This was the final week of A Tale of Two Cities and I must say that it did not disappoint. I don't know that I would recommend this book to anyone else because the first 3/4 of the book were not particularly enjoyable, but the ending was definitely good. It picks up with Madame and the Jacques conversing about Defarge. Madame, surprise surprise, wants to kill her husband because he has empathy for the doctor and she feels that he is not a true patriot. This just adds to the whole fact that she is a heartless woman.
As the chapter goes on, we see that Cruncher has made a full transformation. He vows to never rob graves again, as well as to never interfere with his wife's "flopping." I think this change has occured as the result of a couple of different things. First, I think his overall involvement in the events helped because he got to see what it's like to be needed for good things as well as help others. The second thing that I think turned him around in terms of his wife's praying is that she prayed on the night the body of Cly was gone, and while he saw this as a bad thing at first, it actually helped out the Manettes.
The next even that follows, I thought, was quite exciting and Dickens wrote it very well. Madame and Miss Pross come face to face; Madame there to sentence Lucie and the rest of the clan. The two are speaking back and forth to each other in their own native tongues and cannot actually understand what's being spoken. Yet at the same time, the words are so intense they have some sort of an idea. You can tell the fight is coming and when it finally does, it doesn't let the reader down. In the end, Miss Pross shoots Madame and I think this is supposed to be a symbol of good prevailing over evil. This is also probably the first book where I've actually been happy to see a character die. It may always be necessary to the story, but I've never actually enjoyed the death of a character, good or bad. One bad thing that comes of the death is Miss Pross losing her hearing from the gun shot. I think Dickens did this to show that people, not just Carton, will sacrifice anything for Lucie.
In the following chapter, we again catch up with Carton, who is "patiently" awaiting the guillotine. He sits with the blonde girl whom he makes a connection with and actually manages to calm her before she has to face the blade. I think in the time leading up to his death, Carton has become an honorable man and I think that he feels honorable now as well. As soon as the girl is murdered, it is his turn. What I find interesting is that he is 23rd in line. Dickens didn't place him first or fifty-second, he put him in the middle to signify that he is just another person caught under the guillotine.
What I liked about this section is that Dickens wrote it from the present tense as if each event was happening right before my eyes. He also played down Carton's death. It wasn't this extravagant "and the guillotine came crashing down upon his neck spewing blood everywhere" sort of death. It was subdued and classy, and (I know this sounds fruity) I think Carton, as a character, deserved that respect.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
A Tale of Two Cities Week 7
This week's reading started off with what was supposed to say why Dr. Manette was supposidly denouncing Darnay. I must have missed something because I do not understand how that letter denounced Darnay. I understand that it went back to a misunderstanding between the Evremondes and the Defarges, but I have nothing to explain why the letter was interpreted as a death with for Charles. I do, though, have a greater understanding of why Madame is out for revenge against Darnay - his family is responsible for the death of her family and so that makes him responsible as well.
The title of the next chapter, "Dusk" is significant because it shows that a life is coming to an end. At this point, we are still led to believe that all hope is lost and that Darnay will actually die. However, reading on tells us that my theory about the Carton Darnay switcheroo was correct! And so I was able to pick up a line of irony at the very end of the section. "Yes, he will perish. There is no real hope." These are the words of Carton as he goes down the stairs (also ironic, since isn't he figuratively above the other people??) Seeing as how he's about to use himself as a human sacrifice, it's very ironic that Carton says Darnay will perish. To some, this may be misleading, but you can't fool me Dickens!
In the following chapter, Darkness, we are taken to the wine shop with Carton. He stops in, undoubtedly to evesdrop on the Defarges and inadvertantly gauge their feelings toward the Manettes. Again, Dickens is setting up the big "twist" when Madame Defarge questions if Carton is really Darnay.
The conversation that the Jacques continue to have is somewhat disturbing. They are questioning when they stop killing off innocent people and Madame says "at extermination." This is rather disturbing to me because they are killing off their own innocent people and I still don't understand how that is helping the poor people evolve. Defarge himself also has issues with the way Madame speaks. He holds the humane side that she does not and it shows when he says that Dr. Manette has suffered too much already. He tries to talk sensibly to her, but it won't work. This woman is simply out for revenge and she even goes so far as to say "tell the Wind and Fire where to stop; not me!" This woman is crazy! She considers herself more powerful and destructive than either wind or fire. I want somebody to slap her and say that the reason living conditions were so horrible is directly because of the kings who believed themselves to be more powerful than any force. Look what happened to them - hopefully the same will happen to Madame.
As the section continues we are taken back to the house where Dr. Manette is again looking for his shoes and bench. Things were looking so good for him but I think it will take a long time for him to recover, if he does at all. The amount of stress that's been put on him combined with the sudden emotional shift from high to low was enough to bring back his second personality. Hopefully seeing that Darnay is alive will be able to snap him out of it and make him return back to normal.
Finally in the last part of the chapter, we sort of find out what Carton has been planning thus far. When he gives Lorry his permission papers, he essentially hands over his identity. By this point, it's impossible to not know where this whole thing is heading and it's as if Carton's fate is sealed when he says good-bye to Lucie's window. Even at this point, she is still placed above him and is considered the light that guides him. He has made his peace with God (as shown in last week's reading) and now he has made peace with Lucie. He knows he must do this, and he will be much happier for it.
The final section of reading begins in Darnay's prison cell where he awaits his death. He begins writing letters to the people he loves e.g. Manette and Lucie / Little Lucie. Dickens makes sure to mention that he does not write anything to Carton, but is this really such a shock. Darnay doesn't know at this point that Carton is going to give his life for him, and the last person I would be writing to if I were on death row is my alcoholic lawyer. Let's get real here. Never-the-less, this is still irony, because Carton is the one person Darnay will come to appreciate most.
Darnay begins to pace around the cell and he begins counting the time 1 - 12. "Twelve 'o clock gone forever" he says as he waits nervously. His pacing helps me understand why that woman in Manette's letter was counting continuously to twelve and stopping. When you're on the brink of death, you always wish you had more time. That woman was a Defarge and Darnay is obviously an Evremonde, yet they think the same thing. I think Dickens wrote this to signify that in death, everyone is the same - this is something I wish Madame would realize.
Suddenly, in like a hero, comes (bum ba da daaa) CARTON!! At first Darnay is so stunned to see this man that he bears little respect for, but then he starts to catch on to the plan. What bothers me about Darnay in this situation is that never once do we hear him put up even a fake protest towards Carton's plan. Never once does he say "Carton, you can't do this" or "Carton, you don't deserve this." No! He just goes along with it. Granted, I would want to be save as well, but I don't know if I could live with myself knowing that somebody else took their life for me. But Darnay doesn't seem to have any problem with the arrangement and lets Carton take the fall.
One thing he does do for Carton is write a brief letter to Lucie. This was a very bitter sweet and touching moment of the book for me because on the inside, Carton does have to be struggling at least a little bit with this decision. However, it's not even a question in his mind that he must do this, and for that he is a true hero.
The title of the next chapter, "Dusk" is significant because it shows that a life is coming to an end. At this point, we are still led to believe that all hope is lost and that Darnay will actually die. However, reading on tells us that my theory about the Carton Darnay switcheroo was correct! And so I was able to pick up a line of irony at the very end of the section. "Yes, he will perish. There is no real hope." These are the words of Carton as he goes down the stairs (also ironic, since isn't he figuratively above the other people??) Seeing as how he's about to use himself as a human sacrifice, it's very ironic that Carton says Darnay will perish. To some, this may be misleading, but you can't fool me Dickens!
In the following chapter, Darkness, we are taken to the wine shop with Carton. He stops in, undoubtedly to evesdrop on the Defarges and inadvertantly gauge their feelings toward the Manettes. Again, Dickens is setting up the big "twist" when Madame Defarge questions if Carton is really Darnay.
The conversation that the Jacques continue to have is somewhat disturbing. They are questioning when they stop killing off innocent people and Madame says "at extermination." This is rather disturbing to me because they are killing off their own innocent people and I still don't understand how that is helping the poor people evolve. Defarge himself also has issues with the way Madame speaks. He holds the humane side that she does not and it shows when he says that Dr. Manette has suffered too much already. He tries to talk sensibly to her, but it won't work. This woman is simply out for revenge and she even goes so far as to say "tell the Wind and Fire where to stop; not me!" This woman is crazy! She considers herself more powerful and destructive than either wind or fire. I want somebody to slap her and say that the reason living conditions were so horrible is directly because of the kings who believed themselves to be more powerful than any force. Look what happened to them - hopefully the same will happen to Madame.
As the section continues we are taken back to the house where Dr. Manette is again looking for his shoes and bench. Things were looking so good for him but I think it will take a long time for him to recover, if he does at all. The amount of stress that's been put on him combined with the sudden emotional shift from high to low was enough to bring back his second personality. Hopefully seeing that Darnay is alive will be able to snap him out of it and make him return back to normal.
Finally in the last part of the chapter, we sort of find out what Carton has been planning thus far. When he gives Lorry his permission papers, he essentially hands over his identity. By this point, it's impossible to not know where this whole thing is heading and it's as if Carton's fate is sealed when he says good-bye to Lucie's window. Even at this point, she is still placed above him and is considered the light that guides him. He has made his peace with God (as shown in last week's reading) and now he has made peace with Lucie. He knows he must do this, and he will be much happier for it.
The final section of reading begins in Darnay's prison cell where he awaits his death. He begins writing letters to the people he loves e.g. Manette and Lucie / Little Lucie. Dickens makes sure to mention that he does not write anything to Carton, but is this really such a shock. Darnay doesn't know at this point that Carton is going to give his life for him, and the last person I would be writing to if I were on death row is my alcoholic lawyer. Let's get real here. Never-the-less, this is still irony, because Carton is the one person Darnay will come to appreciate most.
Darnay begins to pace around the cell and he begins counting the time 1 - 12. "Twelve 'o clock gone forever" he says as he waits nervously. His pacing helps me understand why that woman in Manette's letter was counting continuously to twelve and stopping. When you're on the brink of death, you always wish you had more time. That woman was a Defarge and Darnay is obviously an Evremonde, yet they think the same thing. I think Dickens wrote this to signify that in death, everyone is the same - this is something I wish Madame would realize.
Suddenly, in like a hero, comes (bum ba da daaa) CARTON!! At first Darnay is so stunned to see this man that he bears little respect for, but then he starts to catch on to the plan. What bothers me about Darnay in this situation is that never once do we hear him put up even a fake protest towards Carton's plan. Never once does he say "Carton, you can't do this" or "Carton, you don't deserve this." No! He just goes along with it. Granted, I would want to be save as well, but I don't know if I could live with myself knowing that somebody else took their life for me. But Darnay doesn't seem to have any problem with the arrangement and lets Carton take the fall.
One thing he does do for Carton is write a brief letter to Lucie. This was a very bitter sweet and touching moment of the book for me because on the inside, Carton does have to be struggling at least a little bit with this decision. However, it's not even a question in his mind that he must do this, and for that he is a true hero.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
A Tale of Two Cities Week 6
In the first section of reading, I came to slightly dislike Madame Defarge even though I liked her up until this point. When she visits Lucie, she has a very cold demeanor and basically says that Darnay will receive no mercy - the revolution will not stop for him. While that was the first part that made me dislike her, the second part was much worse.
She states: "The wives and mothers we have been used to see, since we were as little as this child, and much less, have not been greatly considered? We have known their husbands and fathers laid in prison and kept from them, often enough? All our lives, we have seen our sister-women suffer, in themselves and in their children, poverty, nakedness, hunger, thirst, sickness, misery, oppression and neglect of all kinds?"
There are many reasons I take issue with this statement of hers. A) She is turning Lucie and Darnay into an example for all other wealthy people, even though they're not greedy and mean. B) She says the women of her country have suffered as a result of their husbands being gone - well, what is she doing to Lucie??? and C) Madame's attitude toward the revolution is not one that inspires a better life for others. It seems more like she is only out for revenge. At this point she knows she wants the rich out of power, but what does she intend on doing after she goes on her rampage?
In the second chapter we begin to notice a change in Dr. Manette's character. The man is starting to feel that his time spent suffering in prison has turned into strength and worked in his favor. He is being quite confident even without Lucie by his side and he thinks of his actions as a way to pay her back.
While I was reading this section, there was a paragraph about how "the new era began." When I read it I thought that Dickens actually did something cool. The main focus is the Manettes and Darnay, however they are just a few people out of the thousands in France. It's kind of crazy to think maybe something similar to this happened during the revolution - it just shows that time stops for nobody and individuals will live their lives despite what happens around them.
As the chapter goes on, it's stated that the prisons are "gorged with people who had committed no offense." This is another reason why I have problems with Madame. What she and her "patriots" are doing is no different than what the king and wealthy did to them. If Madame were to become the leader of France it would be in just as bad of ruins, if not worse.
Following that, it talks about the guillotine. The invention is finally in the spot-light and the way Dickens describes it is beautiful yet destructive. The guillotine "pollutes the ground, a rotten red" which is a throw-back to the scene at the beginning of the book where the wine spilled everywhere. The guillotine also "hushed the eloquent, struck down the powerful, abolished the beautiful and good." When reading this it's hard to believe that this actually led to a peaceful country. I myself am not into war and it seems that throughout time many things about it have changed, but innocent people will always fall victim to the violence.
In the next chapter, "The Wood-sawyer," we are reunited with the mender of roads who has lost his humanity and appears to be enjoying the killing. By the way he's singing his song about chopping off heads, I imagine it's a representation of the rest of the country as well. His manner fits in with the following line: "Republic One and Indivisible. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death!" Well, he's obviously part of the republic, but how are some of these people able to fratenize with such murderers? I understand that they want a revolution, but killing innocent people is not the way to go about that. I think the Jacques have gone way to far with their power.
In the following chapter, Darnay is finally called up for trial. He's lucky he has Manette working on his side because 5 people were instantly sentenced prior to his session without being heard. However, with the Dr.'s influence the people are willing to hear him out, if not for Manette, for shear entertainment. Women "ate and drank as they looked on, many knitted."
After many testimonies, and evidence readings it is found that Darnay is innocent. However, this is just a technique used to fool the reader into thinking things are going to be fine when they're really not. It's just a build up so that we can be let down in the next chapter.
Within the first two paragraphs of "A Knock at the Door" there are elements of foreshaddowing. Though her husband has been saved, she still feels a great fear for him, and the second is that "the shadows of the wintry afternoon were beginning to fall." Winter of course meaning death is upon them. Of course there are multiple deaths going on at that moment, I think it's supposed to be specific to the Manettes.
Something that enticed me within this chapter, before the commotion, was the relationship forming between Miss Pross and Jerry Cruncher. They seem to have a little thing for each other, and I think that could be interesting to follow.
Toward the end of the chapter is where the main action happens. Lucie hears footsteps coming on the stairs and is highly shocked by them. What I find interesting is this - at her house in England, the footsteps didn't bother her that much, but now, she is in the middle of the revolution and she has no choice but to look it in the eye and it frightens her. Of course we all know that Darnay is rearrested on order of the Defarges. They are truly horrible people, and I do not understand their reasoning, other than the fact that Darnay is an Evremonde. When the soldiers come for Darnay I think it is a major blow to Dr. Manette. He was so proud that he saved Charles and now they're back at square one.
Another enticing thing about Miss Pross is that she continuously calls Lucie Ladybird. I know she's called her this before, but she's doing it more frequently now. I'm guessing that this means Lucie is free in some way or maybe that the key to freedom lies with Miss Pross (?) something along those lines...
The next chapter was quite an eventful follow up to the previous one. Miss Pross and Jerry are out to buy wine (hmmm wonder why they want that *wink *wink) and Miss Pross runs into her brother Solomon. It seems like a great thing at first, but Jerry, though he can't remember the man's name, recognizes him. He begins questioning him about his name when suddenly, a 4th party breaks in - it's Carton(!) who says the man is Barsad, the English spy. Barsad is the same man we saw a while back at the wine shop whose name Madame knitted. This is big news when we find out he is involved in the arrest of Darnay.
In this chapter, I was very impressed with both Jerry and Carton. Jerry played a key roll in getting the confession when he stated that Roger Cly (Barsad's associate) was not actually dead. He seems to play mind games with Barsad and we haven't yet seen the intelligent side of Jerry. Carton, though he was drunk, was also quite cunning. He knew he could work the cards in his favor to make Barsad talk and succeeded. Now he's basically blackmailing him into helping save Darnay. What I question is how Carton was able to come to France. He would be considered an emigrant, would he not? Never-the-less, I think my prediction may be coming true; Darnay and Carton will switch places and Carton will become the sacrifice.
I found the final chapter of this week's reading to be the best chapter in the entire book. It wasn't necessarily the most action packed, but I was finally able to appreciate Dickens's writing, as well as Sydney Carton as a character.
Clearly, Carton has a secret plan that will save Darnay which he won't tell anybody else (pretty sure it's mine!) but it's in this chapter that we get to see how Carton spends his final night alive. Carton's final journey begins when he "stopped in the middle of the street under a glimmering lamp." In sacrificing himself for Lucie, he has found an inner energy within himself as well as with God and it's when he comes into this light that he can be considered a good person.
It's obvious that the man is suicidal when he stops into the chemistry shop and buys two different chemicals which are lethal when taken together, it's only a matter of time before he dies and the journey he makes around town is beautiful, heart breaking, and also reassuring that he will be okay with his decision. When Sydney crosses "over the Seine to lighter streets" he is crossing over into a new spiritual place where he can do nothing but serve others. He even helps a small child by carrying her across the muddy street. The fact that he is willing to get himself dirty in order to keep her pure shows that the is a true Christ figure.
"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die." Carton repeats this statement continuously and I think it's his way of saying he will be more alive after he dies than he ever was on earth. In his current state, he's viewed by many as a belligerant fool, but if he sacrifices himself for Darnay and Lucie, he will be seen as a wonderful man by all - even though Lucie's opinion is the only one that truly matters. This is why lights continue to fall on him. Instead of the sun setting on his death on page 294, it rises signifying that the man is starting a new life in a better place.
Of course the end of this chapter has a good twist to it, but I think Carton's last night was the best part of the book.
She states: "The wives and mothers we have been used to see, since we were as little as this child, and much less, have not been greatly considered? We have known their husbands and fathers laid in prison and kept from them, often enough? All our lives, we have seen our sister-women suffer, in themselves and in their children, poverty, nakedness, hunger, thirst, sickness, misery, oppression and neglect of all kinds?"
There are many reasons I take issue with this statement of hers. A) She is turning Lucie and Darnay into an example for all other wealthy people, even though they're not greedy and mean. B) She says the women of her country have suffered as a result of their husbands being gone - well, what is she doing to Lucie??? and C) Madame's attitude toward the revolution is not one that inspires a better life for others. It seems more like she is only out for revenge. At this point she knows she wants the rich out of power, but what does she intend on doing after she goes on her rampage?
In the second chapter we begin to notice a change in Dr. Manette's character. The man is starting to feel that his time spent suffering in prison has turned into strength and worked in his favor. He is being quite confident even without Lucie by his side and he thinks of his actions as a way to pay her back.
