Peer Responses: Links

Susan's Post-http://dystopiannovellordoftheflies.blogspot.ca/2013/03/the-dystopian-society-of-lord-of-flies.html

Eric's Post-http://lordoftheflies14.blogspot.ca/2013/04/section-3.html

Viji's Post- http://lordsoftheflies.blogspot.ca/2013/04/news-flash.html?showComment=1365564348041#c5617040434653639218

I would have commented on Chris and Krista's blogs as they did the same novel as mine, but unfortunately I could not gain access nor find Krista's blog and I was not able to comment on Chris' blog at all.

My Glossary

1: Doublethink: Noun: Means the ability to hold two completely opposite/contradictory ideas in the mind at the same time, resulting in the breakdown of the individual's mind and thus incapability for the individual to hold independent thought and believe anything the Party says, no matter how contradictory they are.

Examples: - During the Hate Week ceremony, the announcer changes topics immediately as he realizes that     Eurasia has become the enemy, not Eastasia. The crowd simply accepts the change in mid-sentence and is ashamed to see that there are the wrong posters ("Death to Eastasia", the former enemy)
                - Ministry of Love (Concerned with torture), Ministry of Truth (Concerned with propaganda and lies), Ministry of Plenty (Concerned with rationing and shortages), and Ministry of Peace (Concerned with war)

2: Newspeak: Noun: A new language invented by the Party (Still in progress) that has become the official language of Oceania, which eliminates all words related to rebellion or disobedience or technology, thus making it impossible to conceptualize anything related to rebellion.

Examples: -"Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it."

                -Doubleplusungood = Very, very bad

3: Proletarians: Noun: Often simply called Proles; the lowest class in Oceania, or simply the worker class before the "Revolution". Comprises 85% of the population of Oceania, and live in poor living conditions. The Proles are kept sedated with cheap alcohol, pornography and lotteries. A very uneducated class of people.

Example: -"The Proles are the only hope" Winston said.
                

4: Thoughtcrime: Noun: The crime of committing rebellious or disobedient THOUGHTS. Out of all the possible types of crime, Thoughtcrime is considered the worst because there is no way to stop it, and once it roots itself in the mind, it stays there forever. Note: the Thought Police monitor every citizen for suspicious acts for thoughtcrime.

Examples: -"Thoughtcrime does not entail death: Thoughtcrime is death."
               -"Thoughtcrime was not a thing to be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for years, but sooner or later they were bound to catch you."

5: Unperson: Noun: A person who is "vaporized", or in other words, murdered by the state, but also erased from existence of history. Any mention of that individual in books or videos or records would be erased, and it would seem that individual never existed.

Examples: -Syme disappeared suddenly; he did not come to work. Winston figured he became an unperson.
                -Even mentioning the name of the unperson is Thoughtcrime.

Quotes

1: WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

These words are the slogan for the Ministry of Truth. According to the Party, War is Peace because a common enemy keeps the citizens of Oceania united as one. Freedom is Slavery because apparently, the independent man is destined to fail. Also, Slavery is Freedom, because a man that is controlled by another's will is free from danger and desires. Lastly, Ignorance is Strength because the incapability of the Proles to recognize the contradictory messages results in a powerful, stronger Party. However, this slogan is obviously an example of doublethink, where people hold these extremely contradictory ideas in their minds to accept anything the Party decrees. For example, not only these words, but the names of the ministries themselves- Minitrue (Lies and Propaganda), Minipax (War), Miniluv (Torture and brainwashing), and Miniplenty (Rationing and shortages) are everyday examples of the amounts of doublethink the population is exposed.

Although not as severe and authoritarian as the Party of Oceania, there are many countries in the world that used these methods to control and manipulate their people. For example, among the many communist nations in the 20th century, the Soviet Union used disinformation and used language to manipulate their population. I believe that this slogan describes the first section because as the first section introduces and describes the ultimate power of the Party, the slogan describes how the Party uses doublethink to manipulate and control the population.

