Works Cited

 "Big Brother is Watching You." Web. 30 Aug 2010. <http://thechinadesk.files.wordpress.com/2007/09          /bigbrother.jpg>.

 "Biography: Joseph Stalin." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 25 Aug 2010.
      <http://www.pbs.org/redfiles /bios/all_bio_joseph_stalin.htm>.

"Charlemagne." Wikipedia.Web.
     <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne>.

Gotta Love Security. Web. 25 Aug 2010.
      <http://parranormal.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/security_big1.jpg>. 

  "Julius Caesar." Wikipedia. Web.
       <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar#Assassination>

"Oranges and Lemons." Wikipedia. Web.
      <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oranges_and_Lemons>.

 Orwell, George. 1984. Secker and Warburg, 1949. Print.

"Paddington Station." Wikipedia, Web.
          <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Paddington_station>.

"Rene Descartes." Catholic Encyclopedia. Web.
            <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen /04744b.htm>.

"Rene Descartes." Wikipedia. Web.
      <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Descartes>.

"Snakes and Ladders." Wikipedia. Web.
       <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_ladders>.

"Stalin Victory." Web. 25 Aug 2010.
    <http://www.kommunisten-online.de/historie/stalin_victory.jpg>. 

"...the tiddlywinks climbed hopefully up the ladder and then came slithering down the snakes again, almost back to the starting point." (296)

             This allusion to the game Snakes and Ladders is a metaphor for the lives of the citizens in 1984. In Snakes and Ladders (or Chutes and Ladders,) the player often finds their game pieces slithering back to the bottom of the board. Every time a citizen of Oceania attempts to tear down Big Brother and The Party through thoughtcrime, they are either vaporized or brainwashed. They are sent back down to the bottom of the proverbial ladder.
           The artwork on the Milton Bradley edition of the board shows children doing a good deed to achieve a reward at the top of the ladder. The theme of that particular board  is morality, which The Party definitely tries to ingrain into society. This could be a coincidence, or it could be just another reason why Orwell chose this particular game to reference.

Source: "Snakes and Ladders." Wikipedia. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snakes_and_ladders>.

"I think I exist," he said wearily. "I am conscious of my own identity." (259)

         This quotation is a subtle allusion to Rene Descartes's famous quote "I think, therefore I am." Descartes was the first philosopher to try to defeat skepticism and arrive at a set of fundamental principles that no one can doubt. He felt that the senses were limited, and that what was in one's mind was what mattered the most. Orwell picked this quotation because Descartes was the opposite of Big Brother and The Party. Rather than history being fluid and malleable, Descartes wanted fundamental, stable truths. Descartes was in strong support of human thought and emotion, much unlike Big Brother and The Party. Orwell made this reference to suggest that thought and stable truths are important.




Sources: "Rene Descartes." Catholic Encyclopedia. Web.
            <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen /04744b.htm>.

   "Rene Descartes." Wikipedia. Web.
      <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Descartes>.

"The fragent of coral, a tiny crinkle of pink like a sugar rosebud from a cake, rolled across the mat. How small, thought Winston, how small it always was!" (223)

      The Thought Police breaking the coral paperweight is symbolic of Julia and Winston's romance being smashed to pieces when they are arrested. The color of the coral, pink, symbolizes compassion, trust, and love- things that The Party is against. These traits were strongly present in Julia and Winston's relationship as well. Winston is just now realizing how small the paperweight is. This symbolizes the fact that he is just now realizing how small and fleeting their relationship was. Like a sugar rosebud on a cake, their relationship was sweet, small, and temporary.

"If you can feel that staying human is worth while, even when it can't have any result whatever, you've beaten them." (166)

      In this passage, Winston points out that the key to beating The Party and Big Brother is to feel that staying human- meaning thinking for oneself- is worthwhile. The word "feel" is emphasized to point out that having feelings is the most important part. This is because the only feelings that The Party and Big Brother want one to have are hate, fear, and love for Big Brother. Orwell is saying here that in society, expressing one's emotions and "staying human" is the answer to preventing a society like the one in 1984. 

"Perhaps it was only when people were somewhere near the starvation level that they had anything to sing about." (142)

           This reference to the prole woman singing outside is Orwell's way of saying that one does not need money or power to be happy. The fact that the proles seem more content than the Party members shows that Orwell supports the everyday person, and a simpler way of life. It also shows, however, that ignorance truly is strength. The proles have no idea whatsoever that they are being brainwashed and controlled by The Party. The ones who are smart enough to even attempt  know better are vaporized. This could be Orwell's subtle longing for a more simple way of life- perhaps he feels that he himself would be happier if he was oblivious to all the corruption in the world.

"...Go to Paddington Station---" (115)

            Orwell uses this allusion to Paddington Station in London because it was the original site of the Metropolitan Railway, the world's first underground railway. The fact that Paddington Station still stands in a world where Big Brother and The Party control everything shows that even when facts are covered up and changed, history can never fully be erased. The fact that it was an underground railway suggests a further connection- "underground" implies secret and possibly dangerous, much like Julia and Winston's affair.


