1984 Study Questions

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What is the caption of the poster

on the wall?
Big Brother is watching you.

What are the four ministries of


government and with what are
they concerned?
Ministry of Truth (Minitrue): news, education,

entertainment, fine arts


Ministry of Plenty (Miniplenty): economic affairs
Ministry of Peace (Minipax): war
Ministry of Love (Miniluv): law and order

How is Winstons telescreen


different from most?
It is on a different wall next to an alcove

What dangerous act is Winston


about to undertake and what is the
punishment?
Write in a diary

Death or 25 years in a labor camp

Who is the focus of the Two


Minutes Hate? What do we learn
about him?
Emmanuel Goldstein

He is the leader of the Brotherhood, a rebel group

Oceania (Winstons country) is


presently at war with which
country?
Eurasia

What are the three slogans of


the Party?
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery

Ignorance is Strength

Why does Winston hate the girl


behind him, and what does her red
sash symbolize?
She seemed like a particularly devout member of the

Party
Winston hates most women
The Junior Anti-Sex League

What is Thoughtcrime? Who


enforces it? What is the usual
punishment?
Having negative thoughts about the Party

Thought Police
You are vaporized killed and every trace of your

existence destroyed

How are children indoctrinated


into the Party at an early age?
The Spies, Youth League childrens organizations

What are the sacred principles


of INGSOC?
Newspeak, doublethink, the mutability of the past

What is doublethink?
To accept two contradictory beliefs as correct
When other countries invade others and commit acts

of violence and death, we call that terrorism. We


believe that killing is wrong. However, when we do it,
we say its in the name of freedom. Killing isnt so
wrong anymore.

What is Winstons job?


Ministry of Truth he rewrites the past by correcting

news articles, books, etc.

Withers is not dead he is an


unperson. What is the difference
between the two?
All traces of his existence have been wiped out its

like he had never existed in the first place

In Newspeak, bad things arent


bad; they are ____. Really good
things are _____.
Ungood
doubleplusgood

What does Winston write about in his


diary?
An encounter with a prostitute

What is the Partys view of


marriage? Of sex?
Marriage is only for the purpose of bearing children
Marriages have to be approved by a committee
If two people seemed physically attracted to each

other, the marriage request was declined


Sex is dirty, disgusting

What is the Junior Anti-Sex


League?
An organization that advocated complete celibacy
Conception through artificial insemination

Who was Winstons wife? What


bothered him about her?
Katherine
She was completely stupid
She seemed to hate sex but still insisted it happen

What was the evidence that Winston had


once been in possession of and what did it
prove?
A photograph of Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford in

New York
The three men were some of the original leaders of the
Revolution that led to Big Brothers leadership
They were accused and convicted of sabotage and
treason, among other things
At their last trial, the three had confessed that on that
date, they were in Eurasia; however, the photo proves
they werent
Evidence of the Partys lies!

Why werent the proles indoctrinated


with the ideology of the Party?
Proles and animals are free.
Proles (proletariat; from Latin, citizen of the lowest

class) are considered to be unintelligent


They are the working class

What is the uniform of members of


the Party?
Overalls
Blue for Outer Party
Black for Inner Party

Why is the memory of the prostitute so


frustrating for Winston?
It was not satisfying
Winston wants someone with desire, someone who

would enjoy sex


It, to him, is a form of rebellion

According to the Party, what is the


most harmful part of the sex act?
Pleasure
It creates loyalty to something other than the Party

What has Winston come to want most


about sex? What is the significance of this?
to break down that wall of virtue
To be with someone who will actually engage in the act

and enjoy it
The Party teaches enjoying sex is a Bad Thing

Why is it ironic that the proles get so


outraged by a shortage of cooking pots?
It shows how much passion and power they are

capable of enough to start a rebellion


They will never rebel
If there is hope, it lies in the proles.