2: Who controls the Past controls the Future.

Who controls the Present controls the Past.

The Party has complete dominance and power in the present. With that power, the Party assigned the Ministry of Truth to rewrite the past- every single history book has Party ideology written all over, and because citizens are not allowed to keep journals or photographs of their own pasts, the people of Oceania have a very unreliable, fuzzy memory before the Party took control, and instead believe whatever the Party tells them. Also, in the end, O'Brien reveals to Winston that the past is not real; it is only imagined in the minds of humans. Therefore, according to O'Brien, because the people believe the Party's version of history, although it was not actually real, the Party's version of the past is the truth.

This is an interesting slogan. In the many dictatorships and authoritarian regimes that occurred in human history, the dictators or the ruling minority almost always destroyed the books or documents that disagreed with their ideology or their explanation of events; for example, in Hitler's Nazi Germany, thousands of Jewish books as well as books about different ideologies were burnt in huge bonfires. In many cases, some totalitarian kings that usurped the throne either burnt the existing history books or rewrote new history to make themselves seem "right" in the eyes of their subjects. This, along with the first quotation, clearly defines the first and second portion of the novel because it defines the absolute power of the Party. The Party is powerful enough to rewrite history and to have its subjects to accept the constant changing of facts. 

3: "They can't make me stop loving you- that would be the real betrayal."

In the middle portion of the book, Winston and Julia begin a passionate, illegal relationship carefully hidden from the Thought Police and the Party. However, especially Winston, both of them realize that sooner or later, they will get caught by the Police and tortured until each admits to betraying one another. To comfort the depressing, horrifying thought, Julia says, "They can torture me and make me say 'I hate you', but they can't make me stop loving you- that would be the real betrayal." They believe that the Thought Police will no doubt torture them and force them to admit their treason and love the Party once again, as well as force them to renounce their love for one another, but deep down inside, they would not be able to psychologically, mentally force each to stop loving each other. It is sad how completely easily that statement was broken, when Winston (After months of torture) and Julia both honestly betrayed each other. However, it can be seen that the quote was a comfort for the fear of the upcoming nightmare.

This quote signifies human hope. Sure, in the battle of Thermopylae, 300 Spartans faced against hundreds of thousands of Persians, the battle was quite hopeless for the Spartans. However, knowing that their end was coming, they still didn't back up and flee in fear. Just as Julia and Winston stayed their ground and refused to worry, the Spartans stayed their ground until the very end. No matter what the massive odds are, hope will still remain.

4: 2+2=5

2+2=5 is a slogan created by the Party. During Winston's stay in Miniluv, O'Brien tells him, "How do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable- what then?" 2+2=5 is a form of psychological manipulation and control that the Party used to ensure acceptance of the Party's decrees, as well as being used by O'Brien to check Winston if he had finally accepted the Party's teachings during the torture. When Winston finally gave up and said 2+2=5, it signified that Winston had given up on his ideas and opinions and finally accepted the Party's ideas and teachings. 2+2=5 symbolizes the complete mind control the Party has on its subjects: how badly are you manipulated and controlled if you truly believe someone saying a fact that completely contradicts everything you've learned in your life?

This form (Although minor) of manipulation has occurred before, when ancient people worshiped kings and pharaohs as god-kings. After all, a king's word is law, and the king is always right, unless you want your head served on a pike. Because people allowed themselves to believe whatever their king told them, it resulted in a oligarchy where the ruling elite completely dominated power over the peasant majority. 

These quotes/slogans are the messages that Orwell was sending us; the dangers of totalitarianism and authoritarian regimes. 

O'Brien's Journal Entry

Here is an excerpt from O'Brien's journal, March 20, 1977:

“March 20, 1977:

I have finally found an individual that is defiant to the Party… he is named Winston Smith, age 32. He works in the Ministry of Truth, working by rewriting production accounts and new articles, as well as destroying any documents that are dangerous to the Party. Unfortunately, he himself seems disobedient to the Party, but only subtly, so that it is difficult to accuse him outright. I am going to investigate this further, as it is my job within the Party to cure disobedience to the Party.

