“Truth indeed rather alleviates than hurts, and will always bear up against falsehood, as oil does above water,”-Miguel de Cervantes:
What is truth? Truth, I defined this word something we could prove.
However, this novel 1984, written by George Orwell had me reconsider what truth really is. For example, Winstion knows that Oceania was war with Eurasia just the day before and when he comes back to work, he’s to believe that Oceania always had been war with Eastasia. He also knows that the past was better than present, but he’s to believe that he has high quality life style, while he sleeps naked because there is no pajama supplied, and drinks Victory Gin that tastes like chemical. But, everything that happened cannot be proved and according to my definition of truth, they are not true.
I just had a big feast and my belly is about to pop because of food I ate. Suddenly, my mom comes and tries to feed me again! I tell her that I ate my lunch, but all the evidences that could prove my statement are gone. Then, did I eat the feast or was it just my hallucination? What is TRUE?
This book has raised many questions in my head. I realized that truth is something we could control, manipulate. I was shocked that everything I believe in everything I have done may be FALSE, and I was just lead to believe that by government. After reading this book, I began to doubt everything that seemed to be so natural.
2007년 6월 1일 금요일
1984-#7
“The cage was nearer; it was closing in. Winston heard a succession of shrill cries, which appeared to be occurring in the air above his head. But he fought furiously against his panic. To think, to think, even with a split 
second left- to think was the only hope.” (Page. 235)
This scene was when the antagonist, O’Brien, was torturing Winston, the protagonist. This torture, or ‘healing of mind’ was done by most crucial method, using terror hidden in a person. For Winston, it was rats. Throughout the book, it is shown that Winston has fear toward rats and he often has nightmares about them. O’Brien threatens Winston with a box full of rats and mentally molests him. However, I doubt that box to be empty. The scratching noises and sniffing sounds were probably imagined by Winston’s fear. Later, he yells out to do this to Julia not him.
After reading this scene, I was just terrified. Like Winston fears rats, I once feared being in the dark. You might say that every children hates being in the dark, but it was a little special for me. I hysterically hated and feared dark, as I am almost blind in dark. When I walk in a dark room, I tumble after the first step.
Then, I began to imagine second grade me put in a dark room without even mere light. I would cry and maybe even die with heart attack. Most of all, like Winston, I would give away names of my loved ones. This is sad truth, but I know that I will, not because I am evil, but because I am a weak person in front of pain.
This scene leads me to this question: is human will really weaker than physical torture?
I sincerely wish that the answer is ‘yes’ and I want to believe it, because human is same as animals or robots if he is without wills and dreams inside him.
second left- to think was the only hope.” (Page. 235)This scene was when the antagonist, O’Brien, was torturing Winston, the protagonist. This torture, or ‘healing of mind’ was done by most crucial method, using terror hidden in a person. For Winston, it was rats. Throughout the book, it is shown that Winston has fear toward rats and he often has nightmares about them. O’Brien threatens Winston with a box full of rats and mentally molests him. However, I doubt that box to be empty. The scratching noises and sniffing sounds were probably imagined by Winston’s fear. Later, he yells out to do this to Julia not him.
After reading this scene, I was just terrified. Like Winston fears rats, I once feared being in the dark. You might say that every children hates being in the dark, but it was a little special for me. I hysterically hated and feared dark, as I am almost blind in dark. When I walk in a dark room, I tumble after the first step.
Then, I began to imagine second grade me put in a dark room without even mere light. I would cry and maybe even die with heart attack. Most of all, like Winston, I would give away names of my loved ones. This is sad truth, but I know that I will, not because I am evil, but because I am a weak person in front of pain.
This scene leads me to this question: is human will really weaker than physical torture?
I sincerely wish that the answer is ‘yes’ and I want to believe it, because human is same as animals or robots if he is without wills and dreams inside him.
1984-#6
*Please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.
“The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard.” (page. 6)
When I read this passages, I was astounded. Telescreen is similar to television nowadays, which I turn on almost everytime when I have spare time. It is like a habitual act, so I often find myself sitting in front of the screen without thinking anything. I have never imagined that television could be used to watch us, instead of we watching it. I imagined how it would be if someone was watching over me eating, dressing up, taking shower, and sleeping. It is just horrible! I would feel like a prisoner who is sentenced to stay in the cell for whole life. While I was reading this book, I stayed away from television and had chance to think about what I was missing because of wasting time on watching TV. Instead of watching it, I tried to read more, something that was restricted in the society of the novel. Because of this shocking passage in the book, I was able to think about disadvantageous sides of development of machines. It had never occurred to me that they could be used AGAINST us!
