Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Part III: I Sold You And You Sold Me

Winston is out. He is free. More so, he is waiting for his time to expire and for a Party member to put a bullet in through his head from behind him. When this may happen, one can only guess. For now he sits and waits and his favourite place, The Chestnut Tree where he sits in the back by the corner and drinks an overly excessive amount of Victory Gin which the waiter keeps refilling. Unconsciously, Winston traces

2+2=5
into the dust on the table he is sitting at. O'Brien and Big Brother's assimilation had worked.
On leaving The Chestnut Tree he spots Julia. She hardly makes any motion to speak to him, in fact it appears as if she has no desire to stop and talk to him at all. Julia had changed. Her face was sallower and there was a scar on it which was partly covered by her hair. Her waist appeared to be very stone-like. The texture of her skin had looked different as well. They explained to each other how they both had betrayed one another and they recalled how "All you care about is yourself (305)" in a place such as the Ministry of Love. They parted, having nothing more to say each other as the desire for one another had long been wiped out.
Upon returning to the Chestnut Tree for another drink, Winston hears a familiar tune coming out of the telescreen:
"Under the spreading Chestnut Tree,
I sold you and you sold me"
Winston's eyes immediately welled up with tears with the ultimate realization that nothing he could to could ever change the situation he is in. His death would ultimately come, the time only the Party could have known for sure. Although, he could take relief in the though that "he had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother (310)."

Part III: Room 101

Winston had reached the final stage.. ROOM 101. The room he had heard a countless number of people confess to the most treacherous acts, and betrayal as soon as they heard that that is where they are going. Previously Winston had asked O'Brien about room 101 and what occurs in there. O'Brien had left him clueless. Now O'Brien explained to Winston that what happens in Room 101 is the worst thing in the world. It varies from person to person, and suits each individuals greatest fears. For instance, if your greatest fear was drowning, or being buried alive that is what would take place in that room. Could it be that O'Brien was aware of what Winston's greatest fear was?!

Winston suddenly notices the cage in the room a couple of meters away from him. After a few moments of examining it he became aware of what was in it. There were rats. They were not just normal rats either, they were the type that people talked about who would eat your baby if you left it along for a few moments alongside a street. They appeared to be carnivorous animals, ready too attack.

As the cage started rising closer and closer to Winston's face, a sudden idea came to him. He knew what he had to do in order to get out of this situation. He knew was O'Brien wanted. Winston starts screaming: "Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia. Not me! Julia! I don't care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me (300)."

The third stage was over. O'Brien and the Party had achieved in breaking Winston down. All of his morals, thoughts, and beliefs had been demolished, and instead ideas of INGSOC had finally been forced and drilled inside of his head.

Part III: The Place Where There Is No Darkness

"Don't worry Winston; you are in my keeping. For seven years I have watched over you. Now the turning-point has come. I shall save you, I shall make you perfect (256)." Winston remembers a whisper in his ear and he cannot recall weather it is an unconscious memory, or reality. Whatever it is, it is the same voice that had said to him in a dream seven years ago that they "shall meet in the place where there is no darkness (256)". It was O'Brien. O'Brien explains to Winston that there are three stages to reach ultimate perfection: learning, understanding, and accepting. The learning stage was coming up and the breaking down process was in full gear.

Winston woke up to the sudden realization that he was pinned flat on his back, strapped down at several locations on his body. He was completely unable to move. He was connected to a machine with dials and on O'Brien's orders and with the turn of a dial Winston felt the sensation of the worst pain you could possible imagine. It ran though his blood and bones. He explains how it felt as if his joints were being torn apart, and his backbone was about to snap. The scary thing about this whole situation was that the dial was at 40... It's full capacity was an astonishing 100.

O'Brien's next strategic move and the second step in the stages to perfection was to show Winston his appearance, and show him what he had become, more so, what the Party had made of him. When Winston glanced at the mirror his first reaction was to break down into tears and fall on his knees. He was unrecognizable. He was rotting away and falling to pieces by the second. His skin was now a grey colour, his face looked as if it were protruding, and his body was emaciated. His knees were wider then his thighs. Winston was clearly frightened.

Winston road to getting broken down and rebuilt was well on it's way. All ready two out of the three stages had taken place. Winston knew what was next and he knew that he had a lot to fear. What does O'Brien have in store for Winston next?

Part III: The Torture Begins

As Winston had predicted, the process had just started. Before he knew it he was being beaten, punched, and kicked by several men everyday, several times, between varying intervals. He had even come to expect it. Winston had even seen O'Brien and forgetting that he was under the watch of telescreens he had called out to him saying "They got you too" with which O'Brien answered, "they got me a long time ago." O'Brien even explained to Winston about how he had known this was coming. The torture was just starting, and getting kicked and beaten around was the least of it. Winston had known this.