While I was reading this section, there was a paragraph about how "the new era began." When I read it I thought that Dickens actually did something cool. The main focus is the Manettes and Darnay, however they are just a few people out of the thousands in France. It's kind of crazy to think maybe something similar to this happened during the revolution - it just shows that time stops for nobody and individuals will live their lives despite what happens around them.
As the chapter goes on, it's stated that the prisons are "gorged with people who had committed no offense." This is another reason why I have problems with Madame. What she and her "patriots" are doing is no different than what the king and wealthy did to them. If Madame were to become the leader of France it would be in just as bad of ruins, if not worse.
Following that, it talks about the guillotine. The invention is finally in the spot-light and the way Dickens describes it is beautiful yet destructive. The guillotine "pollutes the ground, a rotten red" which is a throw-back to the scene at the beginning of the book where the wine spilled everywhere. The guillotine also "hushed the eloquent, struck down the powerful, abolished the beautiful and good." When reading this it's hard to believe that this actually led to a peaceful country. I myself am not into war and it seems that throughout time many things about it have changed, but innocent people will always fall victim to the violence.
In the next chapter, "The Wood-sawyer," we are reunited with the mender of roads who has lost his humanity and appears to be enjoying the killing. By the way he's singing his song about chopping off heads, I imagine it's a representation of the rest of the country as well. His manner fits in with the following line: "Republic One and Indivisible. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, or Death!" Well, he's obviously part of the republic, but how are some of these people able to fratenize with such murderers? I understand that they want a revolution, but killing innocent people is not the way to go about that. I think the Jacques have gone way to far with their power.
In the following chapter, Darnay is finally called up for trial. He's lucky he has Manette working on his side because 5 people were instantly sentenced prior to his session without being heard. However, with the Dr.'s influence the people are willing to hear him out, if not for Manette, for shear entertainment. Women "ate and drank as they looked on, many knitted."
After many testimonies, and evidence readings it is found that Darnay is innocent. However, this is just a technique used to fool the reader into thinking things are going to be fine when they're really not. It's just a build up so that we can be let down in the next chapter.
Within the first two paragraphs of "A Knock at the Door" there are elements of foreshaddowing. Though her husband has been saved, she still feels a great fear for him, and the second is that "the shadows of the wintry afternoon were beginning to fall." Winter of course meaning death is upon them. Of course there are multiple deaths going on at that moment, I think it's supposed to be specific to the Manettes.
Something that enticed me within this chapter, before the commotion, was the relationship forming between Miss Pross and Jerry Cruncher. They seem to have a little thing for each other, and I think that could be interesting to follow.
Toward the end of the chapter is where the main action happens. Lucie hears footsteps coming on the stairs and is highly shocked by them. What I find interesting is this - at her house in England, the footsteps didn't bother her that much, but now, she is in the middle of the revolution and she has no choice but to look it in the eye and it frightens her. Of course we all know that Darnay is rearrested on order of the Defarges. They are truly horrible people, and I do not understand their reasoning, other than the fact that Darnay is an Evremonde. When the soldiers come for Darnay I think it is a major blow to Dr. Manette. He was so proud that he saved Charles and now they're back at square one.
Another enticing thing about Miss Pross is that she continuously calls Lucie Ladybird. I know she's called her this before, but she's doing it more frequently now. I'm guessing that this means Lucie is free in some way or maybe that the key to freedom lies with Miss Pross (?) something along those lines...
The next chapter was quite an eventful follow up to the previous one. Miss Pross and Jerry are out to buy wine (hmmm wonder why they want that *wink *wink) and Miss Pross runs into her brother Solomon. It seems like a great thing at first, but Jerry, though he can't remember the man's name, recognizes him. He begins questioning him about his name when suddenly, a 4th party breaks in - it's Carton(!) who says the man is Barsad, the English spy. Barsad is the same man we saw a while back at the wine shop whose name Madame knitted. This is big news when we find out he is involved in the arrest of Darnay.
In this chapter, I was very impressed with both Jerry and Carton. Jerry played a key roll in getting the confession when he stated that Roger Cly (Barsad's associate) was not actually dead. He seems to play mind games with Barsad and we haven't yet seen the intelligent side of Jerry. Carton, though he was drunk, was also quite cunning. He knew he could work the cards in his favor to make Barsad talk and succeeded. Now he's basically blackmailing him into helping save Darnay. What I question is how Carton was able to come to France. He would be considered an emigrant, would he not? Never-the-less, I think my prediction may be coming true; Darnay and Carton will switch places and Carton will become the sacrifice.
I found the final chapter of this week's reading to be the best chapter in the entire book. It wasn't necessarily the most action packed, but I was finally able to appreciate Dickens's writing, as well as Sydney Carton as a character.
Clearly, Carton has a secret plan that will save Darnay which he won't tell anybody else (pretty sure it's mine!) but it's in this chapter that we get to see how Carton spends his final night alive. Carton's final journey begins when he "stopped in the middle of the street under a glimmering lamp." In sacrificing himself for Lucie, he has found an inner energy within himself as well as with God and it's when he comes into this light that he can be considered a good person.
It's obvious that the man is suicidal when he stops into the chemistry shop and buys two different chemicals which are lethal when taken together, it's only a matter of time before he dies and the journey he makes around town is beautiful, heart breaking, and also reassuring that he will be okay with his decision. When Sydney crosses "over the Seine to lighter streets" he is crossing over into a new spiritual place where he can do nothing but serve others. He even helps a small child by carrying her across the muddy street. The fact that he is willing to get himself dirty in order to keep her pure shows that the is a true Christ figure.
"I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die." Carton repeats this statement continuously and I think it's his way of saying he will be more alive after he dies than he ever was on earth. In his current state, he's viewed by many as a belligerant fool, but if he sacrifices himself for Darnay and Lucie, he will be seen as a wonderful man by all - even though Lucie's opinion is the only one that truly matters. This is why lights continue to fall on him. Instead of the sun setting on his death on page 294, it rises signifying that the man is starting a new life in a better place.
Of course the end of this chapter has a good twist to it, but I think Carton's last night was the best part of the book.
Monday, November 24, 2008
A Tale of Two Cities Week 5
The start of this week's reading is where the revolution really takes off. The women are frantically knitting and preparing for their duty when it's found out that the Foulon actually faked his own death in an attempt to save himself. Well, this obviously didn't work out too well for him because the people are instantly out to get him. It's here that we also Madam Defarge as the lead organizer of the revolution. I find it interesting that she calls the "soldiers" patriots because they really are. This comment makes me feel like she is so far ahead of her time to know what great things will come of the revolt. It doesn't take much before the Foulon is captured by Madam and the patriots and it is clear that they are out for a full on revenge. The Foulon didn't care if the people starved to death and treated them as animals saying they should eat the grass if they're hungry. They take their anger out on him by tying him up and stuffing grass in his mouth. They then proceed to string him up not once, but twice before they actually kill him. Something symbolic that I notcied in this passage was the sun rise. It signifies the revolution is just beginning and it's the dawn of a new day. There was also quite a contrast after this epic scene when it talked about the wailing and breadless children. It shows that yes, this one battle was great, but there is so much more ground left to be covered. Madame realizes this when she says the the battle has "almost come."
The next chapter, "Fire Rises" shows the revolution in full swing.
Here's my theory: The Marquis was a horrible ruler who controlled who of the paupers lived and died. He was rich and had food and allowed only a small bit to be distributed to them so he was their life source. Now that he's dead the country is in ruins but people are still returning to the fountain. Thus, I believe that the fountain symbolizes life. Not a life that one is in control of, but one that somebody else is.
Now tying in with the rest of the theory: When the people burn down the Chateau and the fountain is destroyed and they move on to start the revolution, they are taking full control over their lives. They no longer feel that they need Marquis to give them life, but instead are living and dying on their own terms.
Also the way the fire is described fits in with the thought that the people are taking over their lives. The way the "village was illuminating" signifies that the people are coming out of their dark oppression and into the light of a new day. Also the blatent statement about the house burning "as if it were the face of the cruel Marquis, burning at the stake and contending with the fire" adds to the thought as well.
In the next chapter, we find out a little more about Darnay's character. While it's true that we know he is the heir to the Marquis, nobody else is aware because of his name. However, when he intercepts a letter from a man who has done nothing but try to keep up the Marquis chateau for the heir that is in prison, he vows that he must go to France and correct the situation. He's "confident that he will be in no real danger there," but I am pretty sure this is where the whole story is about to unravel. Prediction: Darnay will attempt to save Gabelle's life. In the process, Lorry will find out his true identity and report it back to Lucie. It's because people will know his identity that he will be in danger and he will come close to death until our Christ figure, Carton, saves him and dies in a passionate way that Lucie will cherish forever. The end!
In the following chapter, Darnay has gone to France but he finds that much has changed since he left. Emigrants now have no rights and he is almost immediately thrown in jail. What I find interesting is that he's using his real name now that he's in France thinking that it will do him good when really, it's what hurts him most - irony at its best. As he's being taken to jail, he is escorted by Defarge who shows no sympathy despite the fact that he knows Lucie and Dr. Manette. He must know that it was Darnay's family who put Manette in jail. One line that really caught my eye was when Darnay asked if he was going to be burried and Defarge replies that many people have been burried before. Darnay's response: "Yes, but never by me." He's not ignorant to his family's doings and I agree that it's not specifically Darnay's fault that Manette was burried but for Defarge to be on Darnay's side is impossible because of what his family stood for. At the end of the chapter, while in the jail, Darnay starts remembering about Manette's time in jail and the paces. I'm curious to see what's going to happen with this.
In the final chapter of reading, Manette and Lucie have come to Paris. This was a very intense few pages because we can tell that Darnay is at a huge risk of being murdered by the mob of people. This is also where we finally see Manette show his true identity to the world. Yes, we knew he was a prisoner of the Bastille, but he had yet to say it aloud, let alone announce it to a crowd of people in an attempt to influence them against murdering Darnay. He must really love his son in law.
The next chapter, "Fire Rises" shows the revolution in full swing.
Here's my theory: The Marquis was a horrible ruler who controlled who of the paupers lived and died. He was rich and had food and allowed only a small bit to be distributed to them so he was their life source. Now that he's dead the country is in ruins but people are still returning to the fountain. Thus, I believe that the fountain symbolizes life. Not a life that one is in control of, but one that somebody else is.
Now tying in with the rest of the theory: When the people burn down the Chateau and the fountain is destroyed and they move on to start the revolution, they are taking full control over their lives. They no longer feel that they need Marquis to give them life, but instead are living and dying on their own terms.
Also the way the fire is described fits in with the thought that the people are taking over their lives. The way the "village was illuminating" signifies that the people are coming out of their dark oppression and into the light of a new day. Also the blatent statement about the house burning "as if it were the face of the cruel Marquis, burning at the stake and contending with the fire" adds to the thought as well.
In the next chapter, we find out a little more about Darnay's character. While it's true that we know he is the heir to the Marquis, nobody else is aware because of his name. However, when he intercepts a letter from a man who has done nothing but try to keep up the Marquis chateau for the heir that is in prison, he vows that he must go to France and correct the situation. He's "confident that he will be in no real danger there," but I am pretty sure this is where the whole story is about to unravel. Prediction: Darnay will attempt to save Gabelle's life. In the process, Lorry will find out his true identity and report it back to Lucie. It's because people will know his identity that he will be in danger and he will come close to death until our Christ figure, Carton, saves him and dies in a passionate way that Lucie will cherish forever. The end!
In the following chapter, Darnay has gone to France but he finds that much has changed since he left. Emigrants now have no rights and he is almost immediately thrown in jail. What I find interesting is that he's using his real name now that he's in France thinking that it will do him good when really, it's what hurts him most - irony at its best. As he's being taken to jail, he is escorted by Defarge who shows no sympathy despite the fact that he knows Lucie and Dr. Manette. He must know that it was Darnay's family who put Manette in jail. One line that really caught my eye was when Darnay asked if he was going to be burried and Defarge replies that many people have been burried before. Darnay's response: "Yes, but never by me." He's not ignorant to his family's doings and I agree that it's not specifically Darnay's fault that Manette was burried but for Defarge to be on Darnay's side is impossible because of what his family stood for. At the end of the chapter, while in the jail, Darnay starts remembering about Manette's time in jail and the paces. I'm curious to see what's going to happen with this.
In the final chapter of reading, Manette and Lucie have come to Paris. This was a very intense few pages because we can tell that Darnay is at a huge risk of being murdered by the mob of people. This is also where we finally see Manette show his true identity to the world. Yes, we knew he was a prisoner of the Bastille, but he had yet to say it aloud, let alone announce it to a crowd of people in an attempt to influence them against murdering Darnay. He must really love his son in law.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A Tale of Two Cities Week 4
The first chapter of this week's reading takes place in the Wine Shop. It is here that John Barasad and Madame Defarge have their first encounter. It's carefully made mention that Barsad is a French name, however, it turns out that he's a British spy. In the way that Barsad talks to Madame we get a sense of him being pompous. He has talks to her about business deliberately saying that her "business is bad." What confused me about this section was her knitting. Is she knitting his name on because he is part of the Jacques, or is she knitting his name because he's next to die?? As the conversation goes on, he brings up Dr. Manette and Lucie saying that he knew them back in England. What I want to know is why everyone is so interested in the Manettes. What secret do they have? Both the Dr. and Lucie appear to be kind loving people, but there's much more to them than meets the eye.
In the second chapter, we see Lucie and Dr. Manette having a final moment with each other the night before the wedding. It's evident that Lucie is in love with Darnay and Dr. Manette surprisingly seems to accept it. However, in the next chapter, we see a sharp character transition in the doctor.
The day of the wedding everything is quite simple. Given that the Manettes hold an elite social status, it's nice to see that they are having a small wedding with their closest friends. I thought it was funny how Miss Pross is the maid of honor for Lucie. She's clearly jealous that Lucie is marrying Darnay, yet, even though she does slip up, she has to act supportive. The day seems to be going along pleasantly until, after having a conversation with Darnay, Dr. Manette makes his change.
We all knew it was coming, that on the day of the wedding Darnay was going to reveal his secrets to Dr. Manette, but we still don't know what that secret is and it is driving me crazy. Manette is able to keep it together for the rest of the wedding, though which was quite honorable. He obviously wants his daughter to be happy. What I wonder is this: if Darnay's secret was so stunning that it would generate such a radical reaction, why doesn't Manette tell Lucie? If the secret is so horrible and he wants his daughter to be happy, what stops him from telling her? Is it the promise that he made to Darnay?
After the wedding is over and Lucie and Darnay leave, Manette has a total breakdown and he goes back to his old prisoner self by making shoes. Lorry instantly goes into protector mode by announcing that neither Lucie, nor anybody else can get word of this and he goes on to take care of Manette. In a way, I think he's doing the right thing because Lucie is so happy. However, it's because of her current state that I think it's a horrible idea not to tell her. When she gets back, she's going to go from happy to worrisome in 2.5 seconds. This cannot be good for Lorry who, even though he's always been loyal to the Manettes, is going to get repremended for his actions.
One thing I would like to mention about Manette from a psychological (yes I know!) point of view is that he exhibits the signs of multiple personality disorder. The disorder occurs when a person is put through something horrible (like we know Manette has) and he or she cannot handle it. Subconsciously, they then create a character (or personality) that is strong enough to stand up to the situation. It is used as an escape. When Manette goes into his shoemaking self, he isn't his same jovial self. He focuses solely on shoes and ignores even Lorry. Whatever Darnay said to him to make him revert back into this personality must have been pretty severe.
Within "The Opinion" Lorry is taking a new approach to get Manette to talk about his past and what causes his relapses. He makes it appear as though he has a friend who needs the help and by doing so he brings out the natural Doctor part of Manette. Luckily his approach works as Manette catches on to the fact that he's the "friend" in question. It is from there that Lorry, who's still trying to be a "businessman" all but importunes Manette for answers about his past. When it's found that this gentle approach to snapping him out of it won't work, Lorry, along with Miss Pross decide to destroy the shoe making equipment in hopes that it will turn Manette back.
The last chapter of this week's reading contained both foreshaddowing and an insight into Darnay's Character. Carton comes to Darnay asking to be his friend. Of course Darnay goes on about how he is considered a friend and that he has nothing but respect for him. But then, later that night when Carton's not around, Darnay says exactly the opposite about him. This tells us that Darnay is not as sincere as he comes across. This is something I've always thought of him, but now there is solid proof.
The foreshaddowing comes in two different lines of the Carton / Darnay convo. The first element is when Darnay states he "forgot it [the drunken night]" and Carton replies that "oblivion is not so easy to me, as you represent it to be to you." This is meant to say that Carton knows Darnay has a past and it will eventually get brought out. The second element happens when Carton states that he's a "dissolute dog who has never done any good, and never will." Darnay replies "I don't know that you 'never will.'" First I would like to point out that this is kind of a backhanded compliment because Darnay didn't deny that Carton is a "dissolute dog." Second the foreshaddowing is that Carton eventually will do something good.
In the second chapter, we see Lucie and Dr. Manette having a final moment with each other the night before the wedding. It's evident that Lucie is in love with Darnay and Dr. Manette surprisingly seems to accept it. However, in the next chapter, we see a sharp character transition in the doctor.
The day of the wedding everything is quite simple. Given that the Manettes hold an elite social status, it's nice to see that they are having a small wedding with their closest friends. I thought it was funny how Miss Pross is the maid of honor for Lucie. She's clearly jealous that Lucie is marrying Darnay, yet, even though she does slip up, she has to act supportive. The day seems to be going along pleasantly until, after having a conversation with Darnay, Dr. Manette makes his change.
We all knew it was coming, that on the day of the wedding Darnay was going to reveal his secrets to Dr. Manette, but we still don't know what that secret is and it is driving me crazy. Manette is able to keep it together for the rest of the wedding, though which was quite honorable. He obviously wants his daughter to be happy. What I wonder is this: if Darnay's secret was so stunning that it would generate such a radical reaction, why doesn't Manette tell Lucie? If the secret is so horrible and he wants his daughter to be happy, what stops him from telling her? Is it the promise that he made to Darnay?
After the wedding is over and Lucie and Darnay leave, Manette has a total breakdown and he goes back to his old prisoner self by making shoes. Lorry instantly goes into protector mode by announcing that neither Lucie, nor anybody else can get word of this and he goes on to take care of Manette. In a way, I think he's doing the right thing because Lucie is so happy. However, it's because of her current state that I think it's a horrible idea not to tell her. When she gets back, she's going to go from happy to worrisome in 2.5 seconds. This cannot be good for Lorry who, even though he's always been loyal to the Manettes, is going to get repremended for his actions.
One thing I would like to mention about Manette from a psychological (yes I know!) point of view is that he exhibits the signs of multiple personality disorder. The disorder occurs when a person is put through something horrible (like we know Manette has) and he or she cannot handle it. Subconsciously, they then create a character (or personality) that is strong enough to stand up to the situation. It is used as an escape. When Manette goes into his shoemaking self, he isn't his same jovial self. He focuses solely on shoes and ignores even Lorry. Whatever Darnay said to him to make him revert back into this personality must have been pretty severe.
