1984 - Questions for test preparation

What is important about the title of 1984?
By the time the book was published, 1984 lay in the future. George Orwell was therefore
predicting what 1984 would look like. So it’s important to know that 1984 was future by
the time it was written.

What are the conflicts in 1984? What types of conflict (physical, moral, intellectual, or
emotional) are in this novel?
Physical conflict: the torture of Winston in the Ministry of Love
Moral conflict: Winston versus O’Brien and the Party
Intellectual: 2+2=4/5?!
Emotional: Winston versus himself in his reasoning and thoughts (doublethink)

How does George Orwell reveal character in 1984?
The point of view in the book is sometimes from Winston’s thoughts, so you can read what
he thinks and how he feels about certain issues. But sometimes, you read through the
narrator.

What are some themes in the story? How do they relate to the plot and characters?
Totalitarianism: there is only one ruler in the book and that is Big Brother. This is very
important for the plot because Winston is against him.
War: there are two kinds of war in the book. Oceania is constantly at war with the other
nations. Winston also has a war in his mind.

What are some symbols in 1984? How do they relate to the plot and characters?
Glass paperweight: to Winston this represents a link to the past, because it’s one of the last
things on earth which is beautiful and authentic. But also, Winston feels like he is inside
the paperweight.
The paining: behind this paining is a telescreen, which Winston doesn’t know. He loves the
painting and he thinks it’s beautiful, but he hates the telescreen which is behind it.
The song: Winston learns an old song about some churches, but he doesn’t know the last
line. When he and Julia get arrested, he finally comes to know the last line: “here comes a
chopper to chop of your head”. That line symbolizes the arrest.
The woman: when he is with Julia he hears a prole woman sing. For him, this represents
hope.

Is Winston consistent in his actions? Is he a fully developed character? How? Why?
Winston is not consistent, because he first likes the Party, then he strongly dislikes it and in
the end he loves the Party again. He is only a fully developed character in the end of the
book, because only then his actions and thoughts are in one line.

Do you find the characters likable? Would you want to meet the characters?
Yes, the characters could be real, but I wouldn’t want to meet them. I don’t really like
Winston, because he’s weird and he doesn’t know what he wants. Also, I think he’s a bit
stupid. When he goes to O’Brien to borrow the dictionary, he takes Julia with him, which is
not a very clever idea, but he also starts to talk about his resistance against the Party
immediately, while he had no proof that O’Brien was with the Brotherhood yet.

Does the story end the way you expected? How? Why?
The story definitely didn’t end the way I expected, because I thought that someone (anyone,
except Winston) would start a revolution. By the time I had read half of part 3, I changed
my mind on how the story would end: now I believed Winston would die.

What is the central/primary purpose of the story? Is the purpose important or meaningful?
The purpose of the story is to warn people that the world shouldn’t become like it is in
‘1984’. Because of bolshevism, facism and communism, Orwell warns the people to avoid
a dictatorship like the one of Big Brother.

How does this novel relate to dystopian literature? Is Winston a strong character?
The world in ‘1984’ is a dystopia: people are manipulated/brainwashed, there is always a
shortage of goods, people who “know too much” disappear and the nation is always at
war.

How essential is the setting to the story? Could the story have taken place anywhere else?
In any other time?
The setting is essential because it gives you background information and a clear view of
what the world looks like in the book.
But yes, the story could have taken place somewhere else. It could have been in any part of
the world because the same system was used all over the world.
The time in which the book took place couldn’t have been different while it had to be future
by the time it was written. It had to be future because the meaning of the story wouldn’t
apply to history or the present.

What is the role of women in the text? Is love relevant? Are relationships meaningful?
Women have the same role as man in the book, men and women are equal.
In the “world” which is described in the book, there only exists love for Big Brother.
People don’t love each other anymore, they only love Big Brother. But Julia and Winston
do love each other and that is a crime. Instead of loving one another, they should be loving
Big Brother. In the last line of the book, Winston knows he does love Big Brother and he
doesn’t love Julia anymore. That’s why ‘love’ is a very important motive.
Relationships are not important anymore, even your own children could betray you.
Therefore, you cannot have friends and your family is not more than people that are your
relatives; you shouldn’t love them.

Why is 1984 controversial? Why has it been banned?
‘1984’ contains a very strong political opinion. Therefore, it can be censured in countries
that have a dictatorship. ‘1984’ gives people the extreme side of dictatorships and
dictators probably don’t want their citizens to read that.

How does 1984 relate to current politics/society/etc.?
Nowadays some countries still have a totalitarian regime/dictator. Also, in several
countries there is propaganda which makes people think that their country is superior. Of
course, propaganda occurs in (almost) everywhere.