“The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard.” (page. 6)
When I read this passages, I was astounded. Telescreen is similar to television nowadays, which I turn on almost everytime when I have spare time. It is like a habitual act, so I often find myself sitting in front of the screen without thinking anything. I have never imagined that television could be used to watch us, instead of we watching it. I imagined how it would be if someone was watching over me eating, dressing up, taking shower, and sleeping. It is just horrible! I would feel like a prisoner who is sentenced to stay in the cell for whole life. While I was reading this book, I stayed away from television and had chance to think about what I was missing because of wasting time on watching TV. Instead of watching it, I tried to read more, something that was restricted in the society of the novel. Because of this shocking passage in the book, I was able to think about disadvantageous sides of development of machines. It had never occurred to me that they could be used AGAINST us!
1984-#5
* What is the mood of this novel? Do you find this novel saddens you in any way? Why?
The mood of this Negative Utopian novel 1984 by George Orwell is dark. The setting of the book itself is already desolate world with gray sky, which sometimes is lightened by bombs. In the society, the one that is described in the novel, people have absolutely no freedom. They cannot write, read other than the books given from government, and even cannot love anything but Big Brother. Except those minorities who are in Inner Party, Outer Party and proles do not have their basic needs fulfilled. Proles still have their freedom and are not restricted by the Party, while Outer Party members are deprived of their personal rights. Their memories are manipulated by Inner Party members and are observed 24 hours a day and 365 days an year by hidden microphones and telescreens. The depiction of their miserable life by the author through this novel is truly despairing. Especially when it is said that their life will be the way it is and the party would last FOREVER, the mood was depressing.
Sometimes, there were hopeful mood in the book. When Winston and Julia, against the rule of Party, shares love is cheerful point of the book. Even though the characters and I knew that two lovers would not make thorough, when they were together I was happy with them. Like my expectation, their love ended with bitterness. The ending of the book was the darkest part of whole book, because there was absolutely no more hope, no more daydreams, and no more love. After all, the future of the society in the book was like what was said by Winston, the main character: “Boot stamping on a human face forever.”
The mood of this Negative Utopian novel 1984 by George Orwell is dark. The setting of the book itself is already desolate world with gray sky, which sometimes is lightened by bombs. In the society, the one that is described in the novel, people have absolutely no freedom. They cannot write, read other than the books given from government, and even cannot love anything but Big Brother. Except those minorities who are in Inner Party, Outer Party and proles do not have their basic needs fulfilled. Proles still have their freedom and are not restricted by the Party, while Outer Party members are deprived of their personal rights. Their memories are manipulated by Inner Party members and are observed 24 hours a day and 365 days an year by hidden microphones and telescreens. The depiction of their miserable life by the author through this novel is truly despairing. Especially when it is said that their life will be the way it is and the party would last FOREVER, the mood was depressing.
Sometimes, there were hopeful mood in the book. When Winston and Julia, against the rule of Party, shares love is cheerful point of the book. Even though the characters and I knew that two lovers would not make thorough, when they were together I was happy with them. Like my expectation, their love ended with bitterness. The ending of the book was the darkest part of whole book, because there was absolutely no more hope, no more daydreams, and no more love. After all, the future of the society in the book was like what was said by Winston, the main character: “Boot stamping on a human face forever.”
1984-#4
* What is the climax of this novel? What happens? How do the events of this novel make you feel?
The climax of the novel 1984 is the part where Winston and Julia are caught by the Thought police. After they got the book from O’Brien, Winston read out loud to Julia, who is half asleep in their own world, a small room in Mr. Carrington’s store. After reading aloud, Winston whispers to Julia that they are the dead. Suddenly, a voice from hidden telescreen tells them they are dead indeed. This was the point of with most tension throughout the whole book. At that point, there was no way for protagonist and his lover to escape the situation, but to be taken to Ministry of Love, where torture is inflicted on “thought criminals” like Winston and Julia. While I was reading this climax part, I was sweating! I hoped that Winston would think of something brilliant; however, contrary to my expectation, they were separated and were taken to Ministry of Love. The fact that Mr. Carrington was a member of thought police shocked me, because I did not expect this to come.