Within "The Opinion" Lorry is taking a new approach to get Manette to talk about his past and what causes his relapses. He makes it appear as though he has a friend who needs the help and by doing so he brings out the natural Doctor part of Manette. Luckily his approach works as Manette catches on to the fact that he's the "friend" in question. It is from there that Lorry, who's still trying to be a "businessman" all but importunes Manette for answers about his past. When it's found that this gentle approach to snapping him out of it won't work, Lorry, along with Miss Pross decide to destroy the shoe making equipment in hopes that it will turn Manette back.
The last chapter of this week's reading contained both foreshaddowing and an insight into Darnay's Character. Carton comes to Darnay asking to be his friend. Of course Darnay goes on about how he is considered a friend and that he has nothing but respect for him. But then, later that night when Carton's not around, Darnay says exactly the opposite about him. This tells us that Darnay is not as sincere as he comes across. This is something I've always thought of him, but now there is solid proof.
The foreshaddowing comes in two different lines of the Carton / Darnay convo. The first element is when Darnay states he "forgot it [the drunken night]" and Carton replies that "oblivion is not so easy to me, as you represent it to be to you." This is meant to say that Carton knows Darnay has a past and it will eventually get brought out. The second element happens when Carton states that he's a "dissolute dog who has never done any good, and never will." Darnay replies "I don't know that you 'never will.'" First I would like to point out that this is kind of a backhanded compliment because Darnay didn't deny that Carton is a "dissolute dog." Second the foreshaddowing is that Carton eventually will do something good.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
A Tale of Two Cities Week 3
The first three sections of this week's reading all have a common theme - Miss Manette is a wanted woman. In the first section we see Darnay honorably go to Dr. Manette and profess his love for Lucie. Something about Darnay seems almost too perfect, though. He's very smooth and always has the right thing to say. Scenario 1 Darnay is a good guy who can be trusted and will end up with Lucie. Scenario 2 Darnay is a traitor who wants Lucie for reasons mysterious at this point but has control over Dr. Manette that has to do with that remark about being burried under the Eiffel Tower.
In the second section it is Stryver who says he is actually going to marry Lucie. This is the one guy who really doesn't stand a chance, but he doesn't care, he's way too self centered to realize that a woman might not want him. Dickens sets the scene up perfectly; he and Carton are together drinking. Carton has been worked to his brink by Stryver, yet he still gets no appreciation. Then, out of no where, Stryver announces that he's going to marry Lucie! Of course this is a major internal struggle for Carton because he loves her more than anything. Still, Stryver is his "friend" and he feels he must do whatever he can to serve him...even if it means giving up the love of his life. At this point, I was somewhat disappointed in Carton because he finally had the opportunity to stand up to Stryver, yet he sat back and said he could have her.
Of course in the third section, Carton actually does go to Miss Manette and profess his love, but not in the way we expect it. He tells her he loves her, but that he doesn't want to be with her because he would only drag her down. WHAT?? I was not expecting this delivery at all. While, yes, it is fitting to Carton's character, I really was expecting some romantic-hero moment where he swoops in and sweeps her off her feet. I still do think that there's hope for Carton in this love (what is it?) hexagon(?) by now. I really think Darnay is going to turn out to be an enemy of some sort and Stryver won't get far with her. I think Carton will come back into her life and in the end they will be together.
In The Honest Tradesman, we finally get to see what has been making Jerry's boots muddy. One night, young Jerry follows Cruncher as he goes "fishing." What he comes across is his father fishing in graves. I'm not sure if he's doing it for money or if he's removing the people themselves, but either way, it's good to finally know what's been going on. We also know now why he gets so viscious when his wife prays; it's as the result of the church looking down upon him. Jerry claims he doesn't believe in the Christian religion (if we look back to his A.D. comment) but his problem is that he overly believes in it. He believes his wife's prayers are heard and carried out to him by the "ghost of a giant" that looks upon him.
That next morning, young Jerry witnesses his father beating up on his wife again for he thinks she's prayed. The scene is quite disturbing and it's definitely not a sight that a young boy should be watching. Never-the-less, young Jerry tells his father that he would like to be a Ressurection man one day. This is sick! Young Jerry has just watched his father beat his mother senseless yet he still wants to be like him. I think Dickens does this to show that tradition carries on; that the king with the strong jaw and the queen with the fair face will perservere throughout time.
In the following chapter, Knitting, we are taken back to the wine shop where the Jacquess are meeting. The scene is quite melancholy and it's meant to show the sadness of the poor people. The Jacquess are planning a revolt against the king and it's the people in that bar whom they are revolting for. As the Jacquess are going up to the room above the wine shop, Dr. Manette is mentioned. What connection do they have with him other than he living up there? Was he involved with their treasonous activities?
One of the main reasons the Jacquess are meeting is because they have aquired a new member - the man who killed Marquis. He describes to them in vivid detail what can happen if somebody even attempts to kill the king. Some might think that this would deture the Jacquess from attempting to revolt, but instead it encourages them. The Jacquess will make a revolution happen and it's because the people are so oppressed that they will be successful.
In the second section it is Stryver who says he is actually going to marry Lucie. This is the one guy who really doesn't stand a chance, but he doesn't care, he's way too self centered to realize that a woman might not want him. Dickens sets the scene up perfectly; he and Carton are together drinking. Carton has been worked to his brink by Stryver, yet he still gets no appreciation. Then, out of no where, Stryver announces that he's going to marry Lucie! Of course this is a major internal struggle for Carton because he loves her more than anything. Still, Stryver is his "friend" and he feels he must do whatever he can to serve him...even if it means giving up the love of his life. At this point, I was somewhat disappointed in Carton because he finally had the opportunity to stand up to Stryver, yet he sat back and said he could have her.
Of course in the third section, Carton actually does go to Miss Manette and profess his love, but not in the way we expect it. He tells her he loves her, but that he doesn't want to be with her because he would only drag her down. WHAT?? I was not expecting this delivery at all. While, yes, it is fitting to Carton's character, I really was expecting some romantic-hero moment where he swoops in and sweeps her off her feet. I still do think that there's hope for Carton in this love (what is it?) hexagon(?) by now. I really think Darnay is going to turn out to be an enemy of some sort and Stryver won't get far with her. I think Carton will come back into her life and in the end they will be together.
In The Honest Tradesman, we finally get to see what has been making Jerry's boots muddy. One night, young Jerry follows Cruncher as he goes "fishing." What he comes across is his father fishing in graves. I'm not sure if he's doing it for money or if he's removing the people themselves, but either way, it's good to finally know what's been going on. We also know now why he gets so viscious when his wife prays; it's as the result of the church looking down upon him. Jerry claims he doesn't believe in the Christian religion (if we look back to his A.D. comment) but his problem is that he overly believes in it. He believes his wife's prayers are heard and carried out to him by the "ghost of a giant" that looks upon him.
That next morning, young Jerry witnesses his father beating up on his wife again for he thinks she's prayed. The scene is quite disturbing and it's definitely not a sight that a young boy should be watching. Never-the-less, young Jerry tells his father that he would like to be a Ressurection man one day. This is sick! Young Jerry has just watched his father beat his mother senseless yet he still wants to be like him. I think Dickens does this to show that tradition carries on; that the king with the strong jaw and the queen with the fair face will perservere throughout time.
In the following chapter, Knitting, we are taken back to the wine shop where the Jacquess are meeting. The scene is quite melancholy and it's meant to show the sadness of the poor people. The Jacquess are planning a revolt against the king and it's the people in that bar whom they are revolting for. As the Jacquess are going up to the room above the wine shop, Dr. Manette is mentioned. What connection do they have with him other than he living up there? Was he involved with their treasonous activities?
One of the main reasons the Jacquess are meeting is because they have aquired a new member - the man who killed Marquis. He describes to them in vivid detail what can happen if somebody even attempts to kill the king. Some might think that this would deture the Jacquess from attempting to revolt, but instead it encourages them. The Jacquess will make a revolution happen and it's because the people are so oppressed that they will be successful.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A Tale of Two Cities Week 2
In the beginning of this week's reading, we are introduced, when Mr. Lorry goes to visit the Manettes, to Miss Pross who is Lucie's sister. It's very evident that she's jealous of Lucie. Mr. Lorry believes that she is a different type of jealous woman, though because she is willing to cling to "beauty she never had and accomplishments she never gained." Basically, she believes that she should be the one getting the attention that Lucie gets, even though she doesn't fully deserve it. Miss Pross even goes so far as to say that Lucie should have married Brother Soloman who was a "heartless scoundrel" because she didn't want her sister to be happy. However, I don't think anything good could have come from this because Lucie still would have receieved the same attention.
Further on into the conversation with Miss Pross and Mr. Lorry, Dr. Manette is brought up. It's stated that he will not talk about his time in prison, and even though he's gone back to work, he is putting up a front to how he really feels. But is this any surprise? He was locked away for so many years he has every right to continue feeling scared and oppressed. He even sleep-walks because he relives his experience every night. One thing that strikes me, though, is that we don't actually know the true reason why he was put in jail to begin with. Mr. Lorry inquires about it, but we never really find out.
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"The corner had been mentioned as a wonderful corner for echoes." This is not the first time that echoes have been brought up in the chapter, and I would like to know what they mean. It sounds like they're just footsteps, but what does an echo in a corner symbolize?
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As the chapter continues on, it appears that the Manettes are having some sort of a visitation. (Are they currently considered the "it" elite people?) They appear to be different than the rest of the elitists of the time because they're actually humane and kind to those around them. Or is it really just an act? My guess is probably not, but I have to throw it out there.
Of course, Mr. Darnay has come to visit Miss Manette. (I wonder what he wants...wink wink!) The conversation that they then have is somewhat out of character for somebody who is trying to make a girl fall in love with him, though. He makes mention of being at the Eifel Tower and workmen digging up a forgotten dungeon with the word DIG on it. Now, why does Dickens keep having his characters talk about things being burried and dug up? What is he trying to say??? Regardless of what Dickens is trying to say, it must be noted that Dr. Manette became faint while talking about the dungeon. This clearly ruffles his past memories and this very dungeon could be from his past.
On a completely different note, though, I did notice that when Darnay came into the room, Miss Pross began to twitch and had to leave the scene. I think she's in love with Darnay and that's the reason why she wanted Lucie to marry that Soloman guy. So now we have a love square going!
As the day continues, Mr. Carton drops in to visit Lucie as well, but it's clear he feels awkward and envious around Mr. Darnay. Darnay is sitting right beside Lucie, while Carton is standing up against a window. I can only imagine what the poor guy's thought process is! It's too bad that he has yet to tell Lucie how he really feels about her...Maybe he'll get drunk one night and tell her.
The next chapter, Monseigneur in Town, begins with the introduction of Monseigneur - one of the great lords in power at the Court. We see him eating lots and lots of chocolate which I think is meant to parallel his character. The chocolate they eat in France is very bitter and I think that his mass consumption of it shows that he is a bitter man.
The description of Monseigneur continues by giving us a little bit of a background on his life. He goes to the balls and operas. But most importantly, he took his sister from a convent because it wasn't the high life and forced her to marry a rich man so he could gain respect! One line that really gets to me about his character is this: "The leprosy of unreality disfigured every human creature in attendance upon Monseigneur." People hate him, yet he is so powerful, he has the right to sway peoples thoughts and make them believe that nothing horrible is going on in the world.
There is also another character involved toward the end of this chapter, Monsuier the Marquis. He comes across as just as bad, if not worse than, Monseigneur. He calls the lower class people "dogs" and says he would gladly run over each of them had he known who threw the coin back. What an arrogant power driven man he is. I think this could be taken as foreshaddowing / irony, though because don't the people eventually rebell against the people of power? He's got it coming to him.
As the section of reading progresses, we are taken to Monseigneur's home where he is drinking bordeaux and awaiting the arrival of his nephew, Darnay. It's kind of interesting that everything he does, such as the wine he drinks, is a symbol of his power. The people in the earlier chapter are sipping cheap wine from the street, yet he just sits at home drinking his bordeaux like there's nothing major about it.
The chapter moves on and we are taken to a conversation with Darnay. We find out that Darnay is the heir to the family fortune, but his disagreement with the family about government leads him to believe that he's going to give it up once he inherits it. I had a difficult time understanding what the rest of the conversation was about. Once again, Dickens has left me wondering at the end of a chapter. Partly because of mystery and partly because I just don't get it. Frustrating!!
Further on into the conversation with Miss Pross and Mr. Lorry, Dr. Manette is brought up. It's stated that he will not talk about his time in prison, and even though he's gone back to work, he is putting up a front to how he really feels. But is this any surprise? He was locked away for so many years he has every right to continue feeling scared and oppressed. He even sleep-walks because he relives his experience every night. One thing that strikes me, though, is that we don't actually know the true reason why he was put in jail to begin with. Mr. Lorry inquires about it, but we never really find out.
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"The corner had been mentioned as a wonderful corner for echoes." This is not the first time that echoes have been brought up in the chapter, and I would like to know what they mean. It sounds like they're just footsteps, but what does an echo in a corner symbolize?
___________________________________________________________________
As the chapter continues on, it appears that the Manettes are having some sort of a visitation. (Are they currently considered the "it" elite people?) They appear to be different than the rest of the elitists of the time because they're actually humane and kind to those around them. Or is it really just an act? My guess is probably not, but I have to throw it out there.
Of course, Mr. Darnay has come to visit Miss Manette. (I wonder what he wants...wink wink!) The conversation that they then have is somewhat out of character for somebody who is trying to make a girl fall in love with him, though. He makes mention of being at the Eifel Tower and workmen digging up a forgotten dungeon with the word DIG on it. Now, why does Dickens keep having his characters talk about things being burried and dug up? What is he trying to say??? Regardless of what Dickens is trying to say, it must be noted that Dr. Manette became faint while talking about the dungeon. This clearly ruffles his past memories and this very dungeon could be from his past.
On a completely different note, though, I did notice that when Darnay came into the room, Miss Pross began to twitch and had to leave the scene. I think she's in love with Darnay and that's the reason why she wanted Lucie to marry that Soloman guy. So now we have a love square going!
As the day continues, Mr. Carton drops in to visit Lucie as well, but it's clear he feels awkward and envious around Mr. Darnay. Darnay is sitting right beside Lucie, while Carton is standing up against a window. I can only imagine what the poor guy's thought process is! It's too bad that he has yet to tell Lucie how he really feels about her...Maybe he'll get drunk one night and tell her.
The next chapter, Monseigneur in Town, begins with the introduction of Monseigneur - one of the great lords in power at the Court. We see him eating lots and lots of chocolate which I think is meant to parallel his character. The chocolate they eat in France is very bitter and I think that his mass consumption of it shows that he is a bitter man.
The description of Monseigneur continues by giving us a little bit of a background on his life. He goes to the balls and operas. But most importantly, he took his sister from a convent because it wasn't the high life and forced her to marry a rich man so he could gain respect! One line that really gets to me about his character is this: "The leprosy of unreality disfigured every human creature in attendance upon Monseigneur." People hate him, yet he is so powerful, he has the right to sway peoples thoughts and make them believe that nothing horrible is going on in the world.
There is also another character involved toward the end of this chapter, Monsuier the Marquis. He comes across as just as bad, if not worse than, Monseigneur. He calls the lower class people "dogs" and says he would gladly run over each of them had he known who threw the coin back. What an arrogant power driven man he is. I think this could be taken as foreshaddowing / irony, though because don't the people eventually rebell against the people of power? He's got it coming to him.
As the section of reading progresses, we are taken to Monseigneur's home where he is drinking bordeaux and awaiting the arrival of his nephew, Darnay. It's kind of interesting that everything he does, such as the wine he drinks, is a symbol of his power. The people in the earlier chapter are sipping cheap wine from the street, yet he just sits at home drinking his bordeaux like there's nothing major about it.
The chapter moves on and we are taken to a conversation with Darnay. We find out that Darnay is the heir to the family fortune, but his disagreement with the family about government leads him to believe that he's going to give it up once he inherits it. I had a difficult time understanding what the rest of the conversation was about. Once again, Dickens has left me wondering at the end of a chapter. Partly because of mystery and partly because I just don't get it. Frustrating!!
Monday, October 27, 2008
A Tale of Two Cities Week 1
I found that this week's reading was a little easier to understand than last week's. The section again begins by setting the scene for what was happening at this time. One part really stuck out to me: Accordingly, the forger was put to death; the utterer of a bad note was put to death; the unlawful opener of a letter was put to death; the purloiner of forty shillings and sixpence was put to death;.....Etc etc etc. As we have already read in the first section the guiatine was a big part of the time. Seeing as how this section is 5 years later and people are still being executed for various crimes, time must not be progressing very much. The people under rule of the king must feel so oppressed and scared to do anything out of order, but many things cannot be helped. For example, another crime to be put to death for was "stealing a horse outside of the bank." Well, if a father doesn't have money to buy food for his family, he would probably be coerced to steal it.
As the section progresses, we are introduced to a man named Cruncher. Cruncher doesn't appear to be a man of any education and he also comes across as angry / mean. He also thinks that the Christian religion is just something made up. This in combination with his personality and name lead me to believe that he is not the most humane man and would have no problem killing another person. One thing that is interesting about him is how he treats his wife and raises his son. His son is growing up to be just like him and that is only going to continue on the tradition of the "King with a strong jaw, Queen with a fair face" principle that men hold the power and women have no opinion. Another thing I wonder about him is why his boots are muddy and his thumb rusty. What is he doing that would cause that? He's an odd job man for the bank, so why does he come home with mud on his boots???
Chapter 2 begins with Cruncher entering a court to find a trial for a man on treason. When he speaks to a spectator, it's said that the man on trial is definitely guilty and a gruesome punishment is described. The way the man describes it, with such furver, is some what sickening. The punishment is horrible, yet he seems to be taking a sadistic pleasure in the thought of watching it. He also wants the man on trial to be found guilty, and expects that Cruncher wants the same, which he probably does. Something that strikes me about the whole situation is that the punishment for treason is well known and obviously brutal. This is a good way for the king to keep people from rebelling. I can only imagine the fear instilled withing the people because if they even slightly implicate to a rebellion they will be tortured to their death.
When they brought the prisoner in, I was quite surprised when his appearence was described. He's only 25 years old and looks like a fair young gentleman - definitely not the stereotype of the typical criminal for this time or any. When I picture most people getting executed, I picture a pauper in dirty rags, but he appears to be doing okay financially by the way he's dressed and how his hair is. Even by his demeanor, he seems to be smarter than the average man because of how he listens to the case so attentively. However, the one thing he lacks in his demeanor is humanity. He doesn't come across as a warm person and that would probably be the deciding factor that puts him to death. However, he is truly saved when Miss Manette testifies in his favor.
