Book II Chapters 1-10 (I-X)
1. What gets passed to Winston on his way to the bathroom?
What is written on the slip?
How is Winston's angst similar to anyone else's angst at this point?
2. Where do they first meet and talk to one another?
Why is this a good place to meet?
Who is Winston looking at when he talks to Julia?
Why is that significant?
3., How is nature described. Please quote?
How is this passage different from the one at the very beginning of the
book?
Why has nature changed so much?
What is the "Golden Land"
Much of this is an allusion to another book and another couple. Who?
Explain.
4. What don't they do right away?
Why not?
Winston says he has no desire to lie to her. Why wouldn't he?
Why did he want to kill her two weeks ago?
How was that a success of his training?
5. Explain how Julia rebels against the government?
Why is it better that she joins in on all the groups?
Why does Julia break the rules?
Why does Winston want to break the rules?
6. Complete this quote; "I hate purity______________" Explain.
This seems an odd idea. Why does he think it?
How does this also show a triumph of Ingsoc?
7. Where else do they succeed in making love?
Why don't they get to more often?
Generally, what do they do when they are around each other?
According to Julia, what are two reasons why the state doesn't want
sex?
Julia later says "I'm not interested in the next generation, I'm interested
in us." What does she mean?
Would Winston ever say it?
8. How much work does Winston do? (Hours)
Julia?
Why does she join the Jr. Anti-Sex league
Complete the line "If you keep the little rules,_____________________"
Explain.
For her, what is life for?
Why do you suppose this thinking comes from female characters?
9. What does Winston wish he had done?
Why?
Katherine could belong to any of the other anti-utopian novels. Why?
Why does Winston say that "We are the dead."
How does Julia try to wake him up?
What does she say?
10. What has Winston gone and done?
Why is that foolish?
Why has he done it?
10. What does she wear?
Why does she want to wear it?
11. Winston is deathly afraid of something, what is it?
How does she reassure him?
Symbolically, how is he reassured?
Why is the song "Bells of St. Martin's" important?
12. How does Winston know that Syme has been taken?
Why was he taken?
Why does O'Brien mention Syme?
Why does that make Winston so happy?
13. What celebration is coming?
This is heavy duty. Orwell gets really political in Goldstein's book. Try
not to do a Julia through it.
How are they preparing for it?
Why do they have this? What purpose does it serve?
14. What does the glass paperweight symbolize?
How is their room like the paperweight?
What is the drawback to living in a glass paperweight?
What does Winston dream about?
15. What is real betrayal?
Winston goes for the big one here. Work slowly with the end of this
chapter. Don't be afraid if you miss some of it. Keep in mind, Orwell
was an essayist, primarily, and not a novelist.
16. What had they finally done?
What was Winston's attitude in the office?
When else have we seen this excitement?
What privilege does O'Brien have?
17. When does Julia wince?
What does she seem to be afraid of?
Do you trust him?
Remembering what real betrayal was, does O'Brien lead them to it?
Where will they meet again?
What does Winston think that quote means?
18. What swift and sudden change occurs in Oceania?
What gets changed?
Why might the government do this to the people?
19. Is Julia very interested in the book?
Explain.
Why is Winston so juiced about this?
20. What does Doublethink mean?
Why was this concept introduced?
What current subject do we use Doublethink on?
21. How can Ignorance be Strength?
How can Intelligence be weakness?
Where has this appeared in the last few years in our world?
How has Ingsoc stopped class warfare?
22. What are the two reasons for changing the past?
23. What does Winston think about the prole woman?
Explain?
How is she more beautiful than Julia?
1984 Part III
This is the most interesting part of the novel. The Thought police
are nothing, if not effective.
1. What is the torture O'Brien is inflicting?
Why does he tell Winston what Winston is thinking?
How does O'Brien try to build trust?
Why is he doing this?
What other characters have we read that are similar to O'Brien?
How is O'Brien different?
2. What are some of the delusions that Winston has been suffering
from?
How is Winston mentally deranged?
How does the party control the past?
Where does Reality exist, according to the party?
When does 2+2=5?
Whose eyes does he have then?
3. Why is he in the Ministry of Love?
Why are there no Martyrdoms?
How are martyrs powerful?
