There have been many
interesting moments throughout the first section of the novel. However, the
most memorable moment for me was when Winston Smith was working in his cubicle from
Chapter 4, Part 1.
During
this part of the novel, Smith uses a speakwrite machine, which is assumed as a similar
device as a typing machine, and his job was to rewrite records of what the
government does. For example, in the novel, the Ministry of Plenty issued a promise
indicating that there would be no reduction in the rationing of chocolate. Knowing
that this is false, Smith continues to substitute the promise with a warning stating
that rationing will indeed, be reduced. Smith considers it not as forgery. He
believes, “It was merely the substitution of one piece of nonsense for
another.” (Part 1: Ch 4)
He
also was given the task to rewrite the story of a person named, Withers, who
was now a traitor. Therefore, the imaginary character known as Comrade Ogilvy
was created to show the perfect life of a person living in the time period. Through this, a fake person was brought to
life.
While
this scene isn’t necessarily a very important or a life changing event for
Winston Smith, I personally think this is a very important and a memorable part
because it gives the reader a much better look at what Smith does in his
workplace. Most importantly, it also introduces something a totalitarian
government has, and that is censorship. I believe that censorship is the
biggest symbol to show how powerful a government is and it indicates that
everything most go their way. I honestly couldn’t believe how Smith and
government were able to hide true evidence and make it so that no one
complained only due to the government’s intimidation. Also, the fact that a new
imaginary person was created really indicates the lack of knowledge by the
commoners in the time period. Finally,
it makes me foreshadow that Smith will be caught by a crime one day, due to his
inner hatred of “Big Bother.” And eventually, he will be controlled by the
powerful government through media and be unaware of what truly happens within
it.
Most Memorable Moment by Riya Shah
The most
memorable moment in my part of the novel was in Part 2, Chapter 8 when Winston
and Julia go to O’Brian to tell him how they feel about Big Brother and the
Party. It is significant because it shows the characters evolving into people
who are willing to take action for what they believe in. Winston agrees to do
many absurd things if necessary, and if ordered by the Brotherhood like
“throw(ing) sulphuric acid in a child’s face” (Orwell 180).
Both Julia
and Winston, especially Winston, started off as being very scared of the Party
and the Thought Police. Winston even said that he and Julia should stop seeing
each other because it could lead to torture, and their deaths. However, Julia
convinces him that they should stay together because they loved each other. As
a result of wanting to make Julia his wife, Winston talks to O’Brian about
joining the Brotherhood and changing society.
Winston may not actually love Julia,
and may only want her for sexual intercourse, and the fact that she also
rebelled against the party, but doesn’t want to sneak around to do that. He
actually told her that before he found out that she was rebelling against the
party, he wanted to rape and murder her. So, the passion that he had to make
change had sparked from meeting Julia, and finding out that there are more
people that are just like him, which caused him to step up and try to make
change.
This shows
how many of the characters had changed as the novel progressed, and also shows
us the different characters motivations to make change, and at what lengths
they would go to to help their cause. An example is when Winston agrees “to commit
suicide, if and when [they] order [them] to do so” (Orwell 180), but doesn’t
agree “to separate (from Julia) and never see [her] again” (Orwell 180).
As the plot
progresses, it will be interesting to see how they act against Big Brother, and
if they will be successful for whatever they are fighting for.
Most Memorable Moment By: Lesley K.
The most memorable moment in my section of the novel Nineteen Eighty - Four, is partly from chapter 7 to the end of chapter 8, when Winston followed the old man to the pub and speaks to Winston. He is an inspiration to Winston. From parts of the story, Winston always wanted to know more about the Revolution. When the old man remembers his life before the Revolution and that time period changed his life. “ ‘You are very much older than I am,’ said Winston. ‘You must have been a grown man before I was born. You can remember what it was like in the olden days, before the Revolution.’ ” (Orwell, 93) Winston needs the old man that seems like a wise role model to him. He is also amazed, for most people his age forgets what happen before the Revolution. Winston states that he does not have much reference back in the olden days, other than the history textbook. “There was also something called the jus primae noctis, which was probably not mentioned in the textbook for the children.” (Orwell, 76) In the textbook, it does not give enough information or specific information that a real person would have given if they survived the Revolution. Winston states that what he hears from the old man is interesting. As the old man explains the past, Winston listens attentively to his colorful life story. " ' You expect me to say as I'd sonner be younger again.' " (Orwell 96) This states showing how Winston is eager to know the history or experience about the Revolution. How can he commemorate to what the world was like then and how this current life compares to the life he had before, which was pretty captivating. Being attentive and listening to how it was back in the olden days is better than reading the history textbook, because the old man’s experience were so interesting
In this continuing scene, as a matter of facts the book keeps me wanting to know what will I be looking forward to. What kind of information does he needs to know about the old man, that was so important that he sat there and listens about the past compared to now. Is the information that he is gathering now is a useful tool later on, or is it just for facts and curiosity from the past that he was dreadful of knowing. With the knowledge he gains from the old man, will he record this information into his diary for later reference? Due to the fact of Winston, he thought it was his responsibility to know any reference information about what happen during the Revolution. I personally think while Winston was thinking about to find out more about the Revolution, he never thought about meeting an old man that lived during that revolution period.
Hence, I find that I do enjoy this part of the scene, because it reminds me when I ask elders for advice to a problem. They give me their experience, of what they have gone through, and input to my problem. But I will like to know what will happen Winston use the information that he have gathers from the old man. Up to my curiosity, it’s hard to not to predict what wil he use the information for. Will he take the information he gathered now for later use? Till now so many question remains unanswered.
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