I got a glimpse of him today, as I was passing by the Ministry of Truth to deliver some documents. Due to the large distance from Minitrue to my house, the journey took a long while. While I waited in the car, I drank some rich coffee and some white chocolate, a lovely honey-sweet taste. As I recall, when I entered Minitrue, every single worker looked up at my black suit that signified the Inner Party. I must admit, it is comfortable and nice being a member of the Inner Party, but the Outer Party must realize how difficult and complicated the jobs that I perform are. Basically, the comforts the Inner Party receive are compensation for the duties we perform.

When I met the individual, he seemed… subtly defiant. Of course, he did not show it directly, but I could sense a feeling of disobedience deep inside the man. I could clearly see pain and tension in the man’s face when I walked by him, and the look on his face, the look when someone wants to murder someone, was the look that got me interested. I left Minitrue exalted, as I had the opportunity to keep a possible Thoughtcriminal under surveillance. When I went back to my house, I drank a deep red wine, along with roast pork, with the telescreen turned off to celebrate my duty to the Party.

As Winston Smith is not openly defiant but very subtly disobedient, I plan on keeping this individual under close but subtle and minimal surveillance for the next few years. Actually, because this is such an interesting case, maybe I’ll monitor him myself, and I’ll work in his office to keep a close eye on him for the next few years. Perhaps I will eventually lie that I am a part of the “Brotherhood”, and that might get him roused. We will eventually meet again, in the place of no darkness.”

O'Brien is one of the most important characters of the novel, while being the most mysterious. In fact, instead of developing his character as the story moves along, his character seems to UNDEVELOP, as he betrays Winston and reveals himself to be a Thought Police agent. By then end of the story, his actions raise more questions than it answers. Nevertheless, without O'Brien, the story wouldn't have gotten anywhere; O'Brien singlehandedly traps Winston and Julia into arrest and later "cures" Winston of his disobedience. Near the end of the story, it is revealed that O'Brien has been monitoring Winston for the past seven years, and gains Winston's trust by pretending to be of the Brotherhood, an anti-Party association. After Winston outright declares his disobedience and hatred to the Party, O'Brien's work is done. He later tortures and brainwashes Winston to obey and love the Party. I chose to write in this certain time period because it would reveal more about O'Brien and his "Plot" to monitor Winston before the events of the story.

O'Brien seems to be 199% devoted to the Party. He talks about the Party as being all-powerful, always right, and apparently can go against the laws of nature, such as being able to float in mid-air (Which he doesn't do because he doesn't want to...). His arrogant manner of talking about his house, food and comforts is similar to that of noblemen, wealthy people and the ruling parties throughout history. He seems oblivious to the fact that more than 50% of  the population of Oceania walk barefoot and receive tasteless Victory rations, while he enjoys personal luxuries such as automobiles, personal servants, and real, delicious food.  He seems to be ignorant and takes for granted the fact that he has telescreens that are able to be turned off. Using the spoiled, arrogant manner that wealthy classes have lived throughout history, I wrote a journal entry in O'Brien's journal.

Parsons' Journal Entry

Here is an entry from Parsons' journal, dating from October 13, 1984:

“October 13, 1984:

How I ended up in the prison cell of the Ministry of Love, I don’t quite understand. But what I can scrape from the bottom of my memory from yesterday, apparently I repeatedly screamed “I HATE BIG BROTHER” in my sleep. The next day, the Thought Police, clad in black, destroyed the door and arrested me, my youngest daughter chiding them on and telling them what I did last night. I suppose I should be glad my little daughter is growing up to be devoted to the Party.

When I was thrown in the prison cell in the Ministry of Love, guess who I happened to meet? Why, it was Winston Smith, that blundering thoughtcriminal! I always knew that unorthodox man would end up in Miniluv, he always seemed so subtly defiant to the structure of Newspeak and maybe even the Party itself. I simply over exhausted myself due to the ordeals in the Ministry of Truth; but I knew Winston would someday end up as a thoughtcriminal.