Source: "Paddington Station." Wikipedia, Web.
          <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Paddington_station>.

"In this game that we're playing, we can't win." (135)

          This metaphor compares Winston and Julia's lives to a game that they cannot win. Winston says this because in the totalitarian society of 1984, one's options are incredibly limited. Either people spend their entire lives devoted to Big Brother and The Party, without emotions or individual thoughts, or they are jailed, tortured, and eventually vaporized. Dreams, aspirations, and hope outside of The Party no longer exist. Happiness is fleeting, and for most people, is only connected to Big Brother.Winston feels that no matter what, his future is bleak and empty.

"Books were just a commodity that had to be produced, like jam or bootlaces." (130)

     This passage uses a comparison between books and commodities to highlight the importance of literature for future generations. If society does not actively read, write, and think, then books will become a commodity. Diversity of opinions and literary styles will decrease, and the government will be able to completely control everything people read. Orwell is saying that in order to prevent a society like the one in 1984 from forming, people must keep reading and writing.

"I hate purity. I hate goodness. I don't want any virtue to exist anywhere. I want everyone to be corrupt to the bones." (125)

            When Winston says this, he does not mean purity and goodness in the sense of helping others, or having manners, or being trustworthy. Instead, he is referring to The Party's definition of purity and goodness- turning in one's own family for thoughtcrime, loving no one except for Big Brother, and believing whatever The Party says. This is strong irony, because traditional virtue is considered to be corrupt by The Party. Therefore, Winston is actually saying that he hates The Party and their values.

"It spread out its wings, fitted them carefully into place again, ducked its head for a moment, as though making a sort of obeisance to the sun, and then began to pour forth a torrent of song." (123)

       The bird here is symbolic for the freedom that Winston and Julia have when they're away from London. Without telescreens, the Thought Police, or The Party around to watch them, they are free to be together and do whatever they want. The song underscores that feeling, and show the love that is forming between them as well. The tone created by this passage is a joyous, relaxed one- which contrasts strongly with the bitter, almost mechanical feel of the rest of the novel. This is to further illustrate the feeling of being in love.

"...instead of the eyes of the girl, the eyes of the aged prisoner gazed mournfully at Winston out of nests of hair." (117)

      The fact that Winston sees the prisoner's eyes over Julia's shows that subconsciously, he knows that their relationship will get him arrested, and eventually tortured and possibly vaporized. It is foreshadowing the chapters ahead. Winston knows that he will soon be in the prisoner's position, and this is how Orwell shows that. The eyes are symbolic for the soul, and for connections between souls. Winston had not fully connected with Julia yet, but he could definitely relate and connect to the prisoner, who (like Winston) had likely done nothing wrong.

"At the sight of the words 'I love you' the desire to stay alive had welled up in him..." (109)

           This quotation perfectly sums up the point that Orwell makes with the romance between Winston and Julia: that it is impossible to eliminate the desire for love in people, because it is essential to human life. When Winston realizes that Julia loves him, he would do anything just to be with her, even for a few fleeting seconds. He knew that at some point he would be vaporized, but because of Julia, he wants to avoid this as long as possible. This also shows that love can save and transform lives, and that it should be encouraged rather than eradicated.

"Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clements!" (98)

     This allusion is used to represent how important memories and human connections are. Commonalities such as shared childhood games like Oranges and Lemons connect the human race. This allusion shows that even when Big Brother and The Party try, they can never fully erase memories and human bonds. The fact that several people contribute to the rhyme as the book goes on shows that people are more alike than they think.

Source: "Oranges and Lemons." Wikipedia. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oranges_and_Lemons>.

"In the end, the whole notion of goodness and badness will be covered by only six words- in reality, only one word. Don't you see the beauty of that, Winston? It was B.B's idea originally, of course..." (51)

      Orwell uses this quotation to make a point that language and the growth of language is important to society. If there is only one word for good, and it contains its opposite, then there are no descriptions, no arguments for or against something, and no room for creative thought- or any kind of thought. Without individual thought and self-expression, (which Newspeak eliminates) people are more likely to swallow whatever Big Brother and The Party tell them. It would make sense that Newspeak is Big Brother's idea- it keeps him in power, and limits everyone else's means to rebel against him.

"It resembled the face of a sheep, and the voice, too, had a sheeplike quality." (12)

         In this quotation, Orwell uses irony to suggest to the reader that Goldstein is a non-conformist, and an individual. The irony here lies in the symbolism. By painting the mental picture of a sheep with Goldstein's face and voice, it separates him from the rest of the "herd." Sheep are often used as symbolism for crowd mentality, peer pressure, and conformity. When viewed from far away, one only sees the herd, not the individual sheep. Big Brother and the Party do not want people to be individuals- they encourage conformity and herd mentality. Goldstein is the exception, the individual separated from the pack. The term "black sheep," often used to describe outcasts and eccentrics comes to mind here as well- he is the outcast of society.

