1984 Book 1 Chapter IV

1. 1984 Book 1 Chapter IV By Sean O’Connell

2. Character Analysis • Winston Smith- in this chapter he is seen in his place of work where there is little learned about his personality expect that he is proud of his work. • Tilloston- another employee in the department of records who seems to be a bit hostile towards Winston • Comrade Withers- an inner-party member who had been revered in high respects until his sudden disappearance • Comrade Ogilvy- a fictional party member who is describe in Winston’s corrective writing to be the ideal party member.

3. Newspeak/Vocab • Labyrinth- an intricate combination of paths or passages in which it is difficult to find one’s way or to reach the exit. What happened in the unseen labyrinth to which the pneumatic tubes led, he did not know in detail, but he did know in general terms. • Palimpsest- a parchment or the like from which writing has been partially or completely erased to make room for another text All history was a palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary. • Repositories- a receptable or place where things are deposited, stored, or offered for sale. There were vast repositories where the corrected documents were stored, and the hidden furnaces where the original copies were destroyed..

4. Newspeak/Vocab Continued.. • Proletariat- (In Marxist theory) the class of workers, especially industrial wage earners, who do not possess capital or property and must sell their labor to survive And the Ministry had not only to supply the whole operation at a lower level for the benefit of the proletariat. • Unperson- a person vaporized from existence • Pornosec- pornography that put in sealed envelops and sent out, which no party member except those who worked on it may be seen.

5. Literary Elements • When the Hate was over he returned to his cubicle, took the Newspeak dictionary from the shelf, pushed the speakwrite to one side cleaned his spectacles, and settled down to his main job of the morning. This sentence shows an example of alliteration by using the sound of the letter s repeatedly in succession. • Withers, however, was already an unperson. The term unperson is used to symbolize all the people who have been vaporized.

6. Literary Elements Continued • As short a time ago as February, the Ministry of Plenty had issued a promise that there would be no reduction of the chocolate rations in 1984. Actually Winston was aware that the chocolate ration was to be reduced from thirty grams to twenty grams at the end of the present week. This and most the other corrections made by the Records Department are good examples of Irony of situation because the corrections are generally opposites of what was originally stated.

7. Winston rewrites an article that praises fictional Comrade Ogilvy what does this tell you about his character? Because Winston decided to change the name and keep the positive outlook on this article you can tell that he is a smarter individual who is good at his job. This can also be seen as a foreshadow of Winston’s over intelligence that may get him into trouble later. Discussion Question 1

8. In the story it states, “Winston’s greatest pleasure in life was in his work”, what does this