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.
Monday, October 27, 2008
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.
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