"Who controls the past control the future: who controls the present, controls the past." (pg 34)
This quote represents another major theme in the novel. Before reading about Winston's job, I had the vague idea after reading this quote that maybe time travel was being used. Since this is a novel about the future, I thought maybe the Party had invented a time machine in which they were continually going back and changing the past, in which they change whatever they want in order to control the future. Also by controlling the present and having control of this time machine, they then are the ones in control of the past. At the time, this is the only thing I thought this quote could have possibly meant. However, the real meaning of this quote is much more realistic and, in my opinion, much more realistic. Instead, the Party controls the past by changing any sort of media that occurred in the past and changing it to suit the desires of the Party and of Big Brother better. This is very interesting because it only requires people who will "swallow" anything that is thrown at them, and the Party has controlled the people enough that a vast majority of them will. People except those like Winston who takes part in this, but doesn't swallow everything the Party throws at him. While this may be because of his nature, I also think it is in part because of his job. He must realize what the Party does, so whenever he hears something on the news, he will be inclined to secretly question it. Controlling the past and future in this way is a very interesting method that has never crossed my mind before.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
None left to Remember
"Why should one feel it to be intolerable unless one had some kind of ancesteral memory that things had once been different?" (pg 60)
This is a very interesting quote that also incorporates a major theme in this story. Most of the people living in the time period of this book were born after the Revolution, and since much of the history has been wiped out by the Party, no one knows what is was like before the Revolution. Because of this, most people are just going to swallow everything the Party tells them too (unlike Winston) and will have no problem with how life is. People are not necessarily happy, but they just have a neutral feeling to the way of things and simply follow any duty they have. So as time passes, it is easier and easier for the Party to control the people in any way they desire because in time, none will have any recollection of childhood memories of either before of during the Revolution. But one thing will also happen, as Party member who took part in the Revolution die off, the next generation will take their place But with each generation, their beliefs and feeling about the Party may no be as strong as the generations before them, so I believe that after some time, change and another revolution to a more normal society would probably occur from the inside because ideals will change over time with each passing generation.
This is a very interesting quote that also incorporates a major theme in this story. Most of the people living in the time period of this book were born after the Revolution, and since much of the history has been wiped out by the Party, no one knows what is was like before the Revolution. Because of this, most people are just going to swallow everything the Party tells them too (unlike Winston) and will have no problem with how life is. People are not necessarily happy, but they just have a neutral feeling to the way of things and simply follow any duty they have. So as time passes, it is easier and easier for the Party to control the people in any way they desire because in time, none will have any recollection of childhood memories of either before of during the Revolution. But one thing will also happen, as Party member who took part in the Revolution die off, the next generation will take their place But with each generation, their beliefs and feeling about the Party may no be as strong as the generations before them, so I believe that after some time, change and another revolution to a more normal society would probably occur from the inside because ideals will change over time with each passing generation.
We already know!
"We shall meet where there is no darkness" (pg. 25)
So far throughout the first part of the novel, much foreshadowing has occurred. The quote given is from a dream Winston had of O'Brien and he says this. On page 179, this phrase is repeated by Winston to O'Brien because they are finally meeting like in Winston's dream. This also occurs in other parts of the story like Winston dreaming about the Golden Country and then actually seeing it with Julia. Also, the same occurs when he dreams about a naked Julia casting her clothes aside and the same thing then happens when he first makes love to her. So one thing all these foreshadows have in common is that they all take place in Winston's dreams. However, I am not exactly sure why these foreshadows exist and what function they play. One reason that I have come up with is that the author is saying that there is some type of connection between Winston's dreams and his reality. Or at the very least, the connection between the two symbolizes something. Maybe the purpose of the foreshadowing in the dreams is to say that reality barely resembles reality at all and is just a dream or an allusion. The Party has changed the past and its facts so much that what is true in the present then. Everything is about as true as a dream is true.
