Maisha's Brit Lit Journal

Brief Overview:  Winston Smith is a 39-year-old citizen of Air-Strip One who has faint memories of his past in a place where memories are things that can’t be trusted. Air-Strip One is ruled over by the Party and Big Brother. Their rule is extremely strict and every nook and corner of Air-Strip One is looked over by the Party. His home is a place which was previously known as London, and it belongs to Oceania--indicating to the then England.  Smith is wary of Big Brother and the Party as he sees Big Brother’s name and the words “Big Brother is watching you” written everywhere. While Winston himself works for the Ministry of Truth; changing the history in documents and making it suit the Party’s ways of spreading their influence, he despises the Party and hates Big Brother. He sees the lower class of his community: the Proles and believes that if anyone can take Big Brother and the Party down its the Proles. He then comes in contact with Julia, a young woman who works for...

Book One, Chapters 1-2 1. What bothers Winston? The society he's in. 2. What is wrong with his society? That the people don't have any freedom of thought or any kind of privacy. Its essentially a dystopia. 3. What are the three slogans of the Inner Party? War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength. 4. What are the four ministries? Ministries of Truth, Peace, Love and Plenty. 5. What items are written in italics? The words Winston writes in his diary. 6. How does the Two Minute Hate work? Everyone is shown an emotionally charged message from Emmanuel Goldstein, the Enemy of the public which preaches his traitorous behavior. 7. What happens to Winston during the chant? He commits a thought crime. 8. What happens between O’Brien and Winston? They exchange a glance that makes Winston think that they share the same hate for their society deep inside. 9. During the film (p. 11), how did the audience react? The people were hysterica...