Why must Winston surrender of his own free will?
Will Winston die at the end of this process?
Do you suppose he will ever see Julia again?
Explain.
4. What questions does Winston ask?
Why would a torturer offer that opportunity to Winston?
Why is trust so important to O'Brien?
Is he telling the truth?
Does it matter? Explain.
5. Does Big Brother exist?
What does O'Brien mean "you do not exist."
Does O'Brien exist?
Describe the room where they have tortured Winston so far?
What would be in your Room 101?
The famous final scene. Room 101 comes and goes and Winston loves
Big Brother.
Writing
Imagine you are in 1984 and you are a rebel. How would you attempt
to overthrow this society?
1984; Review Questions
Introduction
When you finish 1984, many questions seem to be unanswered. In
groups, I would like you to try and answer the following questions.
Questions
Use the group and answer the following questions fully.
1. Does Big Brother exist?
Does Goldstein?
Is their existence important?
2. Why is it important that Newspeak not have a word for "hate"?
What other word should they abolish?
3. Why does Big Brother want to destroy the family?
4. Compare Winston's ideas or rebellion to Julia's.
5. Describe the Golden Land.
6. Define "Power."
7. As a ruler, would you rather people loved, feared or respected you.
Argue for your answer.
Power over the Past
Introduction
This essay is very much from the political side of 1984. However it
views something very contemporary; the compilation of textbooks.
Exercise
Read the attached essay and answer the following questions.
Meaning: 1, 2
Strategies: 1
"The Battleship Potemkin"
Introduction
Sergei Eisenstat made this film right after the Bolshevik Uprising. His
political views are very clear here. Many of the images in this silent film
are classic and are often repeated and embellished. Notably, the Odessa
Steps scene is often repeated.
Please be patient. It is in black and white and has no sound effects.
How To Do a Group Test
Introduction
The rules for a group test are simple. You may use your books, your
homeworks, and anything else you have in order to do well. You may
only use one period and you must use the group.
Roles
In your group, you may use the following roles.
• Boss: This person is responsible for the deadline and for the group
staying in focus.
• Scribe: This person writes or types the notes or the final version of
the answers.
• Editor: This person is in charge of taking the rough answers people
give and polishing them.
• Creator: This person is in charge of talking through an answer to the
questions.
Procedure
Step
The following procedure will work well in answering questions for a
group test.
Action
1
Form a Group; Move Desks in a "T " formation.
2
Decide which questions you will answer
3
Choose roles.
• I recommend a Boss and an Editor
4
Work quickly but thoroughly through the questions
5
Five or so minutes from the deadline, check your answers.
6
Hand in completed test.
1984 Group Test
Introduction
The following group test is designed to test your ability to work
together, your knowledge of the book, and your ability to use the ideas
you have learned.
Questions
Answer the following questions fully. Use another sheet of paper.
1. In a few clear paragraphs, explain two of the three 1984 phrases?
2. Using the book as a resource, accurately draw one of the following
places:
The Golden Land
Charrington's apartment
Room 101
Jail Cell
Winston's apartment
3. Using newspeak and 1984 philosophy, translate the following
sentences:
Chocolate ration halved to 5 grams
Eurasia attacks London with rocket bombs, 25 dead.
Private Oglivy destroys 7 tanks in saving 10 comrades.
Donald and Ivana Trump to remarry
Goldstein is caught and torn apart by angry mob.
Continued on next page
1984 Group Test, Continued
4. According to George Kennan,
"Superior technologies will always be able to control inferior technologies."
How is that true in 1984?
How does technology control people?
5. O'Brien says that his vision of the future is of "a boot stomping on a
human face forever."
6. Orwell believed that "Knowledge is power."
How does the Inner Party keep use knowledge?
How does the Outer party and the Proles keep out of power?
7. Suppose you were an enlightened world leader. How would you try
and overthrow the society of 1984, assuming you could not win a clear
military victory?
Suppose you had 100 years?
Suppose you were not a world leader, but just a schmuck, like Winston.
How would you make Oceania a better place?
1984: Solo Exam
Introduction
This exam is designed to test your knowledge of the work and your
ability to use the knowledge you have learned.
This test includes the short story, "NightFall."