"Comerade Oglivy, who had never existed in the present, now existed in the past, and once the act of forgery was forgotten, he would exist just authentically and on upon the same evidence as Charlemagne or Julius Caesar." (47-48)

     This concordance uses allusions to Charlemagne and Julius Caesar, because they were hailed in history as heroes, much like Comrade Oglivy. Comrade Oglivy was forged to be a hero who died in battle, and a leader in Oceania. He was written to be a legend, a perfect citizen, a model for the rest of Oceania to look up to. His story was pompous and grand.
         Charlemagne's story was just as pompous. He was hailed as the father of Europe, and the Holy Roman Empire. He is associated with the Carolingian Renaissance, a rebirth of piety, art, and culture in the Middle Ages. Like Oglivy, he is known as a hero.
      Caesar was just as much of a hero in battle as Oglivy. He had four legions under his command, and he was the leader of an army. He conquered two previously unknown provinces, Illyricum and Gallia Narbonensis.
         However, like Oglivy, there is no evidence besides written words that they existed. Orwell's point is that they could very well have been forged, and that history is not necessarily something to take at face value. The pompousness of their stories compared to Oglivy's shows that through time and human intervention, stories get changed and exaggerated. This also shows how important memories are to history- actual knowledge and truth.

       Sources: "Charlemagne."  Wikipedia. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne>.
                      "Julius Caesar." Wikipedia. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Caesar#Assassination>.

"... which was also the sixth quarter of the Ninth Three-Year Plan." (39)

       This quotation contains an allusion to Joseph Stalin, the dictator of the Soviet Union from 1922-1953. It mentions the Ninth Three Year Plan. In 1984, the Three-Year Plans were plans to increase industrial production, which were similar to Stalin's Five Year Plans. In addition to this quote, there are several allusions to Stalin in 1984. For example, the Communist Party in Russia that Stalin had control over is often referred to as The Party, like in 1984. The physical description of Big Brother, a "black-mustachio'd face" (2)  with "dark eyes," (2) matches the appearance of Stalin as well.

Stalin: 


          The rewrites of history are also an allusion to Stalin. Much like newspaper articles and speeches in 1984 were rewritten to make Big Brother and The Party look more powerful, Stalin once rewrote a speech by Trotsky, a renowned military leader, inserting his name in the place of Trotsky's.
      These allusions are no accident. 1984 was written in 1948, during Stalin's regime. Orwell's point is to show the downside of totalitarian regimes such as Stalin's.  1984 is a vision of the future, and a warning sign to society that dictators such as Stalin are not the answer.



Sources:  

"Stalin Victory." Web. 25 Aug 2010.
    <http://www.kommunisten-online.de/historie/stalin_victory.jpg>. 

"Biography: Joseph Stalin." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 25 Aug 2010.
      <http://www.pbs.org/redfiles /bios/all_bio_joseph_stalin.htm>.

Overview

           1984 by George Orwell is a novel that paints a disturbing portrait of the future. Society is controlled by the government, called The Party, an oppressive, power-hungry group lead by a figure known as Big Brother. Big Brother and The Party know everything, watching people through telescreens, secret thought police, and tracking their whereabouts to make sure they do not rebel. They change facts, figures, and history to their advantage, making it as though people never existed, and certain events never happened. Their goal is a conformist, empty, society that only lives to serve The Party. The Party members aim to remove all emotions from people besides hate, fear, and unconditional love for Big Brother, so that  people are dependent on them. 

Winston, the main character, does not feel the same love for Big Brother. Secretly, he is against The Party and believes that there are others who are against it as well. He meets a woman named Julia, and when he bumps into her in the halls at work, she slips him a note that says "I love you." They begin a relationship, but are eventually both turned in to the Thought Police, and tortured until they confess their crimes. The book ends when a reformed Winston realizes that he loves Big Brother.

I loved this book. It was disturbing, even haunting at times. (One of the worst moments for me was reading about Winston being tortured in room 101 with the rats.)  It made me realize how much I take for granted, such as the right to express my opinion, and most of all, the right to openly love someone else without it being a crime.

Although 1984 is supposed to be a vision of the future, I do not think that society will ever turn into that. Human emotions such as trust, love, and passion can never be eradicated. If someone like Big Brother were to come into power, some people would conform, but others would band together and destroy him. My generation is too emotional, and too vocal to allow something like that to happen.

Some people feel that in modern context, security cameras are like Big Brother. I agree personally, but only to a small extent. The fact that the security cameras are constantly "watching" us is partially for safety reasons- burglars and attackers are easy to identify.

However, being "watched" is an uncomfortable feeling. I often wonder if the people behind the security cameras are judging my words or actions, or if they ever think I'm suspicious. Some people believe that security cameras rob people of the benefit of the doubt. I thought this photo was an interesting way of expressing that:

Source:

Gotta Love Security. Web. 25 Aug 2010.
      <http://parranormal.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/security_big1.jpg>.