Miss Manette, five years from when we last saw her, is in the court room and the spectators are drawn to her. She gives off a comfort and warmth that is so abundant, it compensates for his lack of charm. The questioning given to him and other testifiers prove nothing beyond reasonable doubt for the crime, yet it still doesn't look good for him. Then Miss Manette testifies about his kindness and it's her heartfelt testimony that saves him from a grotesque death. Though he is acquitted, I do question if he's innocent or not. But I'm in favor of the crime he's committed because change needs to happen for the people. Something that strikes me about him is that he seems to have some money and live a stable life, yet the people he's committing treason for (if he really is) are quite poor. This shows that he must be a very noble man.
Chapter 4 begins with a description of how Miss Manette makes the prisoner, Mr. Darnay, feel. "...The sound of her voice, the light of her face, the touch of her hand, had a strong beneficial influence with him almost always." So it's clear that he posesses strong feelings toward her, but what does she think of him? I'm guessing by her testimony that she has feelings for him too, but I don't know if that's the case or if she just thinks of him as a friend.
The next part of Chapter 4, I had a difficult time understanding. There seems to be conflict between Mr. Darnay, Mr. Lorry, Mr. Carton, and Mr. Stryver. They keep talking about business, but I'm having a hard time reading between the lines and figuring it out on this one. Was the trial fixed in favor of Mr. Darnay? I don't know if this is one of the parts that I'm not supposed to understand yet, or if I'm just missing something... One thing I did get out of it is that Mr. Darnay and Mr. Carton are definitely enemies and I took something Mr. Carton said as foreshaddowing: "Don't let your sober face elate you, however; you don't know what it may come to. Good-night!" That cannot mean anything good for Mr. Darnay's future.
In the first sentence of chapter 5 I notice that Dickens is personifying Time as if it is a person, and this is the same thing he did with "Death." Other than that little tidbit, the chapter goes on to describe Mr. Stryver. It's said that Mr. Carton who is idle and unpromising is one of Mr. Stryver's greatest allys. That being said, I don't think Mr. Stryver is one of the nicest people we'll see in this book. It's also stated that the two men drink very heavily together whether it be night or day, so they're probably not the most responsible lawmen.
Something that I find kind of ironic about these men are the nick-names they bear. Mr. Carton is the Jackal and Mr. Stryver, the Lion. Neither of these two animals symbolize anything bad - a Jackal stands for a guide of souls and is associated with cemetaries, and a lion is considered powerful, majestic, and noble. These are not exactly traits that either man seems to posess, but I suppose it could be foreshaddowing to something farther down the line.
One night the men get together as usual and drink and go over papers when Stryver makes the comment that Carton is lame and serves no energy or purpose. That doesn't seem like they're friends to me and I have yet to fully understand them or their relationship.
As the section progresses, we are introduced to a man named Cruncher. Cruncher doesn't appear to be a man of any education and he also comes across as angry / mean. He also thinks that the Christian religion is just something made up. This in combination with his personality and name lead me to believe that he is not the most humane man and would have no problem killing another person. One thing that is interesting about him is how he treats his wife and raises his son. His son is growing up to be just like him and that is only going to continue on the tradition of the "King with a strong jaw, Queen with a fair face" principle that men hold the power and women have no opinion. Another thing I wonder about him is why his boots are muddy and his thumb rusty. What is he doing that would cause that? He's an odd job man for the bank, so why does he come home with mud on his boots???
Chapter 2 begins with Cruncher entering a court to find a trial for a man on treason. When he speaks to a spectator, it's said that the man on trial is definitely guilty and a gruesome punishment is described. The way the man describes it, with such furver, is some what sickening. The punishment is horrible, yet he seems to be taking a sadistic pleasure in the thought of watching it. He also wants the man on trial to be found guilty, and expects that Cruncher wants the same, which he probably does. Something that strikes me about the whole situation is that the punishment for treason is well known and obviously brutal. This is a good way for the king to keep people from rebelling. I can only imagine the fear instilled withing the people because if they even slightly implicate to a rebellion they will be tortured to their death.
When they brought the prisoner in, I was quite surprised when his appearence was described. He's only 25 years old and looks like a fair young gentleman - definitely not the stereotype of the typical criminal for this time or any. When I picture most people getting executed, I picture a pauper in dirty rags, but he appears to be doing okay financially by the way he's dressed and how his hair is. Even by his demeanor, he seems to be smarter than the average man because of how he listens to the case so attentively. However, the one thing he lacks in his demeanor is humanity. He doesn't come across as a warm person and that would probably be the deciding factor that puts him to death. However, he is truly saved when Miss Manette testifies in his favor.
Miss Manette, five years from when we last saw her, is in the court room and the spectators are drawn to her. She gives off a comfort and warmth that is so abundant, it compensates for his lack of charm. The questioning given to him and other testifiers prove nothing beyond reasonable doubt for the crime, yet it still doesn't look good for him. Then Miss Manette testifies about his kindness and it's her heartfelt testimony that saves him from a grotesque death. Though he is acquitted, I do question if he's innocent or not. But I'm in favor of the crime he's committed because change needs to happen for the people. Something that strikes me about him is that he seems to have some money and live a stable life, yet the people he's committing treason for (if he really is) are quite poor. This shows that he must be a very noble man.
Chapter 4 begins with a description of how Miss Manette makes the prisoner, Mr. Darnay, feel. "...The sound of her voice, the light of her face, the touch of her hand, had a strong beneficial influence with him almost always." So it's clear that he posesses strong feelings toward her, but what does she think of him? I'm guessing by her testimony that she has feelings for him too, but I don't know if that's the case or if she just thinks of him as a friend.
The next part of Chapter 4, I had a difficult time understanding. There seems to be conflict between Mr. Darnay, Mr. Lorry, Mr. Carton, and Mr. Stryver. They keep talking about business, but I'm having a hard time reading between the lines and figuring it out on this one. Was the trial fixed in favor of Mr. Darnay? I don't know if this is one of the parts that I'm not supposed to understand yet, or if I'm just missing something... One thing I did get out of it is that Mr. Darnay and Mr. Carton are definitely enemies and I took something Mr. Carton said as foreshaddowing: "Don't let your sober face elate you, however; you don't know what it may come to. Good-night!" That cannot mean anything good for Mr. Darnay's future.
In the first sentence of chapter 5 I notice that Dickens is personifying Time as if it is a person, and this is the same thing he did with "Death." Other than that little tidbit, the chapter goes on to describe Mr. Stryver. It's said that Mr. Carton who is idle and unpromising is one of Mr. Stryver's greatest allys. That being said, I don't think Mr. Stryver is one of the nicest people we'll see in this book. It's also stated that the two men drink very heavily together whether it be night or day, so they're probably not the most responsible lawmen.
Something that I find kind of ironic about these men are the nick-names they bear. Mr. Carton is the Jackal and Mr. Stryver, the Lion. Neither of these two animals symbolize anything bad - a Jackal stands for a guide of souls and is associated with cemetaries, and a lion is considered powerful, majestic, and noble. These are not exactly traits that either man seems to posess, but I suppose it could be foreshaddowing to something farther down the line.
One night the men get together as usual and drink and go over papers when Stryver makes the comment that Carton is lame and serves no energy or purpose. That doesn't seem like they're friends to me and I have yet to fully understand them or their relationship.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
1984 pages 260 - END Week 8
This section begins with Winston still strapped to the bed being questioned by O'brien. He is told that he is on the second step of reintigration, which is understanding. Because of that, the bonds that hold him to the bed are looser. However, just because the bonds are looser does not mean that Winston is under any less control - this is just one of the many ways that the Party manipulates its prisoners.
One of the first things O'brien explains is the book that Winston was to read. In that book it explains that there will always be potential for the Proles to rebell. But O'brien, who wrote it, believes other wise, that the Proles will never rebell. I myself would like to believe that they will rebell at some point in life. But why should they? They are not under the same constrictions as Party members; they can sing and have their own thoughts and that may just be enough for them.
Finally, O'brien asks Winston why the Party rules the way they do. Winston ponders this for quite some time before giving the answer he thinks O'brien will find the most satisfactory. His reply: "You are ruling over us for our own good." This sets off a spark within O'brien and he pulls the lever, releasing pain on Winston. Then he is quick to correct stating that the Party controls people for their own sake. The people of the Party wish to be immortal throughout time. As I was reading this, I thought it was fairly selfish, but I was unsurprised. Why else would one afflict such oppression on others? One thing I find very hypocritical about O'brien would be that he says he is not involved with the Party for wealth or luxury, but he lives in one of the most amazing houses in Oceania. He also has the food of the past...If he was as uninterested in luxury as he says, he wouldn't be living an opulent lifestyle.
The next part of the section was almost frightening to me. Winston is looking up at O'brien and thinking of how old he looks when O'brien actually reads his thoughts and states it back to him. Is he trained that well in the art of thought that he knows what Winston is thinking? Or is it the machine that he's hooked up to? Either way, the thought of somebody knowing my every thought is quite terrifying.
From here, O'brien goes into this whole harangue about how the individual is only a cell and how nothing can be done unless multiple people are involved. I strongly disagree with this because everything has to start with one person. If one person could be brave enough to stand up and get a group to rally against the Party, maybe rebellion could be possible and freedom attained.
The two then go on to argue about the world and life. Winston refuses to believe the Party controls everything because they do not control weather or gravity or pain which I have been thinking this entire time. However, O'brien squashes these thoughts in Winston's and my own mind when he describes how the Party controls everything. If the Party controls the mind and people believe what they are being fed, anything can be anything. If the Party says it's warm at 30 degrees, people will believe it and they will think it is warm. It is sickening and O'brien's words have destroyed a lot of my thoughts that I've had throughout the book because I had not thought that deep into the Party's control.
O'brien goes on to talk about the future which is even scarier than the present time Winston is living in. The way of life he is talking about is meaningless and devolved. There will be no love, no science, no literature, and no feelings. People will not even think to rebell because in the future there will be no remnants of the past. However, if the Party creates a world devoid of any emotion, there will also be no hate and that is what the Party runs on. According to O'brien, power is the ability to make people suffer, but if the people reach a point where they no longer feel they're suffering or hate the government, then they will think nothing of living equally among the inner Party members and a disadvanced balance will be established. So even if a rebellion never occurs, the Partry will eventually fail.
Toward the end of the section, O'brien really plays into Winston's emotions and vulnerability by showing him what he looks like for the first time since he's been in the Ministry. The image that stares back at Winston from the mirror is almost unrecognizable because he is rotting away. He didn't realize the condition he was in, but the depiction of him is quite grotesque. O'brien does this to break Winston down to a point where even his own spirit is irrecognizable, so that rebuilding can begin. Unfortunately, it works and Winston breaks down to a point where he doesn't want to fight anymore. The only thing he has to hope for is death.
When this section starts, time has apparently passed. Winston is in a more comfortable cell being fed regularly and getting stronger. This must mean that he has completed the second phase of the Party. He's gotten to a point where he no longer feels the need for human interaction or emotion because the Party has stripped him of that. The only thing Winston feels is what comes with basic human instict, happiness with being fed and not being beaten. The Party has almost completely gotten to him, but he does still have his loyalty for Julia. Though there is no real love there, he feels an obligation to her and a pride that he has not betrayed her. However, that all changes when he lets loose words about Julia, proclaiming she's his love.
Shortly after his statement, the guards come in and Winston is taken to room 101, which he finds scary, but not as bad as before. However, what O'brien has in mind for Winston at this visit is much worse than any beating. Because he's been watching Winston for years, O'brien knows what his fear is - rats. He threatens Winston with a rat cage designed specifically designed for torture. This is finally what sends Winston over the edge to a point where he loses that loyalty and pride and, not even reluctantly, asks if Julia could take his place. This is the end of his time at the ministry for they feel he has completed the three steps fully and can go on supporting and believing in the Party.
The last section has finally come and we see that Winston was never shot, but instead reintroduced back into Oceania life. He is back to drinking the victory gin, which is still horrible, but he pays no mind to that fact. His life has fallen into a routine where he spends most of his days at the Chestnut Tree restaurant listening to the telescreen, playing chess. It's evident that his life has no meaning, but he believes fully in what the Party tells him. Though he still has faint memories of life before his capture, nothing is complete and, therefore, he is an empty soul.
While he is playing his chess game, he realizes that white always wins over black and he makes the comparisson of good always winning over evil. What I wonder is if it's supposed to symbolize the Proles rebelling in the future over the Party or , since Winston now believes the Party is good, the never-ending rule of the Party. Since he believes the Party is good, does that mean they will always win??
One day, just by chance, Winston actually met Julia in the park. I am surprised that she was still alive because her soul was no more against the Party than Syme's. Her only disagreement with them was that they controlled her femininity and sexuality. There is clearly no love between them when they meet, there never was. But now that the Party has instilled a fear into them and stripped them of their natural urges, they do not feel a need to catch up or show any feeling toward one another. Julia does reveal to Winston that she betrayed him and he isn't angry because he did the same. Only two people who have gone through what they did can understand why they did it - it is only now that they have a bond with each other, but it doesn't matter. They depart and never see each other again.
It is revealed that Winston is no longer being heavily watched by the Party and that there's not even a telescreen with him anymore. He got his wish for freedom, but doesn't know what to do with it - he has no desire to do anything the Party considers illegal. I think that it's because the Party no longer watches him that he's fallen into such a routine, depressing pattern. He is now alone in the world with nobody watching him and nobody interacting with him. Though he wasn't shot, he is virtually dead. In the end, he does come to a point where he loves Big Brother and that is the point where I realize that the Party has vaporized his spirit. That is a fate much worse than a murdersome death.
One of the first things O'brien explains is the book that Winston was to read. In that book it explains that there will always be potential for the Proles to rebell. But O'brien, who wrote it, believes other wise, that the Proles will never rebell. I myself would like to believe that they will rebell at some point in life. But why should they? They are not under the same constrictions as Party members; they can sing and have their own thoughts and that may just be enough for them.
Finally, O'brien asks Winston why the Party rules the way they do. Winston ponders this for quite some time before giving the answer he thinks O'brien will find the most satisfactory. His reply: "You are ruling over us for our own good." This sets off a spark within O'brien and he pulls the lever, releasing pain on Winston. Then he is quick to correct stating that the Party controls people for their own sake. The people of the Party wish to be immortal throughout time. As I was reading this, I thought it was fairly selfish, but I was unsurprised. Why else would one afflict such oppression on others? One thing I find very hypocritical about O'brien would be that he says he is not involved with the Party for wealth or luxury, but he lives in one of the most amazing houses in Oceania. He also has the food of the past...If he was as uninterested in luxury as he says, he wouldn't be living an opulent lifestyle.
The next part of the section was almost frightening to me. Winston is looking up at O'brien and thinking of how old he looks when O'brien actually reads his thoughts and states it back to him. Is he trained that well in the art of thought that he knows what Winston is thinking? Or is it the machine that he's hooked up to? Either way, the thought of somebody knowing my every thought is quite terrifying.
From here, O'brien goes into this whole harangue about how the individual is only a cell and how nothing can be done unless multiple people are involved. I strongly disagree with this because everything has to start with one person. If one person could be brave enough to stand up and get a group to rally against the Party, maybe rebellion could be possible and freedom attained.
The two then go on to argue about the world and life. Winston refuses to believe the Party controls everything because they do not control weather or gravity or pain which I have been thinking this entire time. However, O'brien squashes these thoughts in Winston's and my own mind when he describes how the Party controls everything. If the Party controls the mind and people believe what they are being fed, anything can be anything. If the Party says it's warm at 30 degrees, people will believe it and they will think it is warm. It is sickening and O'brien's words have destroyed a lot of my thoughts that I've had throughout the book because I had not thought that deep into the Party's control.
O'brien goes on to talk about the future which is even scarier than the present time Winston is living in. The way of life he is talking about is meaningless and devolved. There will be no love, no science, no literature, and no feelings. People will not even think to rebell because in the future there will be no remnants of the past. However, if the Party creates a world devoid of any emotion, there will also be no hate and that is what the Party runs on. According to O'brien, power is the ability to make people suffer, but if the people reach a point where they no longer feel they're suffering or hate the government, then they will think nothing of living equally among the inner Party members and a disadvanced balance will be established. So even if a rebellion never occurs, the Partry will eventually fail.
Toward the end of the section, O'brien really plays into Winston's emotions and vulnerability by showing him what he looks like for the first time since he's been in the Ministry. The image that stares back at Winston from the mirror is almost unrecognizable because he is rotting away. He didn't realize the condition he was in, but the depiction of him is quite grotesque. O'brien does this to break Winston down to a point where even his own spirit is irrecognizable, so that rebuilding can begin. Unfortunately, it works and Winston breaks down to a point where he doesn't want to fight anymore. The only thing he has to hope for is death.
When this section starts, time has apparently passed. Winston is in a more comfortable cell being fed regularly and getting stronger. This must mean that he has completed the second phase of the Party. He's gotten to a point where he no longer feels the need for human interaction or emotion because the Party has stripped him of that. The only thing Winston feels is what comes with basic human instict, happiness with being fed and not being beaten. The Party has almost completely gotten to him, but he does still have his loyalty for Julia. Though there is no real love there, he feels an obligation to her and a pride that he has not betrayed her. However, that all changes when he lets loose words about Julia, proclaiming she's his love.
Shortly after his statement, the guards come in and Winston is taken to room 101, which he finds scary, but not as bad as before. However, what O'brien has in mind for Winston at this visit is much worse than any beating. Because he's been watching Winston for years, O'brien knows what his fear is - rats. He threatens Winston with a rat cage designed specifically designed for torture. This is finally what sends Winston over the edge to a point where he loses that loyalty and pride and, not even reluctantly, asks if Julia could take his place. This is the end of his time at the ministry for they feel he has completed the three steps fully and can go on supporting and believing in the Party.
The last section has finally come and we see that Winston was never shot, but instead reintroduced back into Oceania life. He is back to drinking the victory gin, which is still horrible, but he pays no mind to that fact. His life has fallen into a routine where he spends most of his days at the Chestnut Tree restaurant listening to the telescreen, playing chess. It's evident that his life has no meaning, but he believes fully in what the Party tells him. Though he still has faint memories of life before his capture, nothing is complete and, therefore, he is an empty soul.
While he is playing his chess game, he realizes that white always wins over black and he makes the comparisson of good always winning over evil. What I wonder is if it's supposed to symbolize the Proles rebelling in the future over the Party or , since Winston now believes the Party is good, the never-ending rule of the Party. Since he believes the Party is good, does that mean they will always win??
One day, just by chance, Winston actually met Julia in the park. I am surprised that she was still alive because her soul was no more against the Party than Syme's. Her only disagreement with them was that they controlled her femininity and sexuality. There is clearly no love between them when they meet, there never was. But now that the Party has instilled a fear into them and stripped them of their natural urges, they do not feel a need to catch up or show any feeling toward one another. Julia does reveal to Winston that she betrayed him and he isn't angry because he did the same. Only two people who have gone through what they did can understand why they did it - it is only now that they have a bond with each other, but it doesn't matter. They depart and never see each other again.