Character
Matching
Match the characteristic on the right to the character on the left. One
character and one characteristic are not used.
i__Winston a. Antique Dealer/Thought Police
f__Julia b. Winston's "Instructor"
d__Parsons c. War hero
b__O'Brien d. His kids turned him in
e__Syme e. Wrote Newspeak
c__Comrade Oglivy f. Worked in Pornosec
__Latimer g. Memorized Shakespeare
j__Goldstein h. Seen in the Chestnut Tree Cafe early
a__Charrington i. "The last man"
h__Rutherford j. Arch-enemy
Put in Order
Put the following events in the order of their occurrence.
Some of these events never occurred in the book, but they are
mentioned or implied. Number them appropriately.
9__Winston begins to love Big Brother
3__Winston first sees and hates Julia
10__Winston is shot
5__Julia and Winston meet in the woods
6__Julia and Winston are arrested in the buff
1__The Old World battles with nuclear weapons
4__Julia passes Winston a note
8__O'Brien places the rats in Winston's face
2__Winston's Mom and Sister disappear
7__Winston is taken to Room 101
Continued on next page
1984 Solo Exam, Continued
True or False
Object Identify
Identify the
following
objects fully.
How were
they used in
the novel or
short story.
1. A bar of
chocolate
2. A
paperweight
3. A diary
4. Chestnut
Tree Cafe
5. Tunnel of
Mystery
6. Rats
7. The Golden
Land
8. Eastasia
9. Picture of
St. Clement's
10. A
newspaper
photo of three
men
Continued on next page
1984 Solo Exam, Continued
Quotes
Identify the
following
quotes. Who
said it and
why is the
quote
important or
significant.
1. "If you keep
the small
rules, you can
break the big
ones."
2. "Of all the
horrors in the
world-a rat!!"
3. "You do not
exist."
4. "It's a
beautiful
thing-the
destruction of
words."
5. "...for the
souls of men
awaited the
coming of the
stars."
6. "We are the
dead."
7. "I betrayed
you."
8. "We will
meet again in
a place where
there is no
darkness."
9. "I hate
purity. I hate
goodness."
10. "I tried to
do my best
for the party,
didn't I? I'll
get off with
five years,
don't you
think?"
Continued on next page
1984 Solo Exam, Continued
Weird Section
This is a very
visual section,
with many
complicated
scenes. Pick
one of the
following
scenes and
draw it as
accurately as
you can.
1. Winston
and Julia hold
hands for the
first time.
2. Where Julia
and Winston
first make
love.
3. Mr.
Charrington's
Shop
4. Two
minutes hate
5. Room 101
with Winston
and O'Brien
6. The Jail Cell
with Parsons
Definitions
Define the
following words as
they were used in
1984.
1. Crimestop
2. Doublethink
3. Duckspeak
4. Ingsoc
5. Oldspeak
6.
Doubleplusungood
7. Miniluv
8. Joycamp
9. Sexcrime
10. Unperson
Extra Credit
Feedback: 1984
Introduction
Feedback
gives you the
opportunity
to comment
on the work
you have just
studied and
how you
studied it.
Your answers
will affect
how I teach
1984 in the
future.
The Work
Answer the
following
questions by
marking a
number
between 1- 10.
10 means you
are extremely
happy, while
1 means you
are heavily
bummed.
• How well
did you enjoy
studying the
book? ___
• Compared
to other
works you
have studies,
how
hard was
1984? ___
• How
important do
you feel this
play is to the
Power ___
unit?
The unit
Answer the
following
questions by
marking a
number
between 1- 10.
10 means you
are extremely
happy, while
1 means you
are heavily
bummed.
• How hard
were the
homeworks?
___
• How hard
were the
quizzes? ___
• How hard
was the other
work? ___
• How hard
was the
exam? ___
Continued on next page
1984 Feedback, Continued
Open ended Questions
Answer these
questions
with a short
phrase or
sentence.
• Did you use any other tools (video, Cliff notes, oral tapes) to help you
understand this play?
• What could I do to make this novel more interesting or accessible for
students?
• Did you do any of the challenges that relate to this novel?
• Did you write any essays that relate to this novel?
• What was your grade on the exam?
Other
Thoughts
Do you have other thoughts or concerns about the class or the work?
If so, please put them right here.