Brien and the pictures of Big Brother are described as large, imposing men.
Examine the Party’s three slogans: “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” At this point in the novel, what do you think they mean?
“War is peace” most likely means that showing active military strength maintains a country’s security and prevents it from being overrun by another country. “Freedom is slavery” implies that having to make daily decisions about one’s life makes a person feel overburdened and enslaved by the choices he/she faces. “Ignorance is strength” demonstrates that it is easier to maintain control over an ignorant populace than over one which thinks independently and asks questions.
Examine what Winston does and does not find appealing in his dream.
Winston is not particularly attracted to the girl’s nakedness and sexuality. He is, however, taken with the careless spontaneity with which she removes her clothes. He views this gesture as a form of rebellion against the tight control of Big Brother and the Party.
Infer the accuracy of the events depicted in INGSOC’s history.
Since the events have been constantly revised and rewritten, they are most likely minimally accurate, if they have occurred at all.
Infer why the Party prefers citizens to refer to each other as “comrade” rather than “friend.”
Comrade evokes a feeling of a co-worker or acquaintance, rather than the emotional attachment of friends. Comrade also alludes to communist societies which refer to each other as comrades.
Infer why Winston frightens himself when writing, “Down with Big Brother,” in his diary and how he could be guilty of thoughtcrime.
Writing “Down with Big Brother” concretely displays Winston’s first sign of rebellion against the Party. If a person can be arrested for merely thinking treasonous thoughts, much worse would probably occur if the person provided actual evidence of thoughtcrime.
Name and explain the three principles of INGSOC.
The three principles of INGSOC are: Newspeak (the party’s official language and one which most effectively communicates the Party’s message), doublethink (the ability to hold two opposite ideas in one’s mind at one time), and mutability of the past (not holding on to any particular beliefs or events in the past, but realizing that everything can and does change).
What is doublethink and why is it necessary in order to survive under Big Brother’s control?
Doublethink means being able to hold two contradictory, competing ideas at one time. It is necessary for citizens to put aside their personal memories and beliefs while believing in those espoused by Big Brother.
Evaluate how citizens, including family members, feel about each other.
Citizens seem to have very few, if any true feelings for each other. Everyone seems detached and isolated from others, even people with whom they work each day. Family members also seem to hold each other at a distance, as exemplified by the woman whose husband was vaporized.
Evaluate how Parsons’ children’s actions reflect their society’s attitude toward differences.
The children followed the man because he wore different shoes. People in their society are trained to spot differences and look on them as flaws or problems that must be eliminated.
Describe the Two Minutes Hate and its purpose.
The Two Minutes Hate acts as propaganda against the Party’s opposition, Emmanuel Goldstein, as well the countries of Eurasia and Eastasia. The Hate’s rabble-rousing also draws the populace into a fury and provides a place for them to vent and release their pent-up anger and frustration. Channeling anger at the opposition prevents the populace from releasing their anger upon the Party.
Explain Winston’s comment, “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death.”
Engaging in thoughtcrime ensures one’s death via the thought police. Winston more openly courts rebellion once he realizes that writing in his diary has already ensured his death warrant.
Discuss how the Party uses propaganda to vilify capitalism while promoting the Party’s control.
The Party demonizes capitalists as top hat-wearing men who ride around in carriages without any regard for other citizens. The Party tries to counter by saying that they protect and take care of all citizens.
What would most likely happen if a citizen of Airstrip One asked questions about the change in the chocolate ration or the amount of boots produced?
A person would most likely be vaporized if they asked questions about rations, production, or any aspect of the government.
Summarize why Winston believes that some citizens will be vaporized and others will not be.
Winston believes that more intelligent citizens such as Syme, O’Brien, and Mrs. Parsons will be vaporized, while less intelligent citizens who do not think on their own, such as Parsons, will not be vaporized.