It is revealed that Winston is no longer being heavily watched by the Party and that there's not even a telescreen with him anymore. He got his wish for freedom, but doesn't know what to do with it - he has no desire to do anything the Party considers illegal. I think that it's because the Party no longer watches him that he's fallen into such a routine, depressing pattern. He is now alone in the world with nobody watching him and nobody interacting with him. Though he wasn't shot, he is virtually dead. In the end, he does come to a point where he loves Big Brother and that is the point where I realize that the Party has vaporized his spirit. That is a fate much worse than a murdersome death.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
1984 pages 225 - 260 Week 7
This section of reading begins after Winston has been captured and taken from Julia. He describes the room as "high-ceilinged and windowless with walls of glittering white porcelain." This is a somewhat ironic setting because one would normally picture a room such as the one he's in to be dark, dreary, and filthy. It's like the entire country of Oceania; the sky is always described as blue and things in the city lacks the gloominess one would expect with the oppression that goes on there. However, even though the room is white and clean, it is definitely known that the people are not to be comfortable, as noted by the thin bench they are forced to sit still on or else the telescreen will yell at them. What I want to know is why that telescreen still holds the power that it does. Winston is already starving and in the Ministry, so what is stopping him from acting out? I don't know how his situation can be any worse because he already knows what's coming, he might as well do what he feels like until his time comes.
It is also stated that Winston was put in another cell prior to this one which was dirty. This one was a mixture of both Party members and proles. It's amazing that the proles who are supposidly the low lifes of Oceania know they have nothing to be scared of. They are not the ones who are going to be tortured, but it is instead the Party members who need to be frightened. I thought that the proles would be tortured just as much as the Party members just for being apart of that low class.
As he's sitting in the filthy cell, it is mentioned that Winston couldn't think about Julia. He says that he loves her and that's a fact, but I don't believe they were ever in love. I think Winston was in love with the idea of Julia. The idea that having her was a rebellion against the party. I also feel that Winston wanted somebody to talk to and he got that from her, even though she didn't listen.
Still sitting in the cell, Winston believes that the razor blade will be coming to him. While it could be later rather than sooner, he thinks that blade is coming. Unfortunately, that blade will not becoming to him. I can't figure out if he's still in denial about the Brotherhood and genuinely thinks the blade will be coming, or if he's just thinking about it as a way to keep his spirits up and take his mind off of the things around him.
One thing I noticed about his predicament is that he does not know what time of the day it is and does not know how long he has been there. The lights never go on or off to signify day or night. This would have to drive Winston crazy after so long to never know how long he has been in the Ministry and it's definitely a tactic used by the Ministry to make people feel less sane.
It is when the poet, Ampleforth, enters the room that Winston finally breaks his silence. Partly out of curiosity and also because he still thinks someone is coming with that razor. I just can't believe how much in denial Winston is about O'brien! He still trusts this guy as if he's going to set him free when it's obvious that he helped put him there. Well, surprise surprise, Ampleforth wasn't the bearer of the razor blade. He's there because he was unable to remove the word 'God' from a poem. What's sad is that he tried his hardest to do so but couldn't find anything else to work. I think this shows that no matter how much the Party tries they will never be able to erase everything from the past.
As Winston sits in the cell, prisoners are constantly coming and going, but the one that is not surprising is Parons. In a way it's ironic that he was always commending his children on busting thought criminals and they turned him in. However, it's not a shocker at all that he's in there because we knew from the beginning that his children would eventually turn on him. Parsons himself is in great denial when he's there because he continues yet to lend panegyric compliments to his children even though they're responsible for his imminent demise. What I find quite strange is that he is there because he talked in his sleep. He said "Down with Big Brother" but during the two minutes hate it was perfectly okay. It makes me angry at the Party that they do not take into consideration that people dream what they have done in the past. This man is praising his children for turning in thought criminals, yet he is there because he is supposidly against the Party. It is twisted in every way.
Soon after Parson's removal to the dreaded room 101, another prisoner is thrown into the cell. His frail appearance is terrifying to Winston who feels now as though he is being starved. This man is wasting away and when a fellow prisoner finally offers him a piece of bread he doesn't take it because he knows what will happen if he does. Suddenly a brutal man storms into the room and bludgens the giver of the bread with his trencheon. What I want to know is why the Party doesn't search its criminals' pockets. It would seem the logical thing to do so that bread doesn't get smuggled in to be fed to their prisoners.
After this incident, an officer comes to take away the starving man to room 101. Here we see just how horrible 101 must be because this brittle man throws himself at the mercy of the officer and heavily importunes him not to go there. He even tries to make them take in one of the other cell members in an attempt to escape this room. In the end he doesn't win against the healthy, strong officer. All he really succeeds in doing is making everyone else in the cell more horrified.
A time comes when Winston is all alone in the cell. The white light is inducing faintness and the position he's in on the bench is highly uncomfortable. These are definitely stress techniques which are apparently timeless because they're similar to some of the things done at Guantanamo Bay. In fact, this whole situatation is eerily similar to Guantanamo Bay - innocent people being questioned under harsh conditions with little sleep and loads of stress. It creates a forced confession.
Suddenly, Winston hears the boots approaching again and this time it's O'brien. I wonder what it is about Winston that is so special to O'brien. I'm sure O'brien catches many of these criminals through his tricks, but why is Winston important enough to deserve a special word before he's taken away? Is it because he is so overtly against the party that O'brien considers him a more important case?
From his cell, Winston is taken to room 101. It is in deed as horrible as it was foreshaddowed to be. The torture afflicted upon Winston was beyond gruesome and I had a hard time reading it. As a result of the brutality, Winston confesses to anything asked of him yet the torture still continues. It appears to be never-ending but then O'brien comes into the room. It is at this time that we finally learn why the Party tortures its prisoners the way that they do.
O'brien explains that he could care less about what Winston says or confesses, but he wants him to believe in what he's confessing. People never leave the Ministry without a clean mind which believes in the Party whether they're going back to Oceania life or being shot. The goal is to believe that two plus two equals five. One quote sticks out in my mind that was said to Winston presumably by O'brien, "For seven years I have watched over you. Now the turning point has come. I shall save you." I don't think this was a quote meaning 'I will save you from this torture,' but instead, a quote meaning 'I will save you from your (antiParty) thoughts.'
When O'brien is questioning Winston, he asks him questions about his memory. He then pulls out the picture Winston came across of the three convicted men whom Winston knew were innocent of the crimes. This picture is years old, yet they have been saving it. Has the Party been planning this moment for years? Just waiting for the right time to take Winston in and "save" his mind?
It is at the end of the chapter that one of the most horriffic events takes place. The doctor places a machine on Winston's head and O'brien begins to ask questions. What is so scary is that Winston is at a state where he doesn't know the correct answer, but they are somehow brainwashing him. He is starting to believe like they do, only not by choice. It completely goes against what he was telling Julia earlier about the Party - that they could make you say anything but never believe it. He no longer has any control over his life and I don't know what's worse for him, if he lives or if he dies.
It is also stated that Winston was put in another cell prior to this one which was dirty. This one was a mixture of both Party members and proles. It's amazing that the proles who are supposidly the low lifes of Oceania know they have nothing to be scared of. They are not the ones who are going to be tortured, but it is instead the Party members who need to be frightened. I thought that the proles would be tortured just as much as the Party members just for being apart of that low class.
As he's sitting in the filthy cell, it is mentioned that Winston couldn't think about Julia. He says that he loves her and that's a fact, but I don't believe they were ever in love. I think Winston was in love with the idea of Julia. The idea that having her was a rebellion against the party. I also feel that Winston wanted somebody to talk to and he got that from her, even though she didn't listen.
Still sitting in the cell, Winston believes that the razor blade will be coming to him. While it could be later rather than sooner, he thinks that blade is coming. Unfortunately, that blade will not becoming to him. I can't figure out if he's still in denial about the Brotherhood and genuinely thinks the blade will be coming, or if he's just thinking about it as a way to keep his spirits up and take his mind off of the things around him.
One thing I noticed about his predicament is that he does not know what time of the day it is and does not know how long he has been there. The lights never go on or off to signify day or night. This would have to drive Winston crazy after so long to never know how long he has been in the Ministry and it's definitely a tactic used by the Ministry to make people feel less sane.
It is when the poet, Ampleforth, enters the room that Winston finally breaks his silence. Partly out of curiosity and also because he still thinks someone is coming with that razor. I just can't believe how much in denial Winston is about O'brien! He still trusts this guy as if he's going to set him free when it's obvious that he helped put him there. Well, surprise surprise, Ampleforth wasn't the bearer of the razor blade. He's there because he was unable to remove the word 'God' from a poem. What's sad is that he tried his hardest to do so but couldn't find anything else to work. I think this shows that no matter how much the Party tries they will never be able to erase everything from the past.
As Winston sits in the cell, prisoners are constantly coming and going, but the one that is not surprising is Parons. In a way it's ironic that he was always commending his children on busting thought criminals and they turned him in. However, it's not a shocker at all that he's in there because we knew from the beginning that his children would eventually turn on him. Parsons himself is in great denial when he's there because he continues yet to lend panegyric compliments to his children even though they're responsible for his imminent demise. What I find quite strange is that he is there because he talked in his sleep. He said "Down with Big Brother" but during the two minutes hate it was perfectly okay. It makes me angry at the Party that they do not take into consideration that people dream what they have done in the past. This man is praising his children for turning in thought criminals, yet he is there because he is supposidly against the Party. It is twisted in every way.
Soon after Parson's removal to the dreaded room 101, another prisoner is thrown into the cell. His frail appearance is terrifying to Winston who feels now as though he is being starved. This man is wasting away and when a fellow prisoner finally offers him a piece of bread he doesn't take it because he knows what will happen if he does. Suddenly a brutal man storms into the room and bludgens the giver of the bread with his trencheon. What I want to know is why the Party doesn't search its criminals' pockets. It would seem the logical thing to do so that bread doesn't get smuggled in to be fed to their prisoners.
After this incident, an officer comes to take away the starving man to room 101. Here we see just how horrible 101 must be because this brittle man throws himself at the mercy of the officer and heavily importunes him not to go there. He even tries to make them take in one of the other cell members in an attempt to escape this room. In the end he doesn't win against the healthy, strong officer. All he really succeeds in doing is making everyone else in the cell more horrified.
A time comes when Winston is all alone in the cell. The white light is inducing faintness and the position he's in on the bench is highly uncomfortable. These are definitely stress techniques which are apparently timeless because they're similar to some of the things done at Guantanamo Bay. In fact, this whole situatation is eerily similar to Guantanamo Bay - innocent people being questioned under harsh conditions with little sleep and loads of stress. It creates a forced confession.
Suddenly, Winston hears the boots approaching again and this time it's O'brien. I wonder what it is about Winston that is so special to O'brien. I'm sure O'brien catches many of these criminals through his tricks, but why is Winston important enough to deserve a special word before he's taken away? Is it because he is so overtly against the party that O'brien considers him a more important case?
From his cell, Winston is taken to room 101. It is in deed as horrible as it was foreshaddowed to be. The torture afflicted upon Winston was beyond gruesome and I had a hard time reading it. As a result of the brutality, Winston confesses to anything asked of him yet the torture still continues. It appears to be never-ending but then O'brien comes into the room. It is at this time that we finally learn why the Party tortures its prisoners the way that they do.
O'brien explains that he could care less about what Winston says or confesses, but he wants him to believe in what he's confessing. People never leave the Ministry without a clean mind which believes in the Party whether they're going back to Oceania life or being shot. The goal is to believe that two plus two equals five. One quote sticks out in my mind that was said to Winston presumably by O'brien, "For seven years I have watched over you. Now the turning point has come. I shall save you." I don't think this was a quote meaning 'I will save you from this torture,' but instead, a quote meaning 'I will save you from your (antiParty) thoughts.'
When O'brien is questioning Winston, he asks him questions about his memory. He then pulls out the picture Winston came across of the three convicted men whom Winston knew were innocent of the crimes. This picture is years old, yet they have been saving it. Has the Party been planning this moment for years? Just waiting for the right time to take Winston in and "save" his mind?
It is at the end of the chapter that one of the most horriffic events takes place. The doctor places a machine on Winston's head and O'brien begins to ask questions. What is so scary is that Winston is at a state where he doesn't know the correct answer, but they are somehow brainwashing him. He is starting to believe like they do, only not by choice. It completely goes against what he was telling Julia earlier about the Party - that they could make you say anything but never believe it. He no longer has any control over his life and I don't know what's worse for him, if he lives or if he dies.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
1984 pages 179 -224 Week 6
Well, Winston finally has "the book" in his posession. When he finally gets a chance to read it, it's not at all what I was expecting. I was expecting some sort of book of plans and rules of the brotherhood but it wasn't. At first the book appeared to be some sort of brainwashing book, but then, as Winston read further, I didn't even know what to call it. It's not a guide line for how to be in the Party or Brotherhood, it just tells how the Party came about and why things are the way they are. Informative? Yes. Interesting? Not really. Winston makes the comment that "the best books are those that tell you what you know already." I must say that I disagree with his thinking. While some instances were new, most of the book consisted of what I (and Winston) had already concluded.
One of the things that the book did teach me which I found interesting was the reason why war was happening. It's a way to oppress the people and gain control over labor power. I was also surprised to hear that Eastasia, Eurasia, and Oceania were all allies. I had been confused about the triangle all throughout the book and I hadn't even imagined that it was a conspiracy/plan of the three countries.
The book also helped me to better understand the slogan: IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. The book says that people will never rebell because they are given no reason to. By not allowing the people to even know that there's a better life, they have no reason to rebell because they think what they have is as good as it gets.
Within the IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH chapter, the perfect Party member is described as one who can tell a blatent lie and actually believe it. It also says that at age 16 teenagers will be evaluated to see where they fall in the party. This makes me wonder why Julia isn't an Inner Party member. She appears to have been leading the life of a model party member for many years and it seems kind of strange that she wouldn't be an Inner Party member.
Something that I took as foreshaddowing throughout "the book" was the emphasis on the high, middle, and low classes. It is explained that the only way the 'high' can be overthrown, as shown in history, is when the middle class feels oppressed enough to rebell. It also illudes to the fact that the Proles (Low class) could never rebell because they are too dumb. However, I think that the Proles are planning something. For example, the woman singing is comparable to a free bird. She must have a reason to be feeling free. The Proles make up 85% of the population and I don't find it inconceivable that they could overthrow the Party.
After reading the IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH chapter to Julia aloud, Winston discovers that she was asleep most of the time. After taking a nap he wakes her and they go stand by the window watching the Prole woman sing. It is here that the telescreen speaks back to them. It repeats everything they say and then the picture falls off the wall and it's revealed that the telescreen has actually been behind it the entire time. Police men begin barging into the room where Winston and Julia have been staying for so long now.
The picture that Orwell creates in this scene is absolutely horrible for me. The police are so bestial and violent, yet Winston and Julia can't do anything about it. It's been obvious that this moment was coming for a long time, but I didn't want it to. There was definite foreshaddowing in the room that day in the way everything was so calm and Julia's remark about the cold (death). In my opinion, the worst part of the attack was when they carried Julia away and Winston said he never saw her again. For some reason I figured they would meet up later, but I guess the police don't have a reason to put them together.
As Winston is being drug down the stairs Mr. Charrington is staring back at him, though his appearance has completely changed. Winston finally realizes that he's actually a member of the thought police. I have been pulling for Winston throughout the entire book, but I kind of questioned his stupidity. Did he really think that he everything was going to be easy because he found a secret room? I suppose it is possible that he knew something was't right with the antique shop and wanted to die, but I really believe he was clueless about the situation.
One of the things that the book did teach me which I found interesting was the reason why war was happening. It's a way to oppress the people and gain control over labor power. I was also surprised to hear that Eastasia, Eurasia, and Oceania were all allies. I had been confused about the triangle all throughout the book and I hadn't even imagined that it was a conspiracy/plan of the three countries.
The book also helped me to better understand the slogan: IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. The book says that people will never rebell because they are given no reason to. By not allowing the people to even know that there's a better life, they have no reason to rebell because they think what they have is as good as it gets.
Within the IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH chapter, the perfect Party member is described as one who can tell a blatent lie and actually believe it. It also says that at age 16 teenagers will be evaluated to see where they fall in the party. This makes me wonder why Julia isn't an Inner Party member. She appears to have been leading the life of a model party member for many years and it seems kind of strange that she wouldn't be an Inner Party member.
Something that I took as foreshaddowing throughout "the book" was the emphasis on the high, middle, and low classes. It is explained that the only way the 'high' can be overthrown, as shown in history, is when the middle class feels oppressed enough to rebell. It also illudes to the fact that the Proles (Low class) could never rebell because they are too dumb. However, I think that the Proles are planning something. For example, the woman singing is comparable to a free bird. She must have a reason to be feeling free. The Proles make up 85% of the population and I don't find it inconceivable that they could overthrow the Party.
After reading the IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH chapter to Julia aloud, Winston discovers that she was asleep most of the time. After taking a nap he wakes her and they go stand by the window watching the Prole woman sing. It is here that the telescreen speaks back to them. It repeats everything they say and then the picture falls off the wall and it's revealed that the telescreen has actually been behind it the entire time. Police men begin barging into the room where Winston and Julia have been staying for so long now.
The picture that Orwell creates in this scene is absolutely horrible for me. The police are so bestial and violent, yet Winston and Julia can't do anything about it. It's been obvious that this moment was coming for a long time, but I didn't want it to. There was definite foreshaddowing in the room that day in the way everything was so calm and Julia's remark about the cold (death). In my opinion, the worst part of the attack was when they carried Julia away and Winston said he never saw her again. For some reason I figured they would meet up later, but I guess the police don't have a reason to put them together.
As Winston is being drug down the stairs Mr. Charrington is staring back at him, though his appearance has completely changed. Winston finally realizes that he's actually a member of the thought police. I have been pulling for Winston throughout the entire book, but I kind of questioned his stupidity. Did he really think that he everything was going to be easy because he found a secret room? I suppose it is possible that he knew something was't right with the antique shop and wanted to die, but I really believe he was clueless about the situation.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
1984 pages 157 - 179 week 5
"At last they were face to face, and it seemed that his only impulse was to run away." The 'they' being spoken of here is Winston and O'Brien. The day finally came that O'Brien approached Winston. He brings up the topic of Winston's Newspeak skills and how he writes it very elegantly. O'Brien then invites Winston into his office where he actually gives directions to his house to pick up a Newspeak dictionary. The entire time, Winston is incredibly nervous about what it could possibly mean. As of this point the reader does not know that O'Brien is indeed a member of the Brotherhood and his motives are still questionable. However, from the feelings Winston gives off, it's easy to draw a conclusion that O'Brien is indeed a good man.
In the next section, Winston wakes up with tears in his eyes from a dream he's had. This time, his dream is much more specific and the reader gets to learn about his past. In the period of Winston's dream, the Revolution is just starting. It is a time prior to food rations and total control. It is revealed that Winston's father left at a young age and that his mother, though she fulfilled her duties, became quite depressed. However, Winston was at an age where he was selfish and ignorant to the feelings of others around him. I partly understand young Winston's point of view because he was at a naive age and had grown up with an okay life prior to the war. However, I also agree with Julia and think him to be a "swine" for the way he behaved with his mother and how he treated his sister.
