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=Element Analysis (sections III-IV) =

A powerful theme that we encounter throughout the novel 1984 is the indisputable power of a totalitarian government with total control over its subjects. In what I've read, I find many symbols that build up the theme, such as the telescreen, the Two-Minute Hate, and the mind police. Orwell is making a powerful statement that exposes the wrongdoings of a corrupt government.

This thematic idea of exposing governments reminds me of the works of Shepard Fairey. He is a contemporary artist who creates pictures with strong political meaning. To me, this painting called Obey puts a true image on the face of Big Brother. The contrasting black and white face resembles a villain of traditional Chinese opera, the white always carrying the negative connotation. And the urgency of the color red is often used as a warning or alert. And what stands out the most from within the red section is one word, obey. In 1984, the people who are under the influence of the Party only have one attitude which can be described with a single word: obey. There is no choice or reason in the matter, and who would cross such a villainous face as Fairey gives us?



//"Everything faded into mist. The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth." (p 75)//
This is the heart of Winston's dilemma. If he is the only person left with a memory, what could he possibly do? There is no proof that any of his memories are true because, ironically, people like him manipulate history, thus controlling the future of the people.

The lie is the mist That blinds us from the truth, Trapped with no way out Forever naivety of youth, All opportunities missed.

Element Analysis (section VII)
I love the paradox that Winston uses to analyze the proles:

"Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious".

This presents a sort of closed circuit, to which there is no entry or escape. I think that this shows Winston's

feeling of hopelessness when he realizes how obtuse the proles really are to the situation that they're in

and the

corruption of the Party.

Personally I think that Orwell implemented this paradox to emphasize Winston's emotional exaggeration

and dread of his own

conclusion.

The premise of the paradox reminds me of the movie, V for Vendetta.



This film is set in the future in England, similarly to 1984. The parliament at this time is also very corrupt and working on some mischievous research that has caused many deaths of its citizens, the only survivor being the main character called V. V tries to rebel against the government and ends up bringing all of the people together to rise up for their rights. V reminds me of Winston* because they both seem to be the only ones who realize what is really going on. Through terrorist acts, V is able to expose the wrongdoings of the government and bring others to his cause. At the beginning, V started out as Winston, only just figuring out his own situation, and addressing the hopelessness in the masses. I'm hoping that Winston will too be able to find a way to show the proles what he has come to realize, and bring them together to rebel. The only way out of the unending paradox is for one man to be the catalyst for change.

*((Now that I have read further and learned more about the Brotherhood, I see Goldstein as more of a foil of V rather than Winston because Winston is only a pawn and, according to O'Brien, will only know a few members of the Brotherhood and have extremely limited information.))

Important Quote (sections Vl-Vlll)
"They can't get inside you. If you can //feel// that staying human is worth while, even when it can't have any result whatever, you've beaten them." (p 166)

This quote is Winston's realization that what he and Julia have is worth dying for, even if it can only last a short time. And the reason is because what they have discovered is inner freedom. The Party can do anything to their bodies to make them confess, but the Party cannot steal or demolish their thoughts and emotions. As long as they are strong in their convictions, they are untouchable.

An idea is a treasure that is not living, and therefore cannot die. It is a sacred possession that gives one power against all enemies. The treasure must be guarded, for there are those who will try to commandeer your booty. But fear not, for if you put up defenses by holding true to your ideas, you will sail off in peace.

Element Analysis (book 2 section X, book 3 section I)
The symbolism of time in this reading is often alluded to. When Winston wakes, he does not know for how long he and Julia have been sleeping, apparently the sun had gone down and all of the water in the coffee pot dried up. Being unsure of time is showing that their time may be running out. Next, time is mentioned in the Ministry of Love. One thing that the Party tries to be sure of is that the prisoners have no idea what time of day it is so that they are stuck in an endless cycle of misery. This tactic is imperative in the process of breaking down thought criminals, by keeping their minds weak and confused.

Time is also running wild in the film Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban. The headmaster gives Hermione a magical pendant that can turn back time. She and her friends Ron and Harry use this device to go back and change some aspects of the past in order for the future to turn out right.