I’ve always loved the Party, I still love the Party, and I’ll continue to love the Party with all my heart, why are they doing this to me? I know that I need to regain my consciousness and love for Big Brother, but why do they keep me in this dirty prison cell? More than once I’ve had to use the privy but instead I had to use the lavatory pan, which created a dirty mess.

Oh please, Big Brother, release me from this nightmare, I am your loving subject!”

Tom Parsons is a fellow co-worker of Winston in the Ministry of Truth, as well as being his neighbour. Parsons is the everyday man who gives unwavering support to the Party and believes anything they say. However, unconsciously, Parsons is muttering anti-Party messages in his sleep- found by his young daughter, who immediately informed the Thought Police. His own daughter, informed the Party on his mistake. This alone shows how deep the Party has managed to manipulate and take control of its people. 

Tom Parsons appears to be very non-important to the story, but the truth is quite different. Tom Parsons reflects the common everyday citizen in Oceania- undying support for the Party, no matter what the Party does. He loves the Party so much that he loves his daughter for informing the Party on him. He even loves being arrested for Thoughtcrime so that he may be cured! His reckless acts of such love to the Party shows that the Party has manipulated the people to an extent where the people use doublethink to think that no matter what the Party does, it is right/good. Parsons is in fact so ordinary and powerless to the Party that the Party may as well release and reintegrate him into society and allow him to continue as before.

Julia's Journal Entry

Here is a journal entry from Julia's perspective, dating from September 24, 1974:

"September 24, 1974:

I’ve been assigned to work at the Ministry of Truth as a mechanic. It seems that I’ll be fixing machines, but that’ll be comfortable as I love to work with tools and machines. It feels weird to be leaving school and to be working for the Party. However, it’ll be a relief from those boring, pointless lectures that the educators always give about purity and devotion to the Party, as well as the “History” lessons which I know are not correct at all- my grandfather, before going “missing”(I know the Party took him away, I’ll never forget that) told me about the history in his time, and I know that Big Brother wasn’t popular since the 1930’s- he only rose up in fame during the 1950’s!

All the Party’s talk about cleanliness and purity in the Outer Party is stupid and ironic; how has the Party has taken control of our minds? The Party, wanting to transform our unfulfilled desires and frustration into unmoving support for them, has made sex forbidden between Outer Party members. Why should pleasures be taboo in society?

What boring brainwashing lectures I’ll be missing and what pleasures I’ll be taking part in, but I have to be on my guard at all times. Who knows if I’ll end up working with a Thought Police agent? I’ll be careful to dodge the Party’s suspicion, because I’m still actively partaking in the Junior Anti-Sex League (haha, what irony?) and I was amazingly popular during my years in the Junior Spies. I’ll still be actively participating in the Community Centre during most of my free time, leading the groups on hikes and activities. However, in the few hours of free time I manage to save up, I’ll be looking forward to love and desire.

In fact, just yesterday, as I was being introduced to my workplace, I met an old Inner Party official; say around 60 years old or so. He seems to have an interest in me, and I feel a strange desire to him. I don’t know why; his old ugly face does not appeal, but I sense a feeling of not belonging in that old man. Well, I’ll just have to see how it goes between him and me..." 

This is a journal entry by Julia, the second most important character in the novel, who happens to be Winston's lover throughout the story and maintains a brief but passionate relationship with Winston. Although Julia turns out to be a fellow Thoughtcriminal, while Winston worries about the social problems in Oceania, Julia is more concerned with pleasure and freedom. Julia is a very important character to the story- whereas without Julia, Winston simply worried and thought about the problems in Oceania, with Julia, Winston became more aggressive, more out-going and followed through with his actions, even to the point of joining the Brotherhood, an anti-Party association, and reading the illegal (Prohibited) book that the Brotherhood is compelled to read. Julia persuaded and influenced Winston to be more daring and bold during their brief relationship.

