Character Analysis
What does Winston’s internal conflict reveal about his view of the Party?
He is torn between conformity and rebellion, showing his moral resistance.
What event triggers Winston’s full rebellion against the Party?
His relationship with Julia.
What theme is reinforced by the Party's slogan “Ignorance is Strength”?
The control of truth and knowledge.
What does Big Brother symbolize?
Absolute government surveillance and authority.
“Big Brother is watching you.” What theme does this support?
Surveillance and control.
How does Julia’s rebellion differ from Winston’s?
Julia rebels for personal pleasure, not for ideology.
What is the significance of Winston and Julia choosing to meet in the countryside for their first romantic encounter?
It symbolizes their initial attempt to escape the Party’s control and reclaim personal freedom, but it also foreshadows the illusion of privacy. Nowhere is truly beyond the Party’s reach.
How does Orwell portray the relationship between language and thought?
Through Newspeak limiting expression, thus limiting independent thought.
What does the glass paperweight represent before it’s shattered?
A desire for beauty, truth, and a preserved past.
“Who controls the past controls the future…” Explain.
Historical revisionism is used to control perception and truth.
In what way is O'Brien a foil to Winston?
He mirrors Winston’s intellect but uses it to uphold the Party.
How does the Party use Room 101 to maintain control?
It tailors torture to each individual's worst fear to break them.
In what ways does the novel explore the theme of surveillance?
By showing that even thoughts are monitored; thoughtcrime.
What is the symbolic significance of Room 101?
Ultimate fear as a tool of absolute control.
“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four.” Why is this line important?
It defines freedom as objective truth against Party lies.
Why is Mr. Parsons considered a tragic figure?
He is loyal yet betrayed by his own children, showing the Party’s power to destroy family.
What role does the “Two Minutes Hate” play in citizen conditioning?
It channels aggression and reinforces loyalty to Big Brother.
How is loyalty manipulated in the novel?
The Party shifts loyalty from personal ties to Big Brother.
What is symbolic about the telescreens?
The omnipresence of the Party and loss of privacy.
“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever.” What is Orwell’s warning here?
Totalitarianism crushes individual freedom indefinitely.
How does Winston’s character arc reflect the novel’s commentary on resistance and control?
His eventual betrayal and reprogramming show how totalitarian regimes crush individuality.
How does the ending reflect the Party’s ultimate goal?
Winston’s love for Big Brother shows total psychological control.
How does 1984 warn against authoritarian regimes?
By showing how control of truth, history, and language leads to loss of freedom.
How does the Prole woman singing represent a glimmer of hope?
She symbolizes enduring human spirit and potential for revolution.
“We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.” How does this reflect the Party’s ideology?
It seeks psychological, not just physical, domination.