Winston recalls how his mother would hold his sister and "give her love because that's all she had to give" and this sparks an epiphany within Winston. The main lesson Winston, as well as the reader, learns is that the government may be able to control what the Party members do, but the government cannot control their thoughts. I thought this was a very powerful "A-ha" moment that Winston had. I've been thinking the same thought through the entire book and I'm glad Winston finally realized the true power of the party.
I feel that one of the most significant parts of this epiphany is when Winston actually breaks through to Julia. She's beginning to follow him on another level than the one she's been taught by the party. Her accepting the fact that the party can never make her believe their skewed views is almost touching. At the same time, though, I still don't buy that she's been completely converted to Winston's views.
In the next section, we find Winston and Julia at O'Brien's house. When they first enter the house , O'Brien acts oddly disinterested in them, but then the telescreen goes off. As of this moment, Winston doesn't even know what to say. Still, nothing has been confirmed to him that O'brien is a Brotherhood member. The tension and fright of this awkward silence made me really feel the nervousness that Winston was going through. Finally Winston just put everything out in the open about who he thought O'Brien truly was. It turns out that Winston has been right all along and that he was actually accosted for the purpose of joining the Brotherhood.
From there, O'Brien goes into an entire list of questions - some expected some morbid. For example: "If, for example, it would somehow serve our interests to throw sulphuric acid in a child's face - are you prepared to do that?" Winston's reply: "Yes." I suppose it just shows the desperation that Winston has been facing all these years for a way out of the Party life.
Another question posed to Winston is if he and Julia would be able to seperate from each other if the conditions imposed. Julia quickly answers no which I find kind of intriguing. She's been with numerous men prior to Winston, so it almost shocked me to find out she loved him that much - especially considering that she falls asleep whenever Winston talks about something that interests him. What I find most interesting about this, though, is that I belive Winston would have answered yes to the question. I think he is so desperate to be apart of the Brotherhood that he would not say anything which would possibly risk not getting in.
Following the previous question, O'Brien explains that some Brotherhood members actually end up having to undergo a reconstructive surgery for protection and survival. They then start over a new life with their appearance and voice unrecognizeable. One thought popped into my head (and I realize you probably think I'm crazy already) is that maybe Julia is actually Katherine. The way he was bringing Katherine up around Julia followed by this surgery revelation actually does lead me to wonder if Julia is really Katherine with a new outlook on life...
O'Brien then goes on to tell what the Brotherhood is all about. Obviously it is extremely secretive, but it is also untraceable. Each member only knows of 3 or 4 other members so it can never be diminished. It is also revealed that Goldstein is a real man who is alive and is the leader of the Brotherhood. It only adds to the irony of "Big Brother is Watching You." First off, the Party knows that Big Brother does exist. Second, they use it as negative propaganda when really they're the ones watching people, not Big Brother.
After a couple glasses of wine, which Winston doesn't even enjoy, (because the party's heavy gin is the only thing which will put him in a haze) Winston leaves the house. O'Brien turns on the telescreen and everything goes back to normal. What I wonder is if, other than reading the Brotherhood book, Winston will actually be apart of something bigger. How much will being in the Brotherhood change his life if he has to keep it a secret and continue to life among the Party members? Never-the-less, he still has a new perspective on his life which will continue to give him hope as he goes on with his life.
In the next section, Winston wakes up with tears in his eyes from a dream he's had. This time, his dream is much more specific and the reader gets to learn about his past. In the period of Winston's dream, the Revolution is just starting. It is a time prior to food rations and total control. It is revealed that Winston's father left at a young age and that his mother, though she fulfilled her duties, became quite depressed. However, Winston was at an age where he was selfish and ignorant to the feelings of others around him. I partly understand young Winston's point of view because he was at a naive age and had grown up with an okay life prior to the war. However, I also agree with Julia and think him to be a "swine" for the way he behaved with his mother and how he treated his sister.
Winston recalls how his mother would hold his sister and "give her love because that's all she had to give" and this sparks an epiphany within Winston. The main lesson Winston, as well as the reader, learns is that the government may be able to control what the Party members do, but the government cannot control their thoughts. I thought this was a very powerful "A-ha" moment that Winston had. I've been thinking the same thought through the entire book and I'm glad Winston finally realized the true power of the party.
I feel that one of the most significant parts of this epiphany is when Winston actually breaks through to Julia. She's beginning to follow him on another level than the one she's been taught by the party. Her accepting the fact that the party can never make her believe their skewed views is almost touching. At the same time, though, I still don't buy that she's been completely converted to Winston's views.
In the next section, we find Winston and Julia at O'Brien's house. When they first enter the house , O'Brien acts oddly disinterested in them, but then the telescreen goes off. As of this moment, Winston doesn't even know what to say. Still, nothing has been confirmed to him that O'brien is a Brotherhood member. The tension and fright of this awkward silence made me really feel the nervousness that Winston was going through. Finally Winston just put everything out in the open about who he thought O'Brien truly was. It turns out that Winston has been right all along and that he was actually accosted for the purpose of joining the Brotherhood.
From there, O'Brien goes into an entire list of questions - some expected some morbid. For example: "If, for example, it would somehow serve our interests to throw sulphuric acid in a child's face - are you prepared to do that?" Winston's reply: "Yes." I suppose it just shows the desperation that Winston has been facing all these years for a way out of the Party life.
Another question posed to Winston is if he and Julia would be able to seperate from each other if the conditions imposed. Julia quickly answers no which I find kind of intriguing. She's been with numerous men prior to Winston, so it almost shocked me to find out she loved him that much - especially considering that she falls asleep whenever Winston talks about something that interests him. What I find most interesting about this, though, is that I belive Winston would have answered yes to the question. I think he is so desperate to be apart of the Brotherhood that he would not say anything which would possibly risk not getting in.
Following the previous question, O'Brien explains that some Brotherhood members actually end up having to undergo a reconstructive surgery for protection and survival. They then start over a new life with their appearance and voice unrecognizeable. One thought popped into my head (and I realize you probably think I'm crazy already) is that maybe Julia is actually Katherine. The way he was bringing Katherine up around Julia followed by this surgery revelation actually does lead me to wonder if Julia is really Katherine with a new outlook on life...
O'Brien then goes on to tell what the Brotherhood is all about. Obviously it is extremely secretive, but it is also untraceable. Each member only knows of 3 or 4 other members so it can never be diminished. It is also revealed that Goldstein is a real man who is alive and is the leader of the Brotherhood. It only adds to the irony of "Big Brother is Watching You." First off, the Party knows that Big Brother does exist. Second, they use it as negative propaganda when really they're the ones watching people, not Big Brother.
After a couple glasses of wine, which Winston doesn't even enjoy, (because the party's heavy gin is the only thing which will put him in a haze) Winston leaves the house. O'Brien turns on the telescreen and everything goes back to normal. What I wonder is if, other than reading the Brotherhood book, Winston will actually be apart of something bigger. How much will being in the Brotherhood change his life if he has to keep it a secret and continue to life among the Party members? Never-the-less, he still has a new perspective on his life which will continue to give him hope as he goes on with his life.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
1984 pages 117 - 151 (Week 4)
This section begins with Winston going to the place Julia gave him directions to. It is their first private meeting together and Winston is truly excited about it. At this point in the relationship, I don't know if Winston is as in love with Julia as she claims to be with him, though. I think he still feels that sexual desire toward her and that is why he's so elated. It might sound crazy, but I'm pretty sure even the nature around him is pointing to a sexual desire. For example, "The 'bluebells' were so thick underfoot that it was impossible not to tread on them." (bluebells = blue balls) As he is picking the flowers for her, she comes up behind him and takes him through a path in the woods.
While they are navigating, Winston realizes that she's never actually seen him up close in the light before and he starts to become nervous about what she'll think of him - so nervous that he's hardly able to speak to her once they reach the clearing. However, after some small talk he moves closer to her actually says something romantic, "Would you believe that till this moment I didn't know what color your eyes were?" We've never seen this side of Winston before, but it just shows that the loving side of him hasn't been completely stripped away.
Following that line, we see the more insecure side of Winston when he asks if Julia can even bear to look at him and then lists his multiple faults. However, Julia doesn't care that he's not perfect and in the next instant, they are kissing! I was almost elated for Winston when I read this passage because finally, he's getting something he wants in life and this is the first step towards happiness. Then, after I thought about it a little more, I realized that it might not be such a good thing for Winston to become happy because that is the first step toward vaporization. I don't know if it's really foreshaddowing or not, but I don't believe anything good is coming for Winston.
What's somewhat ironic about the situation is that Winston has wanted to have sex with Julia since the first time he saw her and now he finally has his chance and he lacks the desire to. This means little to Julia at this point who is already calling him 'dear' as if they've known each other and been together for a long time. (another ironic instance considering he doesn't even know her name until a few lines later) What's really nice about the relationship is that Winston feels no need to tell any lies to her. He's so open as to say that he wanted to "rape her and murder her afterwards." It's humorous to me because she actually laughs delightedly at this. I probably wouldn't be laughing if, on our first date, a man told me he wanted to rape and kill me - that's more of a third date revelation...It just shows the world they are living in is so incredibly warped. If they were given freedom I don't think they'd even know what to do with it because their minds aren't even alarmed with many things that they probably should be.
As Winston and Julia are talking, she gives him a piece of chocolate which she bought on the black market. She then goes on to describe what a good party member she makes herself appear to be. In essence, she's involved in everything, but doesn't believe in any of it; it stands only only for protection. I wonder how many people are like Julia. She can't be the only one doing this, just as Winston can't be the only one with partial memories of the past.
After conversing, they decide it's time to leave the clearing. On their way, Winston can't help but feel he's seen this place before. When they get to the end of their path, he asks if there is a river and there is! It's like his dream. Suddenly a bird comes flying by and Winston and Julia stop to watch it sing. Obviously this bird is meant to represent a freeing of Winston's sexuality (HTRLLAP: birds = flying, flying = freedom) because they are soon kissing with a softness which was not there the first time. They then go back into the clearing to do the deed. Julia, it turns out, is definitely not a good model for the Jr. Anti-Sex League because she reveals that she's done it scores of times with other party members. This actually turns Winston on even more because its such a difference from his previous wife Katherine.
Before they actually do it, Winston makes a statement which screams irony: "I hate purity, I hate goodness. I don't want any virtue to exist anywhere. I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones." In reality, nothing about the party is pure or good. He wants true human nature which is considered to be a virtueless thing to the party.
The next section begins with Julia awakening from her slumber. She soon becomes business like and starts planning their next meeting place. I almost wonder, seeing as how she's been with many men prior to Winston, if he actually means as much to her as she says. Is Winston just another notch on her belt? Will she see him for a while and then break up with him? Anyway...after she gives Winston the plan she takes off to hand out leaflets for the Anti Sex League, which I must say is quite humorous.
As the section moves on, we find out more about Julia's character as they talk in an old church. She's 26 years old which makes her 13 years Winston's junior. I think this is part of the reason why she is so lively. She has had to live 13 years less as a party member and has no real reccolection of the past before the revolution. One thing that kind of strikes me about her character is that she doesn't believe that any organized revolt against the party could ever take place. She just accepts the party for what it is and is satisfied with breaking the rules. This is another reason why I feel she wouldn't know what to do with freedom if she got it. And, not to get all personal / political, but I think this is part of the reason why we aren't having much of a success rate in Iraq. The people have grown up with those views their entire life and just accept them for what they are. To try and give them freedom is to try changing their culture and what they've always known.
Still in the church, Winston tells Julia of Katherine and how she would always make him do "his duty to the party." This does not shock Julia, for she has had it taught to her her entire life. She says that it works in most cases but you can't always tell because people are "such hypocrites." Another strong instance of irony here because she preaches anti sex to others and yet she's had numerous affairs.
Winston's mind drifts back to him and Katherine in the early part of their marriage. They were lost on a community hike and Winston noticed flowers growing below a cliff and even Katherine came over to look at them. Something I find interesting about this book is that Orwell creates such a dark and grim picture of what London looks like and I get like a sense that everything lacks color and beauty because the party controlls everything. However, the one thing the party cannot control is the universe and nature around them. It's spring and the sky is blue and sunny, flowers are around them, things are blossoming. Early on I made a comment that the leaders of the party were looked at as gods. But really they are no more powerful than any other party member and they can't stop natural beauty from occurring.
In the next section we are taken back to the little room above the antique shop. Winston has struck a deal with Mr. Charrington to use the room for his affair in exchange for money. When Julia gets to the room, she is carrying a bag of goodies for her and Winston to share such as real coffee, sugar, tea, and chocolate. But the real treat is the makeup she has. She is just as excited about it as Winston is. She says in the room she will be a woman who wears heels and dresses and makeup! As of now, this room is a complete escape from the grim world they are living in and they must take full advantage! Of course Winston is wondering where she found everything and she says it came from the inner party members. Proof they are living the high life while the people below them suffer.
As they are laying in bed together, a rat runs across the room and they begin to discuss the unsanitary conditions of London. Attention then is turned toward the picture of the church. Mrs. Hurlbert kind of gave it away that there's something behind it, but there is definite foreshaddowing here. Julia states "I bet that picture's got bugs behind it," referring to actual bugs. What she doesn't realize is that there's a different type of bug, a microphone, behind it.
In the next section preparations for Hate Week have begun. A new 'Hate Song' has been released and banners have been placed everywhere. Even a new propaganda poster has appeared and effigies of Goldstein have been burnt. Really, though, it's all in vein. Who are they hating? Are they even at war or does the party just want them to think that?
As the section continues, we find out that Winston is no longer drinking heavily, he's stopped having coughing fits, and his ulcer has subsided. I guess the Beatles were right when they sang "All You Need is Love." Love and companionship really are necessary for a human to live properly. What I wonder is how long will it be before people start to pick up on Winston's sudden changes?
Another thing I find quite interesting about Julia is that she does not care about what propaganda the party is putting out and what lies they are telling. She knows that things aren't true and therefore she doesn't feel a need to be concerned with them. In some ways I agree with this because obviously her life has been much more pleasant than Winston's because she doesn't get caught up in what's true or false. However, she knows nothing other than lies so subconsciously her life will always be centered around them.
While they are navigating, Winston realizes that she's never actually seen him up close in the light before and he starts to become nervous about what she'll think of him - so nervous that he's hardly able to speak to her once they reach the clearing. However, after some small talk he moves closer to her actually says something romantic, "Would you believe that till this moment I didn't know what color your eyes were?" We've never seen this side of Winston before, but it just shows that the loving side of him hasn't been completely stripped away.
Following that line, we see the more insecure side of Winston when he asks if Julia can even bear to look at him and then lists his multiple faults. However, Julia doesn't care that he's not perfect and in the next instant, they are kissing! I was almost elated for Winston when I read this passage because finally, he's getting something he wants in life and this is the first step towards happiness. Then, after I thought about it a little more, I realized that it might not be such a good thing for Winston to become happy because that is the first step toward vaporization. I don't know if it's really foreshaddowing or not, but I don't believe anything good is coming for Winston.
What's somewhat ironic about the situation is that Winston has wanted to have sex with Julia since the first time he saw her and now he finally has his chance and he lacks the desire to. This means little to Julia at this point who is already calling him 'dear' as if they've known each other and been together for a long time. (another ironic instance considering he doesn't even know her name until a few lines later) What's really nice about the relationship is that Winston feels no need to tell any lies to her. He's so open as to say that he wanted to "rape her and murder her afterwards." It's humorous to me because she actually laughs delightedly at this. I probably wouldn't be laughing if, on our first date, a man told me he wanted to rape and kill me - that's more of a third date revelation...It just shows the world they are living in is so incredibly warped. If they were given freedom I don't think they'd even know what to do with it because their minds aren't even alarmed with many things that they probably should be.
As Winston and Julia are talking, she gives him a piece of chocolate which she bought on the black market. She then goes on to describe what a good party member she makes herself appear to be. In essence, she's involved in everything, but doesn't believe in any of it; it stands only only for protection. I wonder how many people are like Julia. She can't be the only one doing this, just as Winston can't be the only one with partial memories of the past.
After conversing, they decide it's time to leave the clearing. On their way, Winston can't help but feel he's seen this place before. When they get to the end of their path, he asks if there is a river and there is! It's like his dream. Suddenly a bird comes flying by and Winston and Julia stop to watch it sing. Obviously this bird is meant to represent a freeing of Winston's sexuality (HTRLLAP: birds = flying, flying = freedom) because they are soon kissing with a softness which was not there the first time. They then go back into the clearing to do the deed. Julia, it turns out, is definitely not a good model for the Jr. Anti-Sex League because she reveals that she's done it scores of times with other party members. This actually turns Winston on even more because its such a difference from his previous wife Katherine.
Before they actually do it, Winston makes a statement which screams irony: "I hate purity, I hate goodness. I don't want any virtue to exist anywhere. I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones." In reality, nothing about the party is pure or good. He wants true human nature which is considered to be a virtueless thing to the party.
The next section begins with Julia awakening from her slumber. She soon becomes business like and starts planning their next meeting place. I almost wonder, seeing as how she's been with many men prior to Winston, if he actually means as much to her as she says. Is Winston just another notch on her belt? Will she see him for a while and then break up with him? Anyway...after she gives Winston the plan she takes off to hand out leaflets for the Anti Sex League, which I must say is quite humorous.
As the section moves on, we find out more about Julia's character as they talk in an old church. She's 26 years old which makes her 13 years Winston's junior. I think this is part of the reason why she is so lively. She has had to live 13 years less as a party member and has no real reccolection of the past before the revolution. One thing that kind of strikes me about her character is that she doesn't believe that any organized revolt against the party could ever take place. She just accepts the party for what it is and is satisfied with breaking the rules. This is another reason why I feel she wouldn't know what to do with freedom if she got it. And, not to get all personal / political, but I think this is part of the reason why we aren't having much of a success rate in Iraq. The people have grown up with those views their entire life and just accept them for what they are. To try and give them freedom is to try changing their culture and what they've always known.
Still in the church, Winston tells Julia of Katherine and how she would always make him do "his duty to the party." This does not shock Julia, for she has had it taught to her her entire life. She says that it works in most cases but you can't always tell because people are "such hypocrites." Another strong instance of irony here because she preaches anti sex to others and yet she's had numerous affairs.
Winston's mind drifts back to him and Katherine in the early part of their marriage. They were lost on a community hike and Winston noticed flowers growing below a cliff and even Katherine came over to look at them. Something I find interesting about this book is that Orwell creates such a dark and grim picture of what London looks like and I get like a sense that everything lacks color and beauty because the party controlls everything. However, the one thing the party cannot control is the universe and nature around them. It's spring and the sky is blue and sunny, flowers are around them, things are blossoming. Early on I made a comment that the leaders of the party were looked at as gods. But really they are no more powerful than any other party member and they can't stop natural beauty from occurring.
