Characters
Who is the protagonist of the novel who works at the Ministry of Truth?
Winston Smith
In which fictional superstate does most of the novel take place?
Oceania.
What is the central political theme of the novel that critiques authoritarian control?
Totalitarianism / authoritarianism and state surveillance/control.
What is the purpose of Newspeak in the society of Oceania?
To narrow the range of thought by removing words and concepts that allow dissent.
Identify the speaker of this quote: “Big Brother is watching you.”
Name Winston's love interest who becomes central to his rebellion.
Julia
What is Winston’s job at the Ministry of Truth?
He alters and falsifies historical records.
Who says, “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” and what is the function of this slogan?
Big Brother symbolizes the Party's omnipresent authority and cult of personality.
Define "doublethink" in your own words.
Doublethink: the act of holding two contradictory beliefs at the same time and accepting both as true.
Who says, “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” and what is the function of this slogan?
The Party (official slogans); it condenses contradictory ideological control into memorable paradoxes to condition citizens.
Who is the mysterious leader of the Party that may or may not be a real person and appears on telescreens?
Big Brother
Describe the function and mood of the Chestnut Tree Café scene late in the novel.
The Chestnut Tree Café scene shows defeated ex-prisoners and signalizes Winston’s final broken state and acceptance of Party orthodoxy.
What does the paperweight Winston buys represent for him?
The glass paperweight symbolizes Winston's connection to the past, beauty, and the fragile private world he wants to preserve.
How does the Party alter language to limit thought (give one clear mechanism)?
By deleting or merging words (e.g., reducing synonyms and antonyms), Newspeak prevents people from conceptualizing rebellion.
Complete and identify the meaning of: “Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present...”
“...controls the past.” Meaning: Control of historical record gives the Party power to define truth and future reality.
Who is O'Brien and what role does he play in Winston's life (brief description)?
O'Brien is a high-ranking Inner Party member who deceives Winston into trusting him and ultimately supervises his torture and re-education.
What important event occurs in Room 101?
Winston faces his worst fear and succumbs to the Party.
Explain the significance of the telescreen as a symbol.
Telescreens symbolize constant surveillance and the elimination of privacy, ensuring citizens cannot form private dissenting thoughts.
Describe how technology (like telescreens) affects privacy and personal relationships in the novel.
Telescreens remove privacy, making intimate relationships political risks and undermining trust; people fear being observed and punished for private affection or thought.
From whom is the line “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever” spoken, and what does it convey about the Party’s aims?
Spoken by O'Brien in conversation (or Party literature context); it expresses the Party's aim of permanent domination and suppression of humanity.
Name the two members of the Brotherhood (real or alleged) who are important to Winston’s hope for organized resistance (one is a reference figure, the other is a betrayal).
Emmanuel Goldstein and O'Brien.
Explain the significance of Newspeak to the novel’s setting and narrative.
The Appendix explains Newspeak’s role in reducing thought; it reinforces how the setting is engineered to prevent rebellion by removing words for dissent.
How does the Party use historical revision (history control) to enforce its ideology? Give a specific example from the novel.
The Party rewrites records so that the past always matches Party statements (e.g., changing past news to claim constantly rising rations), erasing factual history to control reality.
Explain how propaganda and falsified statistics function together to maintain power; include one specific tactic the Party uses.
Propaganda presents fabricated victories while falsified statistics "prove" Party claims; tactic example: continually revising production figures and newspaper archives to show the Party is always correct.
What is the meaning of the final line of the book: "He loved Big Brother?" and who does it refer to?
It refers to Winston Smith's complete submission to The Party.