Why are the Partys statistics


meaningless?
The Party manipulates information

What is the effect of the old mans


complaints about the change from pints to
half liters of beer?
It gets Winston to talk to the old man about the past
This proves to be useless
Winston realizes the limitations of the proles

Describe Mr. Charrington.


Old
White hair
Glasses

Seems intelligent and kindly

Why does Winston purchase the


piece of coral?
It seems to be from a different time than the one he

lives in

Describe the incident with the girl


in the hall, especially the
surprise."
She trips as she passes Winston in the hallway
He helps her up
As he helps her, she slips him a note.

I love you.

What group does Winston suspect


her of belonging to?
Thought Police

How does Winston finally manage


to talk to the girl? What is their
plan?
He sits with her at lunch
They are going to meet that evening

Where do they meet?


Victory Square

Despite the fact that there are no


telescreens, why do they have to
worry?
There were Party members in the square
Probably Thought Police, too

Why is Winston excited at Julias


sexual history?
It indicated that there were more Party members

engaged in acts of corruption


Winston will do anything to undermine the Party

How often do Winston and Julia


meet? Describe their meetings.
Every evening
About half an hour
Only talking when they didnt see a Party member or

telescreen

Describe Julia.
Young and pretty
Something of a rebel
Hates the Party

Never heard of the Brotherhood

What is Julias view on rebelling


against Big Brother?
The Party wants to keep people from having a good

time
Rules are made to be broken
Sex is bad - the Party wants to channel sexual
frustration into hating the enemy and loving BB
Sex makes you happy inside, and you dont care about

Party politics

Not rebelling for the good of the future, but just for

herself in the present different than Winston!


We are the dead.

Explain whats happening with Mr.


Charringtons room and why its
significant.
Winston and Julia have rented it out
They are meeting there
Winston feels as if hes in a different world, away from

BB and the Party

What machine produces songs for


the proles?
Versificator
P. 138

What does Julia bring to the room?


Where did she get it?
Real coffee
Sugar
White bread

Jam
Milk
Tea
She stole it

What does Winston say about


rats?
He is scared of them

What does Julia suggest about the


war and the rocket bombs?
The war isnt real
The rockets are fired by the govt to keep people scared

How do Winston and Julia differ in


terms of the view of the past?
Julia doesnt see the past as important
She isnt old enough to remember a time before the
Party
She has no interest in Party ideaology
Youre only a rebel from the waist downwards.

What does OBrien give Winston


and why is it significant?
His address
Confirms, in Winstons mind, that OBrien is on his

side

Explain some of the images that Winston


remembers from the past when he was 10 years
old.
Air raids
Youth gangs
Piles of rubble in the city

Lines at bakeries
Going hungry
Eating from the garbage

Describe the event that prompted


Winstons mothers disappearance.
A chocolate ration
Winston wanted all of it
His mother gave some to his sister

He stole it and ran away

What has Winston discovered when he says,


The proles are human beings. We are not
human?
They formed loyalties only to each other
They werent hardened to war and the harsh

conditions of the Party


Citizens live in a dehumanized state
Winston kicking the severed hand

How does Julia give Winston hope


about the future when they are sure to
be apart?
The Party cant make them stop loving each other

Regardless of what the Ministry of Love


did to you, what one thing could they
never do?
Make you believe something, even if you say it

What are the two aims of The


Party?
Take over the world
Control independent thought

Why is there no word for science in


Newspeak?
Science in the traditional sense is in opposition to

Ingsoc
To prevent the people from having too much
knowledge
All science knowledge is specialized

Briefly describe why War is Peace.


The war isnt really a war anymore
The three superpowers could never defeat each other
They fight over the disputed territories to gain labor

power, but this doesnt benefit the economy


War uses up goods which might otherwise be given to
the people
The governments of the three superpowers are pretty
much the same
The real war is internal, to keep the people in line
If peace were declared, nothing would really change

Why are Party members


continually under scrutiny?
Pre-emptive strike on possible rebels

What is the job of the Ministry of


Truth? The Ministry of Love?
Truth = lies
Love = torture

Where was the telescreen hidden


that betrayed Winston and Julia?
Behind the painting

Describe the capture of Julia and


Winston.
They realize the telescreen is behind the painting
It talks to them
Police take them away

Why was the destruction of the


glass paperweight significant?
Paperweight = the past, freedom
All hope is now lost

What is Mr. Charringtons true


identity?
Thought police!