So far throughout the first part of the novel, much foreshadowing has occurred. The quote given is from a dream Winston had of O'Brien and he says this. On page 179, this phrase is repeated by Winston to O'Brien because they are finally meeting like in Winston's dream. This also occurs in other parts of the story like Winston dreaming about the Golden Country and then actually seeing it with Julia. Also, the same occurs when he dreams about a naked Julia casting her clothes aside and the same thing then happens when he first makes love to her. So one thing all these foreshadows have in common is that they all take place in Winston's dreams. However, I am not exactly sure why these foreshadows exist and what function they play. One reason that I have come up with is that the author is saying that there is some type of connection between Winston's dreams and his reality. Or at the very least, the connection between the two symbolizes something. Maybe the purpose of the foreshadowing in the dreams is to say that reality barely resembles reality at all and is just a dream or an allusion. The Party has changed the past and its facts so much that what is true in the present then. Everything is about as true as a dream is true.
External
"WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH" (pg. 16)
This phrase is the slogan for the Party that is repeated much throughout the book. Also, the slogan represents much of the external conflict that occurs through the book. In this book's time period, Oceana is in constant war with other countries which explains the first third of the slogan. The second part of the slogan represents the lives of the people. Everyone in the Party lives under constant watch of the Party and the Thought Police who come and "vaporize" people. Everything that is said, facially expressed, and done is scrutinized by this higher authority, causing everyone to live in fear and hatred (the hatred part comes from the "war is peace" part of the slogan). Although a majority of the people are die hard followers of the Party and the principles of Ingsoc, they are still vaporized due to somehow being a danger to the Party. Finally, people are also led to believe series of lies that are changing constantly. With this, the Party causes people to be ignorant of the past to make themselves more powerful by which they control the past which controls the present meaning that they can make the people of the Party believe anything that it wants them to believe. This external conflict represented by the slogan is effective in either then causing the internal conflict of the nonbeliever like Winston, or brainwashing those who "swallow anything that is said".
This phrase is the slogan for the Party that is repeated much throughout the book. Also, the slogan represents much of the external conflict that occurs through the book. In this book's time period, Oceana is in constant war with other countries which explains the first third of the slogan. The second part of the slogan represents the lives of the people. Everyone in the Party lives under constant watch of the Party and the Thought Police who come and "vaporize" people. Everything that is said, facially expressed, and done is scrutinized by this higher authority, causing everyone to live in fear and hatred (the hatred part comes from the "war is peace" part of the slogan). Although a majority of the people are die hard followers of the Party and the principles of Ingsoc, they are still vaporized due to somehow being a danger to the Party. Finally, people are also led to believe series of lies that are changing constantly. With this, the Party causes people to be ignorant of the past to make themselves more powerful by which they control the past which controls the present meaning that they can make the people of the Party believe anything that it wants them to believe. This external conflict represented by the slogan is effective in either then causing the internal conflict of the nonbeliever like Winston, or brainwashing those who "swallow anything that is said".
Internal
"Your worst enemy, he reflected, was your own nervous system" (pg. 63)
This book contains numerous kinds of conflict that intertwine and become very complex. However, one major conflict is the internal conflict present in the people of the Party. Winston, as well as anyone else, must live his entire day in extreme caution. In doing so, he must make sure he controls every facial expression, every thought that could lead to a suspicious facial expression, every word that leaves his mouth, and his actions, whether big or small. As Winston reflected, your own body then becomes your worst enemy, not even the corrupt and overpowering government. This then represents enormous amounts of Internal conflict since Winston goes through his day as one who is against the party. Even though he is the one who realizes the evils and lies of the Party, he will be the one who ends up going insane. The sane ones are the ones who "swallow" everything the Party tells them. No matter how much internal and mental stress Winston must goes through, he has to keep it all in and only keep thinking about the controversial Party (in his mind) and maybe life before the Revolution. He can only rely on his self control to stay alive as long as possible.
This book contains numerous kinds of conflict that intertwine and become very complex. However, one major conflict is the internal conflict present in the people of the Party. Winston, as well as anyone else, must live his entire day in extreme caution. In doing so, he must make sure he controls every facial expression, every thought that could lead to a suspicious facial expression, every word that leaves his mouth, and his actions, whether big or small. As Winston reflected, your own body then becomes your worst enemy, not even the corrupt and overpowering government. This then represents enormous amounts of Internal conflict since Winston goes through his day as one who is against the party. Even though he is the one who realizes the evils and lies of the Party, he will be the one who ends up going insane. The sane ones are the ones who "swallow" everything the Party tells them. No matter how much internal and mental stress Winston must goes through, he has to keep it all in and only keep thinking about the controversial Party (in his mind) and maybe life before the Revolution. He can only rely on his self control to stay alive as long as possible.
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