Newspeak Nonsense
A Newspeak term that could be praise or insult, depending on who’s doing the quacking.
What is duckspeak?
This documentary highlighted modern-day surveillance and oppression in a real country, drawing eerie parallels to Orwell’s world.
What is The Secret State of North Korea (Frontline documentary)?
Auden uses this literary technique in “The Unknown Citizen” to mock bureaucratic control.
What is verbal irony?
Winston’s job at the Ministry of Truth involves this.
What is rewriting historical records to match the Party’s current narrative?
A line from O’Brien’s dream-like promise, later revealed as ironic foreshadowing of the Ministry of Love?
What is “We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness"?
This term for contradictory beliefs encapsulates the essence of Ingsoc.
What is Doublethink?
The real-life war atrocity demonstrating blind obedience and moral failure.
What is the My Lai Massacre?
This poem uses ironic praise to criticize blind conformity in modern society.
What is “The Unknown Citizen”?
The item that symbolized Winston and Julia’s fragile, enclosed world.
What is the glass paperweight?
The Party’s explanation of historical manipulation as a tool of power.
What is “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past"?
The ultimate goal of Newspeak.
What is to make thoughtcrime impossible?
This female activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner served as a real-world example of fighting for truth and education in the face of oppression.
Who is Malala Yousafzai?
The poem that critiques society’s indifference to suffering through the image of Icarus.
What is “Musée des Beaux Arts”?
Secretly a member of the thoughtpolice.
Who is Mr. Charrington?
Winston’s ultimate betrayal during torture in Room 101.
What is “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me!”?
This word replaces “bad” in Newspeak.
What is ungood?
This dystopian short story, paired with 1984, features a world where everyone is forced to be "equal" through government-enforced handicaps.
What is “Harrison Bergeron”?
In 1984, this woman’s singing voice represents hope and the beauty of humanity.
Who is the prole woman?
Completely orthodox all the way through until the bitter end, even after being betrayed by someone dear.
Who is Parsons?
The Party’s justification for controlling the masses.
What is “The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better"?
A Newspeak term for someone who is incapable of independent thought and wholly devoted to the Party.
What is goodthinkful?
Details the importance of freedom of speech, of worship, from want, and from fear.
What is FDR's 1941 "Four Freedoms" speech?
This literary device appears when Winston’s varicose ulcer eases as his personal life gets better.
What is symbolism?
This poet was imprisoned for leaving the word “God” at the end of a line because it was the only word that rhymed.
Who is Ampleforth?
O'Brien's description (an image) of the Party's unrelenting control?
What is “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—forever"?