In the next section we are taken back to the little room above the antique shop. Winston has struck a deal with Mr. Charrington to use the room for his affair in exchange for money. When Julia gets to the room, she is carrying a bag of goodies for her and Winston to share such as real coffee, sugar, tea, and chocolate. But the real treat is the makeup she has. She is just as excited about it as Winston is. She says in the room she will be a woman who wears heels and dresses and makeup! As of now, this room is a complete escape from the grim world they are living in and they must take full advantage! Of course Winston is wondering where she found everything and she says it came from the inner party members. Proof they are living the high life while the people below them suffer.
As they are laying in bed together, a rat runs across the room and they begin to discuss the unsanitary conditions of London. Attention then is turned toward the picture of the church. Mrs. Hurlbert kind of gave it away that there's something behind it, but there is definite foreshaddowing here. Julia states "I bet that picture's got bugs behind it," referring to actual bugs. What she doesn't realize is that there's a different type of bug, a microphone, behind it.
In the next section preparations for Hate Week have begun. A new 'Hate Song' has been released and banners have been placed everywhere. Even a new propaganda poster has appeared and effigies of Goldstein have been burnt. Really, though, it's all in vein. Who are they hating? Are they even at war or does the party just want them to think that?
As the section continues, we find out that Winston is no longer drinking heavily, he's stopped having coughing fits, and his ulcer has subsided. I guess the Beatles were right when they sang "All You Need is Love." Love and companionship really are necessary for a human to live properly. What I wonder is how long will it be before people start to pick up on Winston's sudden changes?
Another thing I find quite interesting about Julia is that she does not care about what propaganda the party is putting out and what lies they are telling. She knows that things aren't true and therefore she doesn't feel a need to be concerned with them. In some ways I agree with this because obviously her life has been much more pleasant than Winston's because she doesn't get caught up in what's true or false. However, she knows nothing other than lies so subconsciously her life will always be centered around them.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
1984 pages 81 - 117 Week 3
This section opens with Winston walking through a strange new place. It's stated that he has walked several kilometers to get there and as he continues walking, it doesn't take long to figure out that he is among the proles. When his surroundings are described (the smell of real coffee, people without uniform, etc) it's as though he has entered into a completely different world - one which reminds him of his childhood. While he walks through the streets of the proles, everyone keeps an eye on him because of his blue uniform. The thing which causes him to blend in with the rest of his peers in one place does the exact antithesis here. As far as the proles are concerned, little Winston is a threat.
By being in this different territory Winston is risking his life, not only because he could get caught, but also because of the bombings that occur. It kind of gets me wondering if this country really at war with Eurasia or if they're just saying that. Though, it's clear that they're at war with their own people. After the bomb hits, Winston gets up and keeps on walking. As he goes, he sees a hand severed at the wrist and kicks it into the gutter. In many ways, I don't think that Winston is any different than the rest of the party members. Yes, he tries to avoid the public hangings, but at the same time, he shows the same lack of regard for human life as the rest of the party members.
As Winston continues to explore, he comes across an elderly man whom he thinks could give him some real answers about the past. Unfortunately this man is quite old and quite drunk. The answers that Winston receives are basically meaningless because they don't pertain to society in general.
After speaking with the old man, Winston leaves the bar and sees the antique shop where he purchased the diary. With a nervousness inside himself he enters the shop where the man recognizes him almost instantly. The man begins showing him some of his antiques from before the war. I believe that many of Winston's answers to the past lie within this shop if something could possibly trigger him. After perusing for a while and finding an item, Winston is taken upstairs by the owner. What he finds looks like a paradise. A complete bedroom set up with no telescreen. Something that strikes me is that the owner says he's never had a telescreen because he could never afford one and never saw a need for it. This is another reason why I think Winston is on the same level as the rest of the party members. At one point, he obviously felt a need for the telescreen or else he wouldn't own one. For a moment, Winston contemplates living there, but the idea is shut out of his mind when he realizes that it would be impossible to do so without getting caught.
When Winston leaves the shop he's somewhat fearful because of the item he has brought back with him. What he sees as he's walking home is quite terrifying. The girl who's been following him and watching him has followed him here. The first thought that comes to Winston's mind is killing her and the only reason he doesn't is because she's probably stronger than him. That night he arrives home and describes what it's like to be vaporized. The gov. doesn't just come and take you and kill you, they torture you prior to death. Winston contemplates suicide, but he doesn't go through with it because there's nothing that would make his death easy. Winston doesn't end up vaporized and the next time we see him is at work a few days later.
It is here that he sees the girl again. Her arm is in a sling and as they are walking toward each other, she falls down. Winston actually helps her up despite who he thinks she is and after she walks away, he realizes that she's stuck a note in his hand. Carefully he takes it back to his desk and waits diligently so he can read it without being discovered. When he does finally read it, the words written are a shock to him and also myself. It says "I love you" and Winston doesn't even know what to think about it. He's so stunned that he has to read it multiple times to make sure he's correct. Instantly the wheels start turning in his head and he wonders if it's a set up or if she really does like him. He decides to take the chance and try to talk to her again but it's many days before this chance comes.
Every day in the canteen, Winston wants to go sit by her, but he can't seem to get to her first. I find myself rooting for this poor guy, but nothing goes well for him. Finally Winston gets a moment to sit with her alone, but when he reaches her, he can't speak. Luckily she takes charge and they develop a way that they can meet.
It is in the public square that they get to meet up with each other. They have to wait for precisely the right moment when the crowd is heavy so that they won't be picked up by a telescreen. Their time comes when a convoy of Eurasian prisoners (I guess they are fighting the war) are being driven by and a crowd forms and begins booing at them. It is here when Winston is fighting through the mob that we see a stronger side of Winston, one which is more assertive and willing to fight for what he wants. For a breef moment his meekness is gone. Once he finally reaches the girl, they can't even look at each other, but she gives him directions for a place they can meet up. As they continue to look straight ahead, their hands clasp in the bestial crowd and they share a moment which is all their own. It only took 117 pages for something nice to happen to Winston.
By being in this different territory Winston is risking his life, not only because he could get caught, but also because of the bombings that occur. It kind of gets me wondering if this country really at war with Eurasia or if they're just saying that. Though, it's clear that they're at war with their own people. After the bomb hits, Winston gets up and keeps on walking. As he goes, he sees a hand severed at the wrist and kicks it into the gutter. In many ways, I don't think that Winston is any different than the rest of the party members. Yes, he tries to avoid the public hangings, but at the same time, he shows the same lack of regard for human life as the rest of the party members.
As Winston continues to explore, he comes across an elderly man whom he thinks could give him some real answers about the past. Unfortunately this man is quite old and quite drunk. The answers that Winston receives are basically meaningless because they don't pertain to society in general.
After speaking with the old man, Winston leaves the bar and sees the antique shop where he purchased the diary. With a nervousness inside himself he enters the shop where the man recognizes him almost instantly. The man begins showing him some of his antiques from before the war. I believe that many of Winston's answers to the past lie within this shop if something could possibly trigger him. After perusing for a while and finding an item, Winston is taken upstairs by the owner. What he finds looks like a paradise. A complete bedroom set up with no telescreen. Something that strikes me is that the owner says he's never had a telescreen because he could never afford one and never saw a need for it. This is another reason why I think Winston is on the same level as the rest of the party members. At one point, he obviously felt a need for the telescreen or else he wouldn't own one. For a moment, Winston contemplates living there, but the idea is shut out of his mind when he realizes that it would be impossible to do so without getting caught.
When Winston leaves the shop he's somewhat fearful because of the item he has brought back with him. What he sees as he's walking home is quite terrifying. The girl who's been following him and watching him has followed him here. The first thought that comes to Winston's mind is killing her and the only reason he doesn't is because she's probably stronger than him. That night he arrives home and describes what it's like to be vaporized. The gov. doesn't just come and take you and kill you, they torture you prior to death. Winston contemplates suicide, but he doesn't go through with it because there's nothing that would make his death easy. Winston doesn't end up vaporized and the next time we see him is at work a few days later.
It is here that he sees the girl again. Her arm is in a sling and as they are walking toward each other, she falls down. Winston actually helps her up despite who he thinks she is and after she walks away, he realizes that she's stuck a note in his hand. Carefully he takes it back to his desk and waits diligently so he can read it without being discovered. When he does finally read it, the words written are a shock to him and also myself. It says "I love you" and Winston doesn't even know what to think about it. He's so stunned that he has to read it multiple times to make sure he's correct. Instantly the wheels start turning in his head and he wonders if it's a set up or if she really does like him. He decides to take the chance and try to talk to her again but it's many days before this chance comes.
Every day in the canteen, Winston wants to go sit by her, but he can't seem to get to her first. I find myself rooting for this poor guy, but nothing goes well for him. Finally Winston gets a moment to sit with her alone, but when he reaches her, he can't speak. Luckily she takes charge and they develop a way that they can meet.
It is in the public square that they get to meet up with each other. They have to wait for precisely the right moment when the crowd is heavy so that they won't be picked up by a telescreen. Their time comes when a convoy of Eurasian prisoners (I guess they are fighting the war) are being driven by and a crowd forms and begins booing at them. It is here when Winston is fighting through the mob that we see a stronger side of Winston, one which is more assertive and willing to fight for what he wants. For a breef moment his meekness is gone. Once he finally reaches the girl, they can't even look at each other, but she gives him directions for a place they can meet up. As they continue to look straight ahead, their hands clasp in the bestial crowd and they share a moment which is all their own. It only took 117 pages for something nice to happen to Winston.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
1984 pages 37 - 81 (9/2/08) Week 2
This section begins with Winston at work in the Ministry. It quickly becomes apparent that Winston plays a key role in rewriting history. He receives old articles of the "Times" then rewords them with newspeak to fit the story the Party wants to tell. Work is described as Winston's greatest pleasure which I find kind of crazy. He absolutely despises the party, but takes slight joy in rewriting history. He's even pleased that his story will probably be printed instead of one of the guys' working next to him. I almost wonder if he was a writer before all of this happend. Did the Party just put him at this job because he was good at it? (kind of like what China does)
As the section moves forward, we quickly realize that the Party not only erases people, they create them as well. The story turns to Comrad Ogilvy a man who was deeply dedicated to Oceania. He was a stand out at the age of three because he was already refusing all toys other than ones related to war! As he got older, he came to be one of the best spies for the Party and was considered a role model because he was cellibate and did not smoke. However, this man, is not real. The party created him out of thin air to give the people of Oceania somebody to look up to and respect. What I wonder is this: do the true devotees of the party look up to this man? Do they know they are being wronged? My guess is that they have not the slightest clue that Ogilvy is only a manifestation of the Party.
The next section continues on in the fairly drab lunch room. Right away it is made known that thee cafeteria is serving Victory Gin to its inhabitants. Right there is a big red flag against the Party. They know the conditions are so horrible that they are keeping their citizens / workers intoxicated almost all through the day! I guess something has to keep them going, right?
As he's standing in the lunch room, Winston meets up with his "friend," Syme. I don't know that Winston really considers Syme to be a friend, but it's as close as he's got. Syme is a man who wreaks of intelligence. He's playing a key part in compiling the 11th edition of the Newspeak Dictionary and follows it whole heartedly. He's doing his part to erase every extra needed word that they already have. For instance, why have words such as splendid and excellent when one could use a word like plusgood? That's clearly better! Syme believes that taking the excessive details out of language is a plusgood thing which will only make the people of Oceania sound more intelligent. Really, though, the only thing it's succeeding in doing is making the people sound the exact antithesis. By using simple words for everything, the people will be reduced to just slightly above the level of a caveman. In a way it reverses the evolutionary process of man; if the first step is language, what's the next, actions? Eventually, Oceania could become a basic, underdeveloped civilization. Never-the-less, Syme still referres to the destruction of words as a "beautiful thing."
The whole time that Syme is talking to Winston about the Newspeak Dictionary, Winston can't help but let his mind wander. All he can think about is Syme being vaporized. Winston has a divine and knowledgeable instinct about who will be vaporized and he knows that Syme will be within a couple of years. Simply, he's just too intelligent.
While Winston is still eating lunch, his fellow tennant Mr. Parsons comes to join. Neither Winston nor Syme are excited about this, for Parsons is a fairly foolish man. Upon sitting down, Parsons apologizes to Winston for what his son did to him. However, he then goes on to commend his son and daughter for being keen and able to spot thought criminals. I think this could easily be foreshaddowing that his son or daughter will turn him into the thought police, but I could be wrong.
Not long after Parsons sits down, they are interrupted by a voice on the telescreen. This voice is quite excited and is telling of how the living standards in Oceania have increased. One remark she makes in particular is that chocolate rations have risen to 20 grams per week. Winston right away recognizes this as untrue, but the rest of the people around them don't even realize that just a week ago it was dropped from 30. Winston is quite flustered by this and it makes him question what else has the government changed. However, he should know, he's taking a part in making these changes. I still don't understand how he can love his job yet get angry at how brainwashed people, and partially himself, are. It's a gargantuous contradiction. Still, after the woman disappears, he pretends that he's happy about the great lifestyle and goes along with Parsons and Syme. Winston does make an excellent point, though. He feels that if someone is feeling like their living conditions are wrong, shouldn't that mean that at one point they were better? I agree with this and I wish that he could conjur up some memories to prove that it's true.
Section 6 begins with Winston writing in his diary again. He's writing of a time when he visited a prostitute. It's almost too painful for him to put down on paper. Normally visiting a prostitute isn't something that I would condone, but in Winston's case, I can understand why he did it. He wanted more than just sex, he wanted a release from his current mindframe. As he's trying to write down his incident with the prostitute, we learn that Winston once had a wife named Katherine. In a sense, their marriage was ruined by the Party. Once celibacy was being promoted, Katherine no longer wanted to even be touched by Winston. This made for many awkward times in the union and eventually they seperated. However, Winston doesn't appear to be too upset about the ordeal at all. He appears to be sadder about visiting a prostitute than leaving his wife. When he finally gets his experience down on paper, he's almost more disappointed in himself than before he started because his therapy didn't work.
In the final section of reading, winston begins talking of the proles. The proles consist of 85% of Oceania's population and therefore, they could actually cause a forceful rebellion against the Party. The proles are described to be living in worse conditions than the other 15% but I think it sounds like a much better way of life. Only a few thought police move among them and their lives are much less strict than everyone elses. What I don't understand is why Winston doesn't just go to live with them. How does one become a prole and what's stopping him?
As the section continues, the focus again moves to the changing of history. The Party has created text books which describe capitalists as horrible people and London as dark and miserable. Something that I've been questioning is how the party came to be in control. How did they change the lives of everyone and brainwash them? They obviously know that the past was a much better place for the majority of the citizens yet they chose to change it completely. I'm just curious who is doing it and how they managed to accomplish it.
Eventually the topic is turned to three men who were said to have committed many crimes under Goldstein's party. These men were charged with extreme crimes and they even confessed to them. One day at work, though, Winston found an old article of the Times placing the men at a different place than they said they were at the time of the crimes. However, instead of keeping the article, Winston chooses to burn it. I think that this incident almost haunts Winston. He knows he could have kept it. If not for a rebellion, for his own personal sanity.
At the very end of the section, Winston writes this fragment: "Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two make four. If that is granted all else follows." This is a very powerful statement for him and I hope that he does something to regain the ability have freedom and know the truth.
As the section moves forward, we quickly realize that the Party not only erases people, they create them as well. The story turns to Comrad Ogilvy a man who was deeply dedicated to Oceania. He was a stand out at the age of three because he was already refusing all toys other than ones related to war! As he got older, he came to be one of the best spies for the Party and was considered a role model because he was cellibate and did not smoke. However, this man, is not real. The party created him out of thin air to give the people of Oceania somebody to look up to and respect. What I wonder is this: do the true devotees of the party look up to this man? Do they know they are being wronged? My guess is that they have not the slightest clue that Ogilvy is only a manifestation of the Party.
The next section continues on in the fairly drab lunch room. Right away it is made known that thee cafeteria is serving Victory Gin to its inhabitants. Right there is a big red flag against the Party. They know the conditions are so horrible that they are keeping their citizens / workers intoxicated almost all through the day! I guess something has to keep them going, right?
As he's standing in the lunch room, Winston meets up with his "friend," Syme. I don't know that Winston really considers Syme to be a friend, but it's as close as he's got. Syme is a man who wreaks of intelligence. He's playing a key part in compiling the 11th edition of the Newspeak Dictionary and follows it whole heartedly. He's doing his part to erase every extra needed word that they already have. For instance, why have words such as splendid and excellent when one could use a word like plusgood? That's clearly better! Syme believes that taking the excessive details out of language is a plusgood thing which will only make the people of Oceania sound more intelligent. Really, though, the only thing it's succeeding in doing is making the people sound the exact antithesis. By using simple words for everything, the people will be reduced to just slightly above the level of a caveman. In a way it reverses the evolutionary process of man; if the first step is language, what's the next, actions? Eventually, Oceania could become a basic, underdeveloped civilization. Never-the-less, Syme still referres to the destruction of words as a "beautiful thing."
The whole time that Syme is talking to Winston about the Newspeak Dictionary, Winston can't help but let his mind wander. All he can think about is Syme being vaporized. Winston has a divine and knowledgeable instinct about who will be vaporized and he knows that Syme will be within a couple of years. Simply, he's just too intelligent.
While Winston is still eating lunch, his fellow tennant Mr. Parsons comes to join. Neither Winston nor Syme are excited about this, for Parsons is a fairly foolish man. Upon sitting down, Parsons apologizes to Winston for what his son did to him. However, he then goes on to commend his son and daughter for being keen and able to spot thought criminals. I think this could easily be foreshaddowing that his son or daughter will turn him into the thought police, but I could be wrong.
Not long after Parsons sits down, they are interrupted by a voice on the telescreen. This voice is quite excited and is telling of how the living standards in Oceania have increased. One remark she makes in particular is that chocolate rations have risen to 20 grams per week. Winston right away recognizes this as untrue, but the rest of the people around them don't even realize that just a week ago it was dropped from 30. Winston is quite flustered by this and it makes him question what else has the government changed. However, he should know, he's taking a part in making these changes. I still don't understand how he can love his job yet get angry at how brainwashed people, and partially himself, are. It's a gargantuous contradiction. Still, after the woman disappears, he pretends that he's happy about the great lifestyle and goes along with Parsons and Syme. Winston does make an excellent point, though. He feels that if someone is feeling like their living conditions are wrong, shouldn't that mean that at one point they were better? I agree with this and I wish that he could conjur up some memories to prove that it's true.
Section 6 begins with Winston writing in his diary again. He's writing of a time when he visited a prostitute. It's almost too painful for him to put down on paper. Normally visiting a prostitute isn't something that I would condone, but in Winston's case, I can understand why he did it. He wanted more than just sex, he wanted a release from his current mindframe. As he's trying to write down his incident with the prostitute, we learn that Winston once had a wife named Katherine. In a sense, their marriage was ruined by the Party. Once celibacy was being promoted, Katherine no longer wanted to even be touched by Winston. This made for many awkward times in the union and eventually they seperated. However, Winston doesn't appear to be too upset about the ordeal at all. He appears to be sadder about visiting a prostitute than leaving his wife. When he finally gets his experience down on paper, he's almost more disappointed in himself than before he started because his therapy didn't work.