What brought me to this from 1984 was the thought that Winston could really use this time traveling tool. It would surely solve all of his problems to disappear from the cell of the Ministry of Love and somehow stop himself from meeting with O'Brien and renting that room. In a way, Hermione's enchanted pendant represents the power that the Party has by controlling the past. Although for the Party it is a much simpler process to change the past only in record, whereas in Harry Potter, they change the past by actually going back in time to alter events.



Important Quote (book 3 section II)
== //"The old feeling, that at the bottom it did not matter whether O'Brien was a friend or an enemy, had come back. O'Brien was a person who could be talked to. Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood." (p 252)// ==

Amidst all of the unfathomable torture that O'Brien is inflicting upon Winston, there is still a strong feeling of affection that Winston has for him. Winston does not really love O'Brien of course, he just cannot help but appreciate the fact that O'Brien knows what he is thinking. Winston is attracted to wise people, "a person who could be talked to. His entire life in Oceania is centered around secrecy and isolation, so it is understandable that when an intelligent person who knows his situation comes around, Winston will be a little obsessed with them. I think it was the same case with Julia. They don't truly understand what love is. Julia sent Winston a note proclaiming " I love you" before they had even met. She really just wanted to get his attention. The reason Winston was attracted to her and became her lover was that they both were enemies of the Party, and in that way they understood each other. Winston found somebody he could share his deepest thoughts with.  And even now as O'Brien is trying to erase Winston's memories, Winston is astounded that O'Brien is able to anticipate exactly what Winston is thinking and feeling. And that intimate connection is all that Winston is striving for.

When a person is in the dark, They will always seek the light. When a person is isolated, They'll always seek a companion.

The human heart is always unsatisfied, Always searching for something That cannot be found.

Why are we this way? This, our flawed condition. We can never know, But we will die, Trying to figure it out.

Important Quote (book 3 section III)
// "Reality exists in the skull." //

Every night I have had the same dream for five years. It is my greatest desire and yet it is the most tormenting nightmare I've ever experienced. I always find myself in a beautiful open field, sitting in my chair amongst the flowers and chirping birds with the sunshine kissing my face and hair. I am sitting because it is comfortable, no other reason. And likewise, for no particular reason I stand up with one fluid motion, just basking in the warm light. I take a few steps forward, and then quicken my pace to a jog, and then a run. I can feel every detail: the breeze, the ground as my feet bounce off of it, every muscle contracting and relaxing in a perfectly natural rhythm. The feeling of salvation in this moment is so powerful that I cannot possible describe it and you would not understand it anyways. I continue running and suddenly I trip, breaking the harmony. And the fall abruptly pulls me back to reality. I wake up to the sound of my alarm clock and a frown on my face that has been there for too long. I reach over to stop the blaring sound, sit up in bed, and focus on the calender hanging on the wall. Five years to the day since the accident. My eyes are now fixed on my chair seated right next to my bed. I hate the thing so much, but only because I completely depend on it. I used to be very excited to start my own life, full of adventure, all for me. But now my life is nothing but limitation. As I situate myself into the chair, I realize that this doesn't feel like my own life. I belong in that open field; I want freedom! But I quickly dismiss the thought because it is too depressing and I begin to wheel myself towards the door to start the day.

Element Analysis (book 3 sections IV-VI)
Metaphor of room 101 represents the core of one's humanity: fear. But it's more than just fear, it is what one dreads the most. And it could be anything, but whatever it is no one can stand up against it. Courage is not the absence of fear because even the most courageous people have at least on weakness that cannot be overcome. In room 101, the discover and cultivate what that fear is and they force it on you until you abandon you have to resort back to animalistic instincts with which you would harm anyone else to help yourself. That is how the Party takes away your humanity.



I related this to the Disney movie Beauty and The Beast.The Enchanted Rose symbolizes roughly the same thing as room 101. The Beasts doesn't have too many fears because he is huge and strong and scary- no one would dare mess with him. But his greatest horror is the idea of remaining a beast forever, never to return to his human form. As each petal falls, the Beast has less time to break the curse before he is completely transformed into a permanent monster. The petals falling reminds me of the different stages of Winston's transformation into a drone filled only with the principals of the Party. The process consists of learning, understanding, and acceptance. Each of these is a rose petal and every time one falls Winston is closer to being changed forever.