1. According to O’Brien, what are the three stages of Winston’s reintegration? What happens at each?
2. What does Winston find out about The Book and why the Party seeks power?
O’Brien wrote part of The Book.
3. Winston learns why the Party seeks power. What is the reason?
The Party wants power just to have power.
4. What is Winston’s answer when O’Brien asks, “Can you think of a single degradation that has not happened to you?” How does O’Brien respond?
5. Describe the scene with the cage. What is in the cage? What does Winston do? What does this symbolize?
6. What are your thoughts on Winston and Julia's final meeting?
7. What did you think of the ending?
Describe the scene with the cage. What is in the cage? What does Winston do? What does this symbolize?
ReplyDeleteThere are giant rats in the cage that O'Brein is commanding Winston to put on unless he does whatever task he is required to do. Since Winston does not know what measures he needs to do to complete the task, he refuses. Threatening to pull the lever and rats releasing onto his face, Winston screams that Julia should be tortured instead. This is betrayal and exactly what the party wanted. It symbolizes the party's physical control that resides in the citizens.
I agree, it is crazy how Winston knew in Book 2 that all he had to do was beat The Party by continuing to feel, but here he is doing exactly what they planned.
DeleteThat's why this scene is so crucial. When Winston betrays Julia to save himself, he knows that he has finally been beaten. Big Brother wins.
DeleteThis scene made me even more curious about their true feelings for eachother. Were they simply so drawn to each other because of their shared desire to rebel against Big Brother? Do you think true love ever existed between them? I feel like most people would say yes considering the torture Winston endured for Julia, but was it really for Julia? Or was it for himself to be one step closer to escaping the controlling government?
DeleteJuan Pablo Rodriguez
DeleteYes, ToriK. I agree with this as well. If he loved Julia so much and made somewhat a couple sacrifices for her, how is he able to throw her under the bus like that? Was he benefiting himself or was did he not like her ever and just wanted connections to defeat the Party?
This scene was the climax of the novel. It was shocking to see how he betrayed Julia in an instant due to his fear of rats. Self preservation is a quality in every human and I think Winston went through that when O'brien threatens him with the rats.
DeleteI think this shows how much control Big Brother had, even over the ones that were against their power and wanted to change it.
Delete5. Describe the scene with the cage. What is in the cage? What does Winston do? What does this symbolize?
ReplyDeleteIn the cage is a nasty and viscous group of Winston's biggest fear: rats. Winston has made good progress in all other aspects of his "curing," except for the fact that he is still feeling human emotions. This is revealed when he dreams about Julia and screams out for her in his cell, exposing his still existent feelings, and leading him directly to where he is now. Right before the cage is opened and the rats can get to Winston, he realizes the only person he could meaningfully transfer his punishment to is Julia. He yells out his realization, begging that the rats go to Julia and not to him. This represents his submission to the Party. They have successfully rid him of the one thing he felt, love, and got him to betray the one he loved, Julia.
I agree! The Party wanted all the power in Oceania. In order to do that, they had to dehumanize the members of their society. Winston since the beginning of the book was different then other members of the party with his plan to join The Brotherhood, which in the end is not what it seems. Book three really emphasizes The Party's unquenchable thirst for power that they will go to any extent to maintain it, like torturing Winston into that dehumanized state where there are no human emotions.
DeleteI like your idea that in order to have total power, the Party "had to dehumanize the members of their society". They could simply have killed Winston, but they needed to go further than that.
DeleteAccording to O’Brien, what are the three stages of Winston’s reintegration? What happens at each?
ReplyDeleteAccording to O'Brien, the three stages of reintegration are learning, understanding, and accepting. In the learning stage Winston is taught the power of the Party through constant beatings. In the understanding stage, Winston is tortured with the dial until he understands that he must do and follow whatever the Party says. In the final accepting stage, Winston is faced with his greatest fear in room 101, rats. Betraying Julia was the final stage in his reintegration and at the end of the book he eventually gets to the point of loving Big Brother.
Juan Pablo Rodriguez
ReplyDeleteDescribe the scene with the cage. What is in the cage? What does Winston do? What does this symbolize?
In this picture, a rat is held up to his face because they know thats his biggest fear. And at the moment, we can see that Winston throws Julia under the bus by telling the Party to harm her and not him. How is this relationship between Winston and Julia considered love?The party is only looking for answers from Winston, they did'y want to harm, and since he did't say anything, they brought out his biggest fear.
It seems as if there wasn't much love between Winston and Julia because in order to really be in a relationship, sacrifices have to be made. In this case it seems that they were just together to have a rebellious bond against the "Big Brother".
DeleteThe scene also symbolizes the complete control that the Party has over it's people and how they can manipulate their minds
DeleteThis is where the party succeeds since Winston screams that O'Brien should put the mask on Julia instead. This is what O'Brien wants, for Winston to betray Julia.
DeleteDescribe the scene with the cage. What is in the cage? What does Winston do? What does this symbolize?
ReplyDeleteThe cage was filled with rats. Winston snaps and 'rats' out Julia and admits to his crimes. The Party uses people fears, rats in Winston's case, in order to take total control over them. It symbolizes the total control the Party has over it's people and even their minds.
According to O’Brien, what are the three stages of Winston’s reintegration? What happens at each?
ReplyDeleteThe three stages of Winston's reintegration are learning, understanding, and accepting. He is about to enter the understanding stage.
7. 1984 shows the us the unstoppable power of a society where human thought is able to be controlled. One notion that stuck out to me throughout this book was doublespeak. The names of the party buildings such as the "Ministry of Peace" which is actually in charge of the war. This strikes a scary parallel with what we have in America today, such as the Department of Defense, which is also in charge of waging war, as well as the Patriot Act and the Freedom of Information Act.
ReplyDelete7. What did you think of the ending?
ReplyDeleteIt serves as a pretty harrowing reminder of lost control to regime with no limit or accountability. While it's never directly stated, given the setting of London and the subtle of the system, it can reasonably be inferred that party was not a hostile takeover nor was it some kind of weird Monarchy. The party was most likely major ally elected and through continuous reform,turned the entire country into a totalitarian regime. The thought of the happening in a democratic republic government such as the U.K or the U.S.A is terrifying. We're taught that this couldn't possibly happen in countries where the people hold the power, but when the government or majority party can control what you think and think you know, the hypothetical fear becomes a eerie reality.
1. According to O’Brien, what are the three stages of Winston’s reintegration? What happens at each?
ReplyDeleteThe three stages of Winston's reintegration from the government are learning, understanding, and acceptance. These three are the things that will break Winston down as best as the government can to the point of where he has to comply or else he will be in more pain than rebellion is worth.
6. What are your thoughts on Winston and Julia's final meeting?
ReplyDeleteWinston and Julia no longer had feelings for one another, it was as though their experiences had wiped out their emotions. Although they were certain that torture may convince them to confess they would not stop loving each other, their last meeting seemed like that was not the case. Did the government win and cause them to not love each other anymore?