In the final section of reading, winston begins talking of the proles. The proles consist of 85% of Oceania's population and therefore, they could actually cause a forceful rebellion against the Party. The proles are described to be living in worse conditions than the other 15% but I think it sounds like a much better way of life. Only a few thought police move among them and their lives are much less strict than everyone elses. What I don't understand is why Winston doesn't just go to live with them. How does one become a prole and what's stopping him?
As the section continues, the focus again moves to the changing of history. The Party has created text books which describe capitalists as horrible people and London as dark and miserable. Something that I've been questioning is how the party came to be in control. How did they change the lives of everyone and brainwash them? They obviously know that the past was a much better place for the majority of the citizens yet they chose to change it completely. I'm just curious who is doing it and how they managed to accomplish it.
Eventually the topic is turned to three men who were said to have committed many crimes under Goldstein's party. These men were charged with extreme crimes and they even confessed to them. One day at work, though, Winston found an old article of the Times placing the men at a different place than they said they were at the time of the crimes. However, instead of keeping the article, Winston chooses to burn it. I think that this incident almost haunts Winston. He knows he could have kept it. If not for a rebellion, for his own personal sanity.
At the very end of the section, Winston writes this fragment: "Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two make four. If that is granted all else follows." This is a very powerful statement for him and I hope that he does something to regain the ability have freedom and know the truth.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
1984 pages 1 - 37 (8/26/08)
The story begins by introducing its main character, Winston Smith to us on a cold day in April with vile wind. He enters an apartment complex and as he walks through the hallways, we get a sense that this is probably not the most wonderful place to live. As he goes up the stairs, there are multiple posters of a harsh looking man and the slogan underneath of them reads "Big Brother is Watching You." While we have only seen these government posters a couple times so far, they will proove to be very prominent throughout this first section of reading, and probably the whole book.
Once in the apartment, Orwell give the reader a visual of what Winston looks like. He is a frail man who has a meagerness about him. His small size only emphasizes the appearance of his blue overalls, which are a uniform of the "Party." What is the party? My guess is that it has to do with the government and why Winston is looking the way he is. Winston appears to be a man way beyond his age in years.
Still in his apartment, Winston gazes out his window to see a cold looking world. He describes the wind blowing dust and papers around, and he even describes the sky. However, he fails to mention any people walking around outside. The description he gives of the streets below him is very straight forward if we look at how weather relates to the world around us. By saying the wind is blowing viley and how cold it is, we get a sense that the society is cruel and worn out. What strikes me is when Winston says the sky is a harsh blue, but there doesn't seem to be any color in anything except for the posters. This tells me that the government is the only thing that matters and that almost all personality has been stripped away from Winston, and probably others.
One thing I would like to point out about the posters is how Winston describes them while he's looking out the window. "The black-mustachioed face gazed down from every commanding corner. There was one on the house front immediately opposite." This to me almost sounds like a Godly figure, in the way that it's always watching. Even though it doesn't appear to be a particularly nice figure, it gives the same impression.
From looking out to window, we start to hear about the telescreen. The telescreen picks up every sound louder than a whisper and can actually see what a person is doing. The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear about people being watched is the saying "Character is who you are when nobody is watching." This makes me think how can anyone have character? No one can be an individual if they're not free to develop themselves.
As the book continues, Winston is still gazing out his window. It is now that we are made aware that this city is actually London. What's sad is that he can hardly remember a time when the city didn't look so grim. The houses remind me of what a disaster zone would look like. And apparently it is a disaster zone because he mentions that certain areas have been bombed. Everything looks trecherous, except for one - the Ministry of Truth. The ministry of truth is huge, white, and looks out upon the city. This somewhat affirms my thoughts of the posters being God-like, except now I think it is the government as a whole which is to be treated like God. It's very ironic, though, because the color of white represents innocence, yet this government definitely seems to lack that.
On the fence of the Ministry of Truth there are three slogans of the "Party." They read: WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. All I have to say to that is wow. If this is the type of government people are living with, how do they live? It is so completely corrupt in every way.
Finally, Winston moves away from the window to the kitchen where he downs a tea cup of "Victory Gin." This gives him quite the shock, but it's only a moment before he begins to feel better. He then goes to smoke some "Victory Cigarettes." What does it mean that everything is "Victory?" The apartments, the gin, the smokes - what is the victory? Is it the governments victory that they are controlling every aspect of life down to the cigarettes one buys? I actually find it quite ironic that one of the Victory Cigarettes falls apart when Winston first takes it out of the pack. I think that very cigarette could possibly represent the government falling apart at some point. Then again, the cigar might just be a cigar in this case... Either way, it's ironic, because that cigarette was not a victory, it was a failure.
Soon after Winston lights his cigarette, he is able to find a place outside of the telescreen range! It is here he opens a diary. We soon learn however, that even opening that diary is punishable by death. However, I think Winston is so tired of his current lifestyle that he is to the point of no longer caring. He begins to write. He tells a story about his previous night in which he went to the movies. The movies were all war films and the audience was highly amused whenever somebody was blown up or killed. (in this journal entry I must point out that he talks about helicopters hovering over those in the life boat... freedom symbol? I think so)
After writing for a bit, Winston thinks about his day so far. He describes one girl which he hates because of her involvement with the Junior Anti Sex League. From what he can tell this girl is devoted to the Party. What I find crazy about the government putting on an Anti-Sex League, their population is going to die because there will be no reproduction. So the government may think it's doing a splendid thing for the people by controlling sex as well, but in the end the only chance the government will have at survival is for people to do it.
Winston goes on to describe other people at his work place. One of them is a man named O'Brien and he holds great importance in the ministry. While he is a harsh looking man, he does have a charm about him, which could either be a great thing or a horrible thing.
Soon after O'Brien is depicted, the Two Minutes Hate commences. This is an extremely intense part of the story so far. It is wicked chaos, but how could we expect anything but that? By now, we have definitely gotten a sense of how intrusive the government is and now, the people under its dictatorship have two minutes to show emotion! The amount of tension these people carry around with them is undeniably high and to have two minutes to release it is hardly enough. Inevitably chaos takes over. I do find it strange that the government is actually allowing these two minutes to show hatrid toward them. Do they know they are hated or would they rather see hate happen than, say, Two Minutes Love?
As soon as the hate time ends, people cease their barbaric behavior. And instead of hatrid, they show devotion. They chant BB...BB... over and over as if it's a huge cult and they are worshiping their savior. In fact, one woman actually calls the telescreen her savior and extends her arms toward it as if she wants to be closer. These people are truly brain washed. What's somewhat crazy to me is Winston. He couldn't help but engage in the Two Minute Hate time, but he also, shamefully, chants along with the rest of the office as if he is devoted to the Party as well. It's no wonder he has a drinking problem! However, something happens during that time of Party exhultion; Winston and O'Brien see each other for an instant in a way that says "I feel exactly what you're feeling." This is monumental to Winston because he briefly gets away from the feeling of emense isolation! However, what is kind of ironic about this incident is that, even though they're both thinking thoughts of something other than devotion, they're still thinking the same thing. This tells me that yes, while they aren't completely brainwashed by the party, there are only two ways of thinking. Devotion and Hatrid. So even though this isn't the response the Party wants from its, dare I say, citizens, they've still won because even the thoughts of hate are the same. Still this moment gives Winston hope in others around him.
Suddenly, Winston comes out of his day dream to find that he has written "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" multiple times down his diary. These are words that could easily get him killed. However, I think they are the start of something more. Could a revolt be in the works? Is it possible that the brotherhood really does exist?
As he is writing more words that could cause trouble for him there is a startling knock at the door. He's terrified that somebody might see what he has just written, but yet he leaves it open. I believe this gesture shows that he really doesn't care if he gets murdered for his actions. Luckily(?) for him, it's only Mrs. Parsons, a woman who lives down the hall. She needs help fixing her sink and explains that if her husband Tom were home, he would do it. She says this many times as if Tom isn't coming home. In the time Winston is in her apartment fixing the sink, the children are absolutely wrechid. It's clear that they've been raised with views of the Party and they are very into the polital aspect of their lives. It's fairly creepy how the children are lively yet they have no real identity or soul, yet the parents / older people appear to be old and deathly, yet still contain a slight personality inside of them. One of the reasons that I don't think Tom is coming home is because of what is said about children giving their parents up to the thought police. Judging by the way the kids are behaving and Mrs. Parsons's attitude, that is probably what happened. The poor woman is in denial. But what's worse, being in denial or facing the reality that your own child had your husband vaporized??
When Winston gets back to his apartment, we learn about a dream he once had. In it, someone in the darkness said to him "Someday we will meet in a place where there is no darkness." I believe this is definitely foreshaddowing that there is an underground brotherhood and while they are literally in the darkness, their spirits are much lighter.
"Nothing is your own except a few cubic centimeters in your soul." Prior to this sentence, there is a rundown of everything which has its eyes on the society. This little section gives the true sense of isolation which is going on withing Winston's mind.
As the story continues, Winston describes other dreams. I think that while there is significance in what he's dreaming, I think it is the fact that he's dreaming at all which is most important. Dreaming is a natural part of human life. It is something which the thought police cannot control and Winston does not feel stressed because he does it. By having this time to let the mind flow freely, Winston is able to recall memories and be creative which he is not able to do when he's awake.
Winston is awakened to the sound of the telescreen. Suddenly he is overtaken by a coughing fit and his vericose ulcer acts up. As quickly as his coughing started, a cruel women's voice came over the telescreen instructing that they were to make groups of people in their 30s and 40s. This woman is one of the Physical Jerks and she is an exercise instructor. She's definitely not pleasant at all, and Winston is forced to fake enjoyment of the aerobics even though he's still in pain from his hacking bought. As the exercising goes on, Winston tries to remember the time before life was so horrible. Here it is revealed that there is more than just a war going on, there was an atomic bomb dropped. (Hence his cough?) This forces him into thought about the past.
Winston has been effected by the Party in a way where he doesn't even trust his own memory. He doesn't know for sure who's been allies with who and the Party has totally controlled that. Even if they make a mistake, they can completely erase it from the people living under rule. The people are so brain washed that if the Party tells them something, it must be the correct answer. Therefore, nobody can keep trust in his or herself.
This book gives me an eerie feeling. I notice that it was written in 1949 which was not far after the Holocaust and Hitler's dictarorship ways. I was thinking maybe Orwell was inspired by this event and the everlasting war is caused because Hitler is still overtaking countries. I might be completely off, but that's definitely the image I get.
Once in the apartment, Orwell give the reader a visual of what Winston looks like. He is a frail man who has a meagerness about him. His small size only emphasizes the appearance of his blue overalls, which are a uniform of the "Party." What is the party? My guess is that it has to do with the government and why Winston is looking the way he is. Winston appears to be a man way beyond his age in years.
Still in his apartment, Winston gazes out his window to see a cold looking world. He describes the wind blowing dust and papers around, and he even describes the sky. However, he fails to mention any people walking around outside. The description he gives of the streets below him is very straight forward if we look at how weather relates to the world around us. By saying the wind is blowing viley and how cold it is, we get a sense that the society is cruel and worn out. What strikes me is when Winston says the sky is a harsh blue, but there doesn't seem to be any color in anything except for the posters. This tells me that the government is the only thing that matters and that almost all personality has been stripped away from Winston, and probably others.
One thing I would like to point out about the posters is how Winston describes them while he's looking out the window. "The black-mustachioed face gazed down from every commanding corner. There was one on the house front immediately opposite." This to me almost sounds like a Godly figure, in the way that it's always watching. Even though it doesn't appear to be a particularly nice figure, it gives the same impression.
From looking out to window, we start to hear about the telescreen. The telescreen picks up every sound louder than a whisper and can actually see what a person is doing. The first thing that comes to my mind when I hear about people being watched is the saying "Character is who you are when nobody is watching." This makes me think how can anyone have character? No one can be an individual if they're not free to develop themselves.
As the book continues, Winston is still gazing out his window. It is now that we are made aware that this city is actually London. What's sad is that he can hardly remember a time when the city didn't look so grim. The houses remind me of what a disaster zone would look like. And apparently it is a disaster zone because he mentions that certain areas have been bombed. Everything looks trecherous, except for one - the Ministry of Truth. The ministry of truth is huge, white, and looks out upon the city. This somewhat affirms my thoughts of the posters being God-like, except now I think it is the government as a whole which is to be treated like God. It's very ironic, though, because the color of white represents innocence, yet this government definitely seems to lack that.
On the fence of the Ministry of Truth there are three slogans of the "Party." They read: WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. All I have to say to that is wow. If this is the type of government people are living with, how do they live? It is so completely corrupt in every way.
Finally, Winston moves away from the window to the kitchen where he downs a tea cup of "Victory Gin." This gives him quite the shock, but it's only a moment before he begins to feel better. He then goes to smoke some "Victory Cigarettes." What does it mean that everything is "Victory?" The apartments, the gin, the smokes - what is the victory? Is it the governments victory that they are controlling every aspect of life down to the cigarettes one buys? I actually find it quite ironic that one of the Victory Cigarettes falls apart when Winston first takes it out of the pack. I think that very cigarette could possibly represent the government falling apart at some point. Then again, the cigar might just be a cigar in this case... Either way, it's ironic, because that cigarette was not a victory, it was a failure.
Soon after Winston lights his cigarette, he is able to find a place outside of the telescreen range! It is here he opens a diary. We soon learn however, that even opening that diary is punishable by death. However, I think Winston is so tired of his current lifestyle that he is to the point of no longer caring. He begins to write. He tells a story about his previous night in which he went to the movies. The movies were all war films and the audience was highly amused whenever somebody was blown up or killed. (in this journal entry I must point out that he talks about helicopters hovering over those in the life boat... freedom symbol? I think so)
After writing for a bit, Winston thinks about his day so far. He describes one girl which he hates because of her involvement with the Junior Anti Sex League. From what he can tell this girl is devoted to the Party. What I find crazy about the government putting on an Anti-Sex League, their population is going to die because there will be no reproduction. So the government may think it's doing a splendid thing for the people by controlling sex as well, but in the end the only chance the government will have at survival is for people to do it.
Winston goes on to describe other people at his work place. One of them is a man named O'Brien and he holds great importance in the ministry. While he is a harsh looking man, he does have a charm about him, which could either be a great thing or a horrible thing.
Soon after O'Brien is depicted, the Two Minutes Hate commences. This is an extremely intense part of the story so far. It is wicked chaos, but how could we expect anything but that? By now, we have definitely gotten a sense of how intrusive the government is and now, the people under its dictatorship have two minutes to show emotion! The amount of tension these people carry around with them is undeniably high and to have two minutes to release it is hardly enough. Inevitably chaos takes over. I do find it strange that the government is actually allowing these two minutes to show hatrid toward them. Do they know they are hated or would they rather see hate happen than, say, Two Minutes Love?
As soon as the hate time ends, people cease their barbaric behavior. And instead of hatrid, they show devotion. They chant BB...BB... over and over as if it's a huge cult and they are worshiping their savior. In fact, one woman actually calls the telescreen her savior and extends her arms toward it as if she wants to be closer. These people are truly brain washed. What's somewhat crazy to me is Winston. He couldn't help but engage in the Two Minute Hate time, but he also, shamefully, chants along with the rest of the office as if he is devoted to the Party as well. It's no wonder he has a drinking problem! However, something happens during that time of Party exhultion; Winston and O'Brien see each other for an instant in a way that says "I feel exactly what you're feeling." This is monumental to Winston because he briefly gets away from the feeling of emense isolation! However, what is kind of ironic about this incident is that, even though they're both thinking thoughts of something other than devotion, they're still thinking the same thing. This tells me that yes, while they aren't completely brainwashed by the party, there are only two ways of thinking. Devotion and Hatrid. So even though this isn't the response the Party wants from its, dare I say, citizens, they've still won because even the thoughts of hate are the same. Still this moment gives Winston hope in others around him.
Suddenly, Winston comes out of his day dream to find that he has written "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" multiple times down his diary. These are words that could easily get him killed. However, I think they are the start of something more. Could a revolt be in the works? Is it possible that the brotherhood really does exist?
As he is writing more words that could cause trouble for him there is a startling knock at the door. He's terrified that somebody might see what he has just written, but yet he leaves it open. I believe this gesture shows that he really doesn't care if he gets murdered for his actions. Luckily(?) for him, it's only Mrs. Parsons, a woman who lives down the hall. She needs help fixing her sink and explains that if her husband Tom were home, he would do it. She says this many times as if Tom isn't coming home. In the time Winston is in her apartment fixing the sink, the children are absolutely wrechid. It's clear that they've been raised with views of the Party and they are very into the polital aspect of their lives. It's fairly creepy how the children are lively yet they have no real identity or soul, yet the parents / older people appear to be old and deathly, yet still contain a slight personality inside of them. One of the reasons that I don't think Tom is coming home is because of what is said about children giving their parents up to the thought police. Judging by the way the kids are behaving and Mrs. Parsons's attitude, that is probably what happened. The poor woman is in denial. But what's worse, being in denial or facing the reality that your own child had your husband vaporized??
When Winston gets back to his apartment, we learn about a dream he once had. In it, someone in the darkness said to him "Someday we will meet in a place where there is no darkness." I believe this is definitely foreshaddowing that there is an underground brotherhood and while they are literally in the darkness, their spirits are much lighter.
"Nothing is your own except a few cubic centimeters in your soul." Prior to this sentence, there is a rundown of everything which has its eyes on the society. This little section gives the true sense of isolation which is going on withing Winston's mind.
As the story continues, Winston describes other dreams. I think that while there is significance in what he's dreaming, I think it is the fact that he's dreaming at all which is most important. Dreaming is a natural part of human life. It is something which the thought police cannot control and Winston does not feel stressed because he does it. By having this time to let the mind flow freely, Winston is able to recall memories and be creative which he is not able to do when he's awake.
Winston is awakened to the sound of the telescreen. Suddenly he is overtaken by a coughing fit and his vericose ulcer acts up. As quickly as his coughing started, a cruel women's voice came over the telescreen instructing that they were to make groups of people in their 30s and 40s. This woman is one of the Physical Jerks and she is an exercise instructor. She's definitely not pleasant at all, and Winston is forced to fake enjoyment of the aerobics even though he's still in pain from his hacking bought. As the exercising goes on, Winston tries to remember the time before life was so horrible. Here it is revealed that there is more than just a war going on, there was an atomic bomb dropped. (Hence his cough?) This forces him into thought about the past.
Winston has been effected by the Party in a way where he doesn't even trust his own memory. He doesn't know for sure who's been allies with who and the Party has totally controlled that. Even if they make a mistake, they can completely erase it from the people living under rule. The people are so brain washed that if the Party tells them something, it must be the correct answer. Therefore, nobody can keep trust in his or herself.
This book gives me an eerie feeling. I notice that it was written in 1949 which was not far after the Holocaust and Hitler's dictarorship ways. I was thinking maybe Orwell was inspired by this event and the everlasting war is caused because Hitler is still overtaking countries. I might be completely off, but that's definitely the image I get.
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