Even worst then the beatings was the questioning that went on for hours. People working for the Inner Party tricked, and twisted everything around on him. They constantly claimed that Winston was contradicting himself and that there was nothing but lies coming out of his mouth. They made him confess to numerous immoral acts such as embezzlement of public funds, the assassination of important Party members, selling military secrets, sabotage. "He confessed that he was a religious believer, an admirer of capitalism and a sexual pervert 254)."

When Winston was not being questioned, he was left in his room on his own, where he was able to think. Winston knows that there is much more to come. He knows that his crimes will not go unpaid for. The Party and Big Brother have too much of an ego to let something like this slide.

Part III: The Windowless Room

Winston becomes conscious in an overly bright, windowless room, with high ceilings and a bench that is wrapped around the perimeter of the room. He is in a filthy cell surrounded by ten to fifteen people at all times, although his rumbling stomach kept his mind preoccupied from noticing and taking in his surroundings. He has know idea how long he has been gone for, and he has the impression that he is located somewhere in the Ministry of Love, although his exact location is not known. One by one prisoners are taken out of the room, and Winston remains behind. It is apparent that they have something special planned for him. Winston suddenly remembers what O'Brien had mentioned about if and when he gets caught someone will bring him a razor. Was this true? Would the Brotherhood of whom he has only been a member of for a short period of time come to him with help in this time of need?

Days, hours, minutes go by, the exact time Winston is not sure of. He notices that the petty criminals and the political prisoners are in a way separated. The petty criminals do not seem as afraid as the political ones who sit silently, in their own world, fully aware that their time is fast approaching. A new man enters the room. It is Ampleforth and at first Winston thinks that maybe he is the one bringing forth the razor. They talked until one of the four telescreens placed on each of the four walls screamed at them to stop. After some time, a guard came into the room and called Ampleforth too room 101. Ampleforth hesitantly obeyed.

Next up to enter the room was Parson's, to both mine and Winston's shock! Parson's had been caught saying "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" out loud in his sleep. His 7 year old daughter, who had been a part of the spies and told on him. Quite from the contrary of what I would expect, Parson's was proud of her for doing so. Parson's was also removed from the room.

One by one as the prisoners entered and left, Winston was left to think about his circumstances. What would they do too him. He was sure that the crimes he has commit ed were far worse that that of the others who he had been sharing the room with.

Part II: We Are The Dead

It is all over. Winston and Julia's time was finally there. The day that they had both known is coming has finally arrived but who knew that it would happen so soon! Julia and Winston dutifully repeat "We are the dead", and to their shock and dismay, an iron voice calls back "You are the dead." Could this be the end of their love affair, and the chances of taking part in the Brotherhood along side with O'Brien whom Winston keenly admires? Thoughts of what is to come next are running through Winston's brain as he tries to wrap his head around what is happening.

Winston and Julia are told to stand back to back, with out any contact. As men in black striking outfits storm their room above Mr. Charrington's antique shop, Julia and Winston's fear and adrenaline rises. Winston hears a crash and he sees that someone has thrown his glass paperweight and smashed it. Symbolically, this represents his idea of the 'Golden Country' away from the prying eyes of the Party and Big Brother and as it is demolished, so are his thoughts and dreams of one day living in a place like that.

Winston suddenly thinks of Mr. Charrington and becomes worried at first of what these men may have done to him. Then he recalls the voice he heard come out of the telescreen and realizes that it had sounded familiar. That voice belonged to Mr. Charrington. Mr. Charrington walks up into the room, and right away Winston notices that he has a different air to him. His cockney accent had disappeared, and his hair which had before been white had been turned black, and he was no longer wearing his spectacles. Winston was staring for the first time at a cold face of a member of the Thought Police.

Part II ends with a bang, and with a string of many questions that I was dying to get answers too. What is going to happen to Winston! Will he and Julia ever meet again? Is O'Brien and the Brotherhood going to help Winston out in this time of great need? Or is his life over, and he is left to be nothing more then an 'unperson' vanished into thin air, terminated from existence.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Part II: A Secret Haven

Having to meet in secrecy, and behind closed doors all the time can obviously add a lot of intrigue in a relationship. Winston and Julia are doing just that, and conceitedly as their feelings for each other are getting stronger, it is getting much more dangerous, and quite simply they are now basically the walking dead. Will Winston and Julia ever get to have a place on their own, free from scrutiny and and the prying eyes of the Party? For now they are stuck sneaking around from hiding place to hiding place.

After a few weeks of sneaking around, the thought arises in Winston's mind that he could rent out the room on top of Mr.Charrington's antique shop! Although this is quiet obviously an act that can result in his termination, Winston is blinded by his growing affection for Julia and his desire to have a place of which he can call his own is appeasing to him. He would like to take Julia to a place of their own, where they can make love inside, rather then outside and in hiding.