However, Julia is introduced only as the "Little brown-haired girl" in the beginning of the novel. Her origins are not explained thoroughly, and the only thing we know about her past is that she had a grandfather who was taken away by the Party. I felt compelled to write about her younger years, when she just arrived in the Ministry of Truth and reveal more of her youth. Also, as she described herself, Julia had her first affair with an old Inner Party official, who later hanged himself in fear. Using that information, I illustrated the beginnings of Julia's criminal life.

Winston's journal entry

Here is a journal entry from Winston Smith, dating from January 16, 1985:

"January 16, 1985:

I love the Party; I love Big Brother… or do I? After what happened to me at the Ministry of Love by O’Brien, I’ve been devoted to the survival of the Party.  I’ve even lost my love for Julia; whenever I meet her at the Ministry of Truth, I feel no affection or desire whatsoever as I see her face, and I know that she feels the same way. To be honest, I hate the sight of her, because her Anti-Sex League sash is just a taunt to our brief relationship. I am aware of her scowling at me during the cafeteria lunches, and all I desire is to strangle that pretty neck of hers.

I visited the Community Centre yesterday. We went on a Community hike, a small trail outside London. The hike took the majority of my free time, mainly because our group went around the long trail back to the Community Centre. Julia was among the leaders, and I could tell she despised the sight of me in the group, and she sent the group around the long trail back simply to fatigue me, which didn’t help the ulcer on my legs. The hike took the majority of my free time, and by the time I was in my apartment, I drank one bottle of Victory Gin and smoked one Victory Cigarette, and went promptly to bed- naked of course, to save my clothing coupons.

Just today, which was the usual workday where I was changing the production facts of the Party (Apparently, 2000 more tons of bread was produced than the estimate, which I changed to 50,000) I met O’Brien at the Ministry of Truth. There were no dialogues exchanged, just a flicker of his eyes that sent my mind panicking. What did he mean by that? Was that a signal that I would be arrested again? Sent back to the “Place with no darkness”? Will I become an Unperson, who is erased from history that no one remembers?

The Ministry of Love has changed me, but when will the Thought Police come for me again? O’Brien has made me aware of the fact that I am directly under their control. They have changed me to be devoted to the Party, but I know that once they catch a thoughtcriminal, they keep them on surveillance for the rest of their lives, if they don’t catch them again: sooner or later, they’ll arrest me again for charges I didn’t commit, and possibly execute me. Somehow, they’ve got me even more devoted to the Party than by simply torturing me- I know that the Party can execute me anytime they decide if necessary, and thus my life is in their hands, not mine own.   

DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER

I have chosen to write this journal entry to describe the end of the story of Winston, the primary character in the novel, without whom there would be no story. Winston, after being released back into society, reintegrates himself into the Party and momentarily stops his "Crimethink". Deep, deep inside, however, Winston knows he still hates the Party and Big Brother, and knows that the Party will come for him sooner or later. In the end of the novel, Winston realizes that although he has been arrested and tortured into loving Big Brother again, the Party (Not wanting to create martyrs by executing them right away) has released him and reintegrated to the society of Oceania. However, some time later, the Party will accuse him on several false charges and finally execute him, thereby preventing any "heroic deaths".

As Winston has written in the last portion of the journal entry, the Party was able to control Winston more effectively than simply torturing him. By allowing Winston to realize that the Party can wipe him from all traces of history simply if necessary, Winston's life is in their hands, not his own. Also, by keeping the date of his rearrest/execution a mystery, he doesn't know when the Thought Police will arrest him; he might be executed at any time, or even never, but they don't need to tell him that. As a result, it keeps Winston constantly devoted to the Party, never knowing when he'll be erased by the Party, but knowing for sure that someday they will. I believe that by writing about the future of the story, it would provide more insight to the psychological manipulation and power that the Party dominates on their citizens.