Another tense moment of the novel was when Winston was being tortured by O’Brien in room 101. He gets threatened by the object that fears him most: rats. Winston’s love ends here and he exclaims to do it to Julia not to him. This is the point when Winston finally gives up his own thoughts and be “cured.”
The climax of the novel 1984 is the part where Winston and Julia are caught by the Thought police. After they got the book from O’Brien, Winston read out loud to Julia, who is half asleep in their own world, a small room in Mr. Carrington’s store. After reading aloud, Winston whispers to Julia that they are the dead. Suddenly, a voice from hidden telescreen tells them they are dead indeed. This was the point of with most tension throughout the whole book. At that point, there was no way for protagonist and his lover to escape the situation, but to be taken to Ministry of Love, where torture is inflicted on “thought criminals” like Winston and Julia. While I was reading this climax part, I was sweating! I hoped that Winston would think of something brilliant; however, contrary to my expectation, they were separated and were taken to Ministry of Love. The fact that Mr. Carrington was a member of thought police shocked me, because I did not expect this to come.
Another tense moment of the novel was when Winston was being tortured by O’Brien in room 101. He gets threatened by the object that fears him most: rats. Winston’s love ends here and he exclaims to do it to Julia not to him. This is the point when Winston finally gives up his own thoughts and be “cured.”
1984-#3
* Who are the main characters in the novel? Do you like them? why or why not? What is special about them? What do they reveal about the universal human experience?
The major characters of the novel 1984 include Winston Smith, Julia, and O’Brien.
The central character and the protagonist of the book is Winston and people and objects are described in his view.
Winston tries to rebel against Party, antagonist. With Winston, Julia is against the Party. However, while Winston tries to make difference in society, Julia seeks ways out to be free under blindsides of the Party. This difference is mainly caused by how much they have memories of past, where things were better. Winston was born during the war and Julia was born after the Party was created. Therefore, Winston realizes that society he is living in is wrong and past was better, while Julia does not have anything to compare with and is not interested in one. She is rather interested in entertaining herself and her unconcerned attitude toward finding out about the existence of Brotherhood and reasons for constant war is shown when she falls asleep while Winton reads her “The Book” given by O’Brien. She has a rebellious personality and simply hates being controlled.
O’Brien is on the side of antagonist, and actually is one of the Inner Party members. He traps Winston by lying to him that he is a member of the anti-Party group. He later “cures” Winston by physical and mental torture. Throughout the book, which is written in Winston’s view, the character of O’Brien is like a teacher for Winston. At first, he leads Winston to Anti-party group by giving him “The Book” and later he “cures” him to a character with no thoughts, a character that party wants.
My favorite character throughout the book was Winton. He, while others believe and give the Party absolute obedience, has questions and doubts about it as he revises history in Ministry of Truth. He is not a hero that saves the society from the Party, but later is captured in Ministry of Love and is “cured” as a complete zombie. After he is released, his mind, which was full of defiance and hostility toward Big Brother, turns into dull mind full of love toward the Party. As he possesses intelligence with sharp intuition toward reality, he was very attractive character. After seeing Winston being changed to a person with his head and mind only filled with love toward the Party, I realized that human emotions and their experiences can be erased with torture. In the end of the book, he thinks that his childhood memory is wrong and such thing never has happened. It was a shock for me to think that someone is forced to deny their past. I was in agony of this question: Is human memory and experience reliable? After the dreadful experience, the main character does not dare to stand up against the antagonist. He does not even think about hating the Party.
The major characters of the novel 1984 include Winston Smith, Julia, and O’Brien.
The central character and the protagonist of the book is Winston and people and objects are described in his view.
Winston tries to rebel against Party, antagonist. With Winston, Julia is against the Party. However, while Winston tries to make difference in society, Julia seeks ways out to be free under blindsides of the Party. This difference is mainly caused by how much they have memories of past, where things were better. Winston was born during the war and Julia was born after the Party was created. Therefore, Winston realizes that society he is living in is wrong and past was better, while Julia does not have anything to compare with and is not interested in one. She is rather interested in entertaining herself and her unconcerned attitude toward finding out about the existence of Brotherhood and reasons for constant war is shown when she falls asleep while Winton reads her “The Book” given by O’Brien. She has a rebellious personality and simply hates being controlled.