What was the difference between the Party


prisoners and the common criminals? Why?
Party prisoners were silent
Common criminals were loud
Party prisoners were scared, especially of Room 101

Why didnt the political prisoners speak in prison,


especially to each other?
Afraid of torture and Room 101

What were the six thoughts that occupied


Winstons mind while in his cell?
Hunger pains
The piece of bread on the floor
Blood and screaming

OBrien
Julia
Razor blade from the Brotherhood

Who was the last prisoner brought in? Why


was Winston not really surprised?
OBrien
Though he was shocked at first, he realized he knew

this would happen

What tactics, besides physical punishment,


did the men use to get Winston to confess?
Made him stand on one leg
Wouldnt let him use the bathroom
Shined lights in his eyes

What questions does Winston ask of OBrien? Which


question does OBrien refuse to answer and why?
What happened to Julia?
Does Big Brother exist?
Does the Brotherhood exist?
OBrien would not answer this

Why was it cruel to learn who had


written Goldsteins book?
It means that Goldstein, the book, and the

Brotherhood are probably just part of the Partys


propaganda machine.

Explain why it was so terrible that OBrien


knew the truth about Oceania.
OBrien is a fanatical lunatic
More intelligent than Winston
Can justify every action

Why does the Party desire power?


For the sake of having power

What makes a Party member


immortal?
To merge his identity with the Party
The Party will never die

What is solipsism? Why did Winston


desperately want to think of that word?
The belief that nothing exists outside your own mind
This theory had been proven false
Winston wanted to prove OBrien wrong

Summarize OBriens world


according to the Party.
Nothing except power, hatred, love for and loyalty to

Big Brother
No more families
No emotional connections
No sex drive

What does Winston say will


ultimately defeat the Partys goal?
Life
Higher power, spirit, principle, whatever you want to call
it
This cannot be controlled or removed

How does OBrien respond to


Winstons remarks?
Shows Winston his physical condition
Evidence that the Party has beaten him and his spirit

Describe Winstons physical


condition.
Emaciated
Filthy
Losing teeth

Hunched over
Hair falling out

As Winston becomes stronger physically,


describe the process of his mind weakening.
He writes on a slate in his cell
Freedom is slavery
Two plus two make five
God is power
Teaches himself not to see opposing logical arguments
Crimestop

What, in those few seconds before death, would


be Winstons ultimate betrayal of the Party?
He will let hatred for Big Brother fill his mind

What will be the one certain thing


about Winston's death?
It will be at an unexpected moment

What does Winston realize about


secrets?
To keep one, you have to hide it from yourself

Where has Winston failed to make


progress?
Emotionally

How does Winston feel towards Big Brother


before being taken to room 101?
He hates him

What was Winstons ultimate fear?


Rats

What was Winstons final act in order to be fully


indoctrinated into the Partys philosophy?
Betray Julia

Where were rats a common


punishment?
Imperial China

Who is Oceania at war with, and


has always been at war with?
Eurasia

What is the specialty gin of the


cafe?
Gin with clove-flavored saccharine

To what had Winston been


appointed?
A sub-sub committee dealing with the 11th edition of

the Newspeak Dictionary

What does Winston have plenty of


these days?
Money
He even had a job, a sinecure, more highly paid than

his old one had been.


Sinecure = little to no responsibility or actual work

What happened in his meeting


with Julia?
She seemed to dislike him
They each admitted they had betrayed the other and

meant it
They no longer love each other

Why does Winston cry at the end


of the book?
He finally loves Big Brother
He imagines himself, the old Winston, being fatally shot

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