Big Brother

I found it peculiar that the children of such young ages (7 and 9) wanted to see the hanging of someone. You wrote that the boy seemed to have a natural animosity in his eyes, and his little sister was purely a mimic of him, but I think that death is something that would still puzzle children at this age. Are you trying to show the vivid reality of how acceptable everyone has become of hatred, crime, and even death?

I absolutely love this O’Brien character. You gave him a fascinating aura in the beginning and I am really glad that you brought him up again! With the passing moment (only a moment!) of naked truth between O’Brien and Winston, I felt that he was going to play a much bigger role in the book. Now he is back again, and the story complicates itself in deciding the blueprint of O’Brien. Is he good or bad? I think that he will be a key point to something later on but so far I really don’t have many guesses in the direction that this will take us.

I know it’s early to say but this had been the best part of the book for me. A mysterious voice appears into Winston’s dream saying, “We shall meet in the place where there in no darkness.” And then to later have Winston identify that the voice is O’Briens. Brilliant! Are you referring to “no darkness” as being literal or figuratively: as if in a tunnel or when times aren’t overbearing by a dark government?

Here comes Oceania again, tantalizing my thoughts like pierced needles. Of course, you don’t say much more than a sentence or two, dropping subtle hints. Now I’ve discovered that Oceania is a friend. Not much more. My guess is that Oceania is the name of the country that London now resides.

I really enjoy that I’ve only read thirty pages that have taken place over a few hours, and I feel like I have been traveling with Winston for years! At one point, Winston went back to writing in his journal and I was so warped in time that I forgot only a few minutes had passed, realistically in his time. Great job writing out his though process. I am completely mesmerized with Winston’s memories. (Thanks God they’re aren’t near as sadistic as the Two Minutes Hate!)

There was a lot more explanation of how the government is ran. They go to extremes to have complete control. Big Brother is rewriting/remaking history every new day and they are having their workers personally do the jobs for them. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth and handles rewriting history for the newspaper. Books are recalled; people who have “gone missing” and died are pronounced an “unperson.” This means that they never existed and any evidence of them existing is destroyed. Winston’s neighbors solo job is to erase evidence of dead people, even if it was her husband. You have gone to some extravagant lengths to make this story feel feasible.

The Beginning

For my reading blog, I have chosen to read George Orwell’s novel 1984. This classic has been said to be Orwell’s lurid revelation of how 1984 (thirty-five years in the future) might become, calling it the “negative utopia.” I have only read one book by George Orwell – Farm Animals – and loved it so I am excited to see how this story plays out. The book has 326 pages so for each of my blogs will contain my thoughts for about 20-25 pages of reading.

It didn’t take many pages for the book to grab ahold of my attention. On the second page, if I hadn’t already heard the term I would have been intrigued: “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.” So this book is where I’ve heard the rather not so rare expression come from. I now have a slightly better understanding of what is to come.

The main character, Winston Smith, seems like your average guy. Nothing about him strikes me as extraordinary. I think this makes the character more realistic and relatable.

All the government officials already intimidate me. The Thought Police seem like our day’s CIA. The Ninth Three-Year Plan sounds like something from Hitler’s agenda. And it’s almost Hate Week?! I’m almost afraid to ask what that is!

I loved the emphasis on the journal entry. It really shows the strictness of this "lawless" government and the fear manifested into the civilians. The fact that writing by hand was such a foreign concept really absorbed my interest. I want to know what “speak write” is. Why has writing diminished so? Is this comparable to slavery, by not wanting your slaves to read, write, or think independently?

What is it with Oceania? My awareness has peaked and I still don’t have an understanding of why this place is so important. Is this where Big Brother resides? But why mention that Emmanuel Goldstein, who is the country’s biggest traitor, has been rumored to be housed there? If Oceania were the enemy, why would everyone in London use so many words from their language, especially in a situation where everything is monitored and controlled? I’m pretty lost with the Oceanic aspect.

The reactions that followed Two Minutes Hate were quite disturbing. It is extremely clear how brainwashed everybody seems to be. The confusing part for me is how Winston became so caught up in the hatred that he directed his hatred against something that he quietly believes in into something that the masses believe in. Then, he brutally turns his hatred toward this woman behind him that he wanted to “ravish” and “cut her throat at the moment of climax.” I am more than a little distressed right now with Winston’s random thoughts of psychosis.

Until next time…