Upon introducing Julia to the new room, she brings forth coffee, jam, and real sugar, all of which she had stolen from the Inner Party members, as they are the only ones who have a hold of these long forgotten goods. Further more, Julia intrigues Winston's senses tenfold by applying make-up and perfume before they passionately made love.

Ultimately, Winston and Julia have found a place where they can reside and carry out what they want without telescreens watching them, or so they think. For now they are okay, but eventually, being that they live in the city where nothing is fully private, they are going to be faced with opposition. Can their growing affection for each other continue to rise, or will they get pulled apart and be made into 'unpersons' without even the chance of saying good bye?!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Part II: Her name is Julia

"It is a half-hour railway journey, turn left out side the station; 2 kilometres along the road; a gate with the top bar pissing; a path across a field; a grass-grown lane; a track between bushes; a dead tress with moss on it. It was as though she had a map in her head (pg 121)." These are the directions that the dark haired girl explained to Winston at their meeting at Victory Square. Still unsure of this women's intentions, Winston decides to carry out the plan. Will this mystery women lure him into an unforeseeable trap? Or has Winston found someone who shares the same interests and thoughts with him?

When Winston arrives at the secret location, he is early and alone. On the women's arrival, he find out that her name is Julia, although her surname is still unknown. Julia evidently is not trying to hide her affection for him, and makes no hesitation in throwing herself on Winston. This act is symbolic due to the fact that it is not meant to show her desire for Winston, rather it was her way of expressing her revolt against the Party. Julia even begins to tell Winston of the many members of the party of whom she had slept with. Rather then the normal reaction of disgust, Winston becomes very delighted and pleased by this information. Anything that hinted at corruption filled him up with hope.

Ultimately, it turns out that Julia was on his side. She was not one of the "Thought Police" of who he had thought her to be. More so, it seems as if he really is taking a liking to her, much to the contrary of 2 weeks ago where he had imagined smashing her skull in with a glass paper weight!

Part II: The Women With the Dark Hair


Winston's eyes are on her as she starts walking close to him. Four meters away, she falls down and stares intently into his eyes as he goes to help her up. As she gets up to leave, Winston realizes that she had left a note in his hand. It is not safe-- he's within close proximity to many telescreens and all eyes are on him, but the urge to open the note and read its contents is still strong. Is the girl with the dark hair a part of the 'Thought Police', or is she a member of the 'brotherhood' of which Winston so badly wishes existed. Anticipation is high.

Winston finally gets the opportunity to open to the note, and quite from the contrary of what he had expected, the note read: "I love you." He doesn't know how to react and how to handle this situation. Is this girl — whom currently is nameless to him, trying to play a joke on him? He tries to think of a way to meet her but being in the circumstance that his is in, with eyes on him at all time, this quickly becomes a problem. He comes up with the conclusion that the only way he can speak to her is in the cafeteria during lunch time, with her sitting away from the telescreens, and away from her acquaintances. This would prove to be a hard task.

After many agonizing days, Winston finally gets to speak with the dark haired girl. She tells him to meet her at Victory Square, amidst the crowd. When they finally meet, she once again takes control and gives him precise directions too their next meeting spot. Winston is till not sure as too what this young, healthy ladies intentions are, but his gut is telling him she is different, and that she is against the party.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

"1984" An Intro


To live in a city where everything you do is being watched, and everything you say is being monitored would be the minimal when describing life in London, Oceania in 1984. Not only is your day to day life being monitored, but history that had become a known fact is being wiped right out of the pages of textbooks and the naive, deeply penetrable minds of people. The figure in control of all of this commotion is known as "Big Brother." All though, even in a "perfect" world, there are those who are always doing things in the dark.

"Big Brother is watching you." This logo is printed on posters placed all over the city along with the long, skinny face of the leader staring down at you. Telescreens are now a norm for life in the city, and not only is privacy out of the door, but its a long distant memory. Like the Soviets in the Russia during the communist uprising, Big Brother and his men have used the means of terror and intimidation to brainwash the citizens into a form of ultimate rule. For example, people assumed to be in any way independent from the laws of Big Brother, are immediately wiped out not only from life, but from existence.

Orwell creates a highly realistic portrayal of what life would be like if privacy was in no way acceptable, and all though it is on completely different parallels of society today, there are still some similarities. For instance, cameras are seen everywhere from school, stores, on street corners and intersections, and some are even hidden from view. The difference is that the strategic placement of these cameras is done for safety and protection, rather than for observation.

So is this type of government a good thing or bad thing? Ultimately though, you can be sure that there are those who rebel, as it is a borne instinct too want freedom. Freedom from being monitored and spied on at all times as an incentive can be the perfect push for those who seek it, too take action.