Part II Chpts. 3-5

Who has vanished and why? The proles have been whipped into a frenzy of ______? Give us your definition of the word that fits in the blank.

Part II Chpts. 1-2

Describe the "parade" in Victory Square. Why does the Inner Party provide the spectacle for the proles? For the Outer Party members? Does any of this relate to our time?
Also, what is the Party's attitude toward sex, love and marriage? Why do they enforce that attitude?

Pt I Chpts. 7 & 8

Who are the proles and where do they fit into Winston's world? Why do you think Winston has such disturbing thoughts at the end of Ch. 8?

Part 1 Chpts. 5&6

Starting on p. 51 third paragraph, Symes says, "It's a beautiful thing, the destruction of words." Then on p. 52 fourth paragraph, he says, "In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it." Finally, on p. 53 third paragraph he concludes, "Orthodoxy means not thinking - not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness." What is he talking about? Why would Winston conclude that Symes will be vaporized when he displays such zeal for the party? What are your thoughts? Was there anything you didn't get a chance to bring up in the class discussion on Tuesday?

Part 1 chpts. 3-4

I have thought about the Party slogan, "Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past" and how Winston's job relates to this. He is making the past change and this is why he is beginning to question the system he is actually a part of. His personal memories of his mother are fuzzy. This seems to be how Orwell introduces the idea of altering the past to us. What are our records of the past? How do we know they are accurate? What are your thoughts after reading chapters 3 and 4?