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Chapter Questions: 1984 by George Orwell.
Chapter 1.
1. When does the story begin?
April 4, 1984
2. What kind of day is it?
Cold and bright
3. How have the clocks been changed?
Military Time. Implies What?
4. Who is the first character introduced?
Winston Smith
5. Where does he live?
Victory Mansions
6. Describe the place (details: smells, conditions)
Smells of old rags, cabbage. Poorly Built in disrepair
7. What is the large poster?
Big Brother
8. Why doesn’t Winston (W) take the lift?
Doesn’t work
9. Why is it difficult for W to climb the stairs?
Varicose ulcer on leg
10. What is the caption beneath the large poster on the wall?
Big Brother is Watching You (INGSOC)
11. Where does the “fruity” voice come from?
Telescreen
12. Can the telescreen be completely shut off?
No
13.How does the telescreen differ from our television?
Receives and transmits
14. Describe Winston (Be specific)
39, frail, blue overalls (party Uniform), fair hair, course skin, ruddy face
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15. What is the word on the flapping poster?
INGSOC (English Socialism)
16. What police bother W?
Thought Police
17. What city and country does W live in?
London, Oceania
18. Can W recall the city of his childhood?
Nothing
19. What can W see from his window?
Ministry of Truth
20. What are the 3 slogans of the party etched on Miniture?
War is peace
Freedom is Slavery
Ignorance is Strength
21.How many buildings like these (and what are they?) can W see from his window?
4 Ministries of Truth, Peace , Love, and Plenty
22. Which is the most frightening?
Love or Miniluv
23. Does W have any food?
Old Dark Bread
24.What does he drink?
Victory Gin
25. What does he smoke?
Victory Cigs
26. Where does he sit to write and why?
Alcove, hidden from Telescreen
Chapter 2
1. What does W realize he has done with his diary?
Left it open with words, “Down with Big Brother” visible
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2.Who is at the door?
Mrs. Parsons
3. Are the Victory Apartments well built? Explain.
Built in 1930’s, now falling apart
4. How is the Parson’s flat (apartment) different from W’s?
Bigger and dingier in a different way/ Sports stuff/ smells
5. Why are the children disappointed?
Haven’t been out today
6. Who is Parsons? Describe him.
Also works at M of Truth “a mass of imbecile enthusiasm”
7. How are Parson’s children similar to all kids today?
Energy, playing solider, imitating adults w/o thought. P. 23
8. For what are the children of 1984 being trained?
War/Spying/ finding Traitors/ Being loyal to Party
9. Who does W think says, “We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness?”
O’Brien: An Inner party Member
10. What is the bad news on the telescreen?
p. 25 After mentioning glorious victory, chocolate ration being cut from 30 to 20
grams.
11. What is the only thing people can call their own?
p. 26 The few cubic centimeters inside your head
12. Before W leaves for work, what is the essence of what he writes in his diary?
He is already dead. He must stay alive as long as possible. He wants to stay sane and
different.
13.What ordinary thing does he do before he goes back to work?
Washes his hands because an ink stain could give him away.
14. What does he put on the corner of the cover of his diary before he leaves?
A whitish grain of dust to see if the page is turned.
Chapter 3
1.What does W think happened to his mother and father?
p. 28 Swallowed up in the purges of the 50’s (Holocaust/Stalin)
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2. Why does W think his mother and father had to die?
p. 28 So that he could stay alive
3.What change has there been in emotion since W’s mother died?
Seems like death is no longer tragic or sorrowful. Part of daily life (like Elie)
4.Of what does W think when in his dream he sees the girl throw off all her clothes in one
graceful motion?
p. 29 That one act seems to annihilate a whole cultural system of thought: BB/Thought
Police/Party
5.Why does W sleep w/o night clothes?
p. 29 His meager clothing allowance equals .5 changes per year
6. What does W do after his coughing fit?
p. 30 30-40 physical jerks. Mandatory exercise.
7.What can W remember of his early life?
p. 30 History is fading/ no historical record/ Names of countries different:
England/Britain/London. Atomic Bomb
8. What does W. remember about the beginning of the war?
A-Bomb/ Street fighting in London
9.What country is Oceania at war with at this time?
At war with Eurasia and allied w/ Eastasia. Enemy of moment is always an absolute
evil.
10. Why is the Past to be wiped away?
Party Slogan: Who controls the Past controls the future; who controls the present
controls the past.
11. What is W’s decision about the past?
The past has not merely been altered but completely destroyed
12. How long has Big Brother (BB) existed in the Party histories?
1960’s ? He has been pushed back in history to 30’s and 40’s
14. When does Winston first believe he heard the word “Ingsoc”?
p. 33 Not before 1960
15. How is W reprimanded?
Telescreen yells, “Smith 6079. Do better.” P. 33
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16. How does the instructor encourage her audience to touch their toes?
Reminds them of comrades fighting on Malabar front. Think of them
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