O’Brien is on the side of antagonist, and actually is one of the Inner Party members. He traps Winston by lying to him that he is a member of the anti-Party group. He later “cures” Winston by physical and mental torture. Throughout the book, which is written in Winston’s view, the character of O’Brien is like a teacher for Winston. At first, he leads Winston to Anti-party group by giving him “The Book” and later he “cures” him to a character with no thoughts, a character that party wants.
My favorite character throughout the book was Winton. He, while others believe and give the Party absolute obedience, has questions and doubts about it as he revises history in Ministry of Truth. He is not a hero that saves the society from the Party, but later is captured in Ministry of Love and is “cured” as a complete zombie. After he is released, his mind, which was full of defiance and hostility toward Big Brother, turns into dull mind full of love toward the Party. As he possesses intelligence with sharp intuition toward reality, he was very attractive character. After seeing Winston being changed to a person with his head and mind only filled with love toward the Party, I realized that human emotions and their experiences can be erased with torture. In the end of the book, he thinks that his childhood memory is wrong and such thing never has happened. It was a shock for me to think that someone is forced to deny their past. I was in agony of this question: Is human memory and experience reliable? After the dreadful experience, the main character does not dare to stand up against the antagonist. He does not even think about hating the Party.
1984-#2
* Are there are any current situations in the world that relate to the novel? What are they, and how do they relate? Does the novel shed any light on how current situations could be resolved or "fixed"?
The society in the novel, 1984, is a description of the world with socialism. It is not directly related to the present environment where I am living in. However, this book reminded me of North Korea under a leader called Kim Jung il. Even though there are many differences between Oceania and North Korea, such as North Korea is not war with other countries YET and they desire to have more materials while Oceania keeps war to spend their overproduced materials to be in poverty. There are many similarities between two countries as well as many differences. People in both countries suffer with deprivation of basic needs for different reasons. Only the minority upper class is well fed. Also, the communism of Oceania and North Korea began after the WWI and WWII.
Another distinction is shown in two different futures of these countries. As North Korea is being pressured by other democratic countries with more power, such as United States, it will be changed to democracy in near future. In contrary, whole world is under socialism and totalinarism in 1984. There is not even a mere hope that this unwavering party will collapse.
The author of this novel suggests no clear instruction or any solution. He only tells us how our emotion easily can be repressed by physical torture and can be even removed from one person. George Orwell also reminds and warns us of communism and its dangerous blindsights. At some points of the book, he describes how proles, the lower class with freedom but no proper education, can save the society. I also feel that the rebellion of proles is the only hope of the society in 1984, as brotherhood with leader called is Goldstein is just a fictional character created by the government just to focus people’s hatred into one person or object. However, the solution to solve the communism in North Korea, the most isolated country in the whole world, is not given in this book.
The society in the novel, 1984, is a description of the world with socialism. It is not directly related to the present environment where I am living in. However, this book reminded me of North Korea under a leader called Kim Jung il. Even though there are many differences between Oceania and North Korea, such as North Korea is not war with other countries YET and they desire to have more materials while Oceania keeps war to spend their overproduced materials to be in poverty. There are many similarities between two countries as well as many differences. People in both countries suffer with deprivation of basic needs for different reasons. Only the minority upper class is well fed. Also, the communism of Oceania and North Korea began after the WWI and WWII.
Another distinction is shown in two different futures of these countries. As North Korea is being pressured by other democratic countries with more power, such as United States, it will be changed to democracy in near future. In contrary, whole world is under socialism and totalinarism in 1984. There is not even a mere hope that this unwavering party will collapse.
The author of this novel suggests no clear instruction or any solution. He only tells us how our emotion easily can be repressed by physical torture and can be even removed from one person. George Orwell also reminds and warns us of communism and its dangerous blindsights. At some points of the book, he describes how proles, the lower class with freedom but no proper education, can save the society. I also feel that the rebellion of proles is the only hope of the society in 1984, as brotherhood with leader called is Goldstein is just a fictional character created by the government just to focus people’s hatred into one person or object. However, the solution to solve the communism in North Korea, the most isolated country in the whole world, is not given in this book.
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