1984-my thoughts.(part I)

ooh.i know this blog has been started waaay after when it should have been.sorry!*glances apologetically at mr wee.

here are the general ideas i gathered from reading the book!i thought it would be easier for me to record my thoughts if i divided it into the three parts its written in!

Part I

it started off normally enough-a man named Winston goes into a building which happens to be where he lives.the wierd part starts when you realize that posters of Big Brother (or BB for short) is everywhere!!its at each landing of the building,every corner you turn and his eyes even seem to follow you.*shudders.

the Telescreens and the Thought Police seem to play an important role in this story.the Telescreens and the Thought Police are an absolute invasion of one's privacy-there is no way you can be alone;to enjoy a single moment of solitude.which is actually what the Party wants to achieve.but because of this,there is no individuality among the people.you have to act in a certain manner,talk in a certain manner-the manner that is decided by the Party.all just to ensure that you continue living.to me,that seems like a very controlled existence.there's even a facial expression advised to be used when facing the telescreen.gee.what a life.perhaps,one not worth living?

then its quite curious how Winston is unable to remember anything from his childhood.or his age.at first,it seems like one of those sci-fi flicks where the memory is wiped out from the person so he can't remember anything.haha.but i guess its because he was purposely not letting himself remember,as i find out later in part II.

ooh.then comes the slogans.which i didn't have a single idea what it meant.

War is peace
Freedom is slavery
Ignorance is strength

right.find me someone who understood it the first time they read it.haha.anyway,the various ministries they had was similar to the ones we have in present day.a ministry to maintain law and order,one to take care of economic affairs,etc.but the ministry of peace kinda puzzled me.the ministry of peace concerned itself with war.contradicting yes?i'd think the ministry of peace would concern itself with ways and means to make peace with the other two countries.haha.oh yeah.the names also kinda reminded me of the hippie era-pple proclaiming for love,peace and truth.haha.but it doesn't coincide with the time period winston is in.cos the hippie era is waaay before 1984 right?

ooh.all the products seem to be named "victory ..."is that some sort of unconsious way of reminding the people that oceania is the place that will be victorious over anything,in any war?or am i just reading too much into a label?haha.

niwae,then i felt kind of proud of winston.he started a diary!!woohoo!haha.it showed he was human afterall.he had thoughts and feelings that could not be controlled by the Party.it also showed how repressed he was,in that kind of living atmosphere.there was no one he could talk to freely-not unless he wanted to die.but then,there was no one who could be trusted.so yeah,always better to write a diary.(which is kinda human-to write in a diary.we do that now too!).not use the speakwrite.its sort of cool how they have gadgets that can write stuff while you dictate.cos even now,we don't have that.do we?*smiles.haha.not technologically up to date.

oh.and his aim of writing a diary was to "transfer to paper the interminable restless monologue that had been running inside his head."and the aim of this blog is do that too right?writing our thoughts on 1984.well.typing then.since we're using a computer.haha.'

then there's the introduction of the unnamed girl winston hates on sight.and O'Brien who he feels immense respect for.mostly because of his false belief that O'Brien is also secretly against the Party.apparently,7 years ago he heard O'Brein's voice and been reassured since.sounds flaky to me.

Two minutes of Hate.its surprisinging how you can quantify the amount of time you are supposed to hate.haha.also,this two minutes seem like some sort of a event-with changing programmes everyday.but then,Emmanuel Goldstein is always the main person towards whom they direct their hate.its so controlled-they even have to be told who to hate!!

also,i feel that maybe the things that goldstein is supposedly saying,he didn't really say it.that perhaps the Party memebers came up with it.i mean,if they can constantly change history(with winston himself playing an impt role in that) then surely they can edit footage of Goldstein so he's saying demeaning things about BB.

oh.and the whole two minutes of hate is so propoganda.Goldstein is the evil character and BB comes in to save the day.as in the people get so worked up when they see and hear Goldstein.and then everyone is calmed by the sight of BB.

Public hangings.its horrific how the kids find the public hangings a source of entertainment.they are so consumed by the hatred thats been drummed into them that they don't even realize that its a human-someone who has feelings,thats being hung.

Children.the ultimate source of joy to parents-watching them grow up and learn.yet,its not the case here.the children are the ones you have to be wary of.they have no attachment to their parents and are the first ones to rat them out.there is no love between them.if we were to look through the Party's point of view,it would be necessary for the kids to have loyalty only to the Party and thus,have no love for their parents.which would allow them to rat their parents out at any point.they would have no guilt.but gee.how cold.

Winston's mother.hers as well as his sister's disappearance was because of him.guilty feelings perhaps?probably why he can't seem to remember his family.

Physical Jerks.what a name.haha.kind of appropriate name-they have to exercise vigorously.and yet again,there's an appropriate facial expression to be having-grim enjoyment.to me,it seems like one of those utopian concepts-everyone has to be healthy.and what better way to be healthy than to exercise?so yeah,all the citizens of Oceania have to exercise.

doublethink!confusing concept.to know the truth but still tell a lie.like those who work in the Minitrue.some of them,like Winston,make their living adjusting the past to suit the present.so,they know that oceania wasn't always at war with Eurasia,but they'll tell anyone who asks that it was.and fully believe their lie too.

lunch.somehow,it reminded me of all the icky lunches they portray american school kids to have.line up,grab a tray,get food that is slightly unidentifiable,etc.haha.sorry.just a mindless observation.

Newspeak.destroying words so that only the base-est form of words are used.when i thought about it,its actaully a pretty cool concept.you'll never have to learn how to spell flabbergasted,or other hard words.it'd just be doubleplussurprised.or triple.but then,language would become so dry.no flowery language.and there would be no use for shakespeare,byron,etc.guess it has its negative and positive points!

Subscriptions.sort of like our taxes!a quarter of their salary is used for voluntary subscriptions.actually,its not very voluntary as you have to give up that amount.

Ignorance.well.maybe not ignorance in its purest sense.more like a self imposed ignorance.The Party turns out statistics of food,clothes,houses etc.fake ones that show that the country is doing so much more better than predicted.and the people are willing to blindly accept these facts.guess its doublethink in action.

Marriage.only for the purpose of reproduction-"our duty to the party."its very feelingless.making love is not making love.its just a duty!the only people who do make love are the proles.and they are considered beneath the Party people.

Appreciation for beautiful things.Winston shows his human qualities yet again when he shows appreciation for beautiful things like prints,paperweights,etc.

yup.thats about all i could come up with while reading part I.