Aimee's Blog

The book ended differently than what was anticipated. And in all honesty, it was an ending that needed to be made at one point or another. There is a lot of books, movies, tv shows, that give into the classic Hollywood ending and give you a “happily ever after”. This book breaks all of that, an irony in itself since it is not a rule to have a tragic ending, but everyone seems to avoid going that direction. Likewise how in Oceania, there are no rules yet people are punished for doing things that are not using done or “shouldn’t be done”. This book was something out of the box, a never before seen idea, concept, society, whatever you want to call it. But this book is more than merely a story, it is a reflection on how us, as a society are heading. It is not the trying to say that there is someone stripping us away of our privacy, and its saying that we are heading in that direction, but we are going without resistance. In this day and age we know what others are doing to the minute, an...

Winston has a fear of rats. For what reason it does not say, but nonetheless, he is terrified of them. So much that it breaks him and tells O’ Brien to “do it to Julia instead”. But is it really a phobia that Winston has, or is the author in actuality trying to tell us something behind the fear of rats. Rats are small brained little animals that are used for experiments, looking for cheese and learn to follow whatever it is scientists want them to do. What if the same goes for the people in the party? The only difference is that scientist look for how the rodents absorb the information and how they learn. Big Brother just wants to use it for power. To make sure they continue doing what they are supposed to do and follow the little maze that gets them to the cheese. Winston is unlike the rest of them, before entering room 101 anyways. He wished and hoped for the day that the rebellion would come for him so he wouldn’t have to live in the conformity of thoughts and self expression. In t...

As I was on the last couple of chapters, there was one thing that struck me out of the blue that I could not seem to shake, why is it called Oceania? Every time I hear Oceania I think of a few things: the word Ocean that makes up majority of the word, I think of the pronunciation of the word (Oshi-ana), and I think of the brand Ocean Spray that sells cranberries. Towards the end of the book I notice the is explains how Oceania came to be, it said Oceania is made up of the United States and the British Empire. It never elaborated on the significance of the name they gave there no nation. I considered possible ideas for the authors reasoning behind “Oceania” but many of my thoughts did not make sense to me. The best thing I care up with was that since “Ocean” is the base for the word, I think “maybe it’s because the two separate places are now considered one even though there is a ocean between them?” Considering its two neighboring nations that constantly go into and out of war with: ...

The plot twists in this book are impeccable. There was not too many, just enough to have you falling out of your chair when you find out Julia isn’t really another female puppet of the anti-sex league, but instead a silent rebel mimicking the party to not trace any suspicions towards her. When there are too many plot twists the reader begins to expect them. Even if the are not an abundant of plot twists, in some books the plow twists are not well hidden, and you can see what is going to happen from a mile away. The author maintains a concrete “alibi” for each cover-up, for example. For example, the lack of knowledge of Julia makes us build up a character from what we know, what Winston knows. And that is that Julia is a heavily devoted member of the party that works in the fiction department and is a part of the anti-sex league. When she is revealed to be someone who “follows the little rules to get away with breaking the big ones”, it all makes sense; she is keeping her friends clos...

Winston was caught and separated from Julia in the Ministry of Love, where O’Brien exposed himself as a member of the Ministry of Love, instead of a member of the Brotherhood. But how you ever noticed the irony behind it? In the Ministry of Love, Winston, along with others rule breakers (although there are no actual rules to break) were beaten and tortured. There is no love in any of this, and yet it all relates to love. The party doesn’t want anything taking love away from them, so in reality when they harm these people it is to beat the defiance out of them so they can be filled with love for the party. Love is constricted, the party stops any friendships, family relationships, and marriages. All marriages have to be approved by the party to make sure there is no physical attraction within one another. All restriction of lustful thoughts allows that energy and love to be driven into the only love allowed, the love for the party. The shifted perspective in sexual intercourse is anot...

As I continued reading a few of my questions have been answered or at least recognized in the book. Music was gradually introduced by first talking about a song, which progressed to speaking of music. This means that the people of Oceania are aware of music and know what it is and have music just like we do. But we do not know how much of their perspective has differed from ours, or ours have differed from theirs. Music can easily be seen as a horrible thing instead of a form of self expression. They do not discuss the general public’s idea on music, but the author gives us an idea of how music is perceived when they introduce the nursery rhyme. Mr. Charrington first establishes the rhyme in the book when they were discussing the picture of St. Clements church. The nursery rhyme incorporated all the major churches in London, that were nearby anyways. This gave a nostalgic tone towards music, as if it was one of those songs everyone knew and the lyrics are on the tip of your tongue bu...

As I read, there was one thing that truly stood out to me. While Winston was in the shop where he bought his diary, he met the owner. He recognized Winston from his first visit and proceeded to discuss things before the revolution, a conversation that failed with him previous with the man at the pub complaining about pints. The owner also showed him a room he used to stay in before his wife passed nearly 30 years ago. The first thing that Winston noticed was that there wasn’t a telescreen. The owner, Mr. Charrington then explained that they were “too expensive”. I was completely shocked and confused at his comment. You mean to tell me in Oceania you have to PAY to be surveillanced by the government? Moreover, someone can REFUSE to buy a telescreen? If such freedoms like this still exist, why is it that the Party has so much fear and control over the population? This minor plot hole that was used to move the story along leaves me with such inquire. As a writer I can see where the fork...

As I continued to read 1984, plot lead Winston to the proles. Before this section in the book, the proles were only mentioned and had only discussed some things such prostitution. But now Winston has entered into a prole community, where they are so surprised and rather frightened by the sight of his blue overalls. This shows that not only are they disconnected from the party, and their terrified expressions show they are unconscious to the idea of rebellion. Winston mentioned earlier that proles made up majority of the Oceania population. They can easily take over the party, and yet they are scared into their places, as the minority without a voice. As Winston continues in the foreign community, we see in what a tragic place they live. When you are first introduced to “Victory Mansions” you find it ironic because of how dingy and low quality the place is. But Winston’s apartment does look victorious in comparison to where the proles live. Winston was walking down a street of average r...

As I continue reading, slowly but surely, I notice something I believe many tend to overlook. This book focuses on the physical aspect of Oceania, on the colorless sensation due to Big Brother’s posters, as if the only color allowed is on the “commanding corners” watching them. The author paints a picture with his words, but he doesn’t describe what Winston hears in such detail. The idea of music, is it allowed in Oceania, or is it considered a form of self expression? This book strips people of things that we see as everyday experience, such as what we think and how we express but what about everyday necessities? Do these people know what it is like to choose what to eat, what to wear. Lacking such knowledge of this insists that they did not know such a thing could exist. Does the same go for music? Do the comrades of Oceania know what “music” is, and if so is there a newspeak word that restricts music to something one of the Ministries can control like they do with everything else?...

I first heard of 1984 in 8th grade, we were given an excerpt of the book and analyzed it. We were told it was a higher level book, and after analyzing I was told it was about living in a world where you are constantly under surveillance by the government. And 4 years later I find myself reading the book, I did not expect the topic to be such a heavily controversial concept. I expected the book to be a completely different storyline than the one that took place. When I first heard of the book, I expected a highly advanced utopia where everything is clean and tidy and superficially perfect. But the government is corrupt and secretly hiding something from the public and the protagonist would find the problem, expose the government, and saves the day. Instead, at this point in the book, I am proven wrong in almost every way. The protagonist, Winston Smith, lives in “Victory Mansions” which ironically reeks of “boiled cabbage and old rags”. Winston is not only watched by cameras, but also...