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Chapter Questions: 1984 by George Orwell.
Chapter 4
1. What is W’s job?
Rewrites history at the Ministry of Truth p34-35
2. What happens when all corrections are made in the Times?
p. 38 After corrections, original copies destroyed and corrected copies replace them.
3. Is this process of correction used in other media (Newspapers, mags etc..)?
p. 36 Used for all books, lit, music, photos, cartoons- every kind of lit. or
documentation that might have pol. or ideological significance.
4. What are some of the jobs of the Ministry of Truth other than the Records department?
p. 37-8 One branch simply collected and destyoyed all documents that have been
superceded and due for destruction. P 38 A woman who tracked down and deleted
names of people who were vaporized and therefore never considered to have existed at
all. Studios for faking photos.
5. Does W enjoy his work?
p. 39 “His greatest pleasure in life was his work.”
6. What happens to people who displease the party?
P. 40-1 Read about Withers. Most commonly they disappear/never heard from again.
7. How does W decide to fulfill his assignment in regard to BB’s speech?
He creates Comrade Olgilvy to take the place of a vaporized person. Read p. 42
Exists just like Caesar!
Chapter 5
1. Describe the canteen?
p. 43 low-ceiling, deep underground, noisy, smelled of sour stew and gin
2. Who is Syme?
p. 43 Comrade, almost a friend, works in research dept- a philologist and expert on
Newspeak, working on 11th edition of dictionary
3.What does he want from W?
Razor blades
4.What does Syme work on?
Working on Newspeak dictionary
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5, What is his remark about the language?
p 45. It is a beautiful thing the destruction on words. Cutting language down to the
bone.
6. Of what does Syme accuse Winston?
That he doesn’t appreciate Newspeak. He thinks in Oldspeak p. 46
7.What does Syme say the whole purpose of Newspeak is?
p. 46 To narrow the range of thought. To make thoughtcrime impossible since there
ultimately will be no word s to express them.
8. Describe Parsons (p. 49)
p. 49 A tubby, middle-sized man w/ frog face. 35. Ideal Party man. Sweaty, illiterate.
9. What does Parsons want from Winston?
Money for “voluntary subscriptions” (25% of Party salary) for flags for Victory
mansions
10. What is Parsons’s attitude towards his sweet children, esp. his daughter?
p. 50 Seems both proud and afraid of his kids (Spies) vigilance. Daughter turns in a
man after following him.
11. What makes Winston think he has an ancestral memory?
p. 52 Read: The innate feeling things were once different. That he is being cheated
12.What is the “ideal” type as described by the Party? Remind you of anything?
p. 53 Tall muscular youths and deep bosomed women, blond and carefree (Like who?)
13.What are most of the people like (as described by W)?
Airstripone: Beetle-like Ministry members: dumpy little men grown fat early in life
14. Who is W afraid of and why?
P 54. The dark-haired girl was staring at him from across the hall- face crime
Chapter 6
1. According to the Party, what is the only purpose of marriage?
p. 57 Only recognized purpose was to beget children for service to party
2. Why have Katherine and Winston separated?
After only 15 months his dread at having unpleasant, mechanical sex. Chastity was
deeply ingrained in women as a sign of party loyalty. P. 58
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Chapter 7.
1. According to W, where does the only hope lie?
p. 60 “If there is hope it lies in the proles”
2. How many proles are there?
p. 61 “Paradox of Proles” 85% of population- like Proletariat in USSR
3. What is the Party’s attitude towards the proles?
p. 61 Claimed to have liberated them from bondage of capitalists/(Doublethink) Like
animals, must be subjecated (means controlled) - inferior to Party
4. Is there any attempt to convert the proles to Party ideology?
Read p. 61. No (62). It was not desirable for them to have political feelings
5. What does W think are the only characteristics of Party life?
p. 63 Not its cruelty and insecurity, but simply its barrenness, it stinginess, its
listlessness. The reality was p. 64 decaying cities etc.
6.Does the Party admit these equalities?
No.
7. What happened to the leaders of the revolution by 1960?
p. 66-67. By 1970 all other leaders but BB are wiped out- last were Jones, Rutherford,
and Aaronson at Chestnut tree café.
8. What is the significance of the picture showing the three men at the social function in
New York?
p. 67 It was proof their confessions were lies- concrete evidence. He destroyed it (10-11
years ago). Today, he would have kept it.
9. For whom does W think he is writing his diary?
p. 69 O’Brien
10. What does W decide?
p. 69 They (Party) was wrong and he was right). Freedom is the freedom to say 2 +2
=4. If that is granted , all else will follow.
Chapter 8
1. What is a steamer?
A Rocket bomb landing in the prole section.
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2. Who warns W?
p. 73 A prole walking by. They seem to have an instinct for missiles which implies this
happens a lot.
3. How does the Party fool the people with the lottery?
Since there is no real communication in Oceania (except Party), fictional people in
remote locations won large payouts- only small sums were actually paid out.
4. Why can’t the old man get a pint?
p. 74-75. Word “Pint” has been erased (Old Speak). Now ½ liter.
5. Does W get any important information concerning the Past from the old man?
No. p. 78-9. His memory was a rubbish heap of details. READ p. 79
6.Where does W eventually find himself?
Junkshop where he bought pen and notebook.
7. Does the proprietor recognize W?
Yes- as the man who bought the diary
8. What does W find to buy?
Glass paper weight w/ pink coral
9.Why does he buy it?
p. 81 “Belonged to a different age
10. What else does the old man show him?
Upstairs room where his wife lived
11. Is W attracted to the room?
p. 82 Room awakened ancestral memory/ Nostalgia (he felt at home there)
12. What doesn’t the room have?
Telescreen
13. What picture does W recognize?
p. 83 Court of Laws. Place of Justice.
14.What is the proprietor’s real name?
Mr. Charringtom. (Widowed aged 63)
15. Has W ever heard the church bells ringing?
No
16.Does W intend to come back to the shop?
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In about a month- despite the danger
17.Whom does W see as he leaves the shop?
p. 85 Julia- the dark haired girl from Fiction department
18.Why is W worried?
She must be spying on him. Amateur spy or Thought Police.
19.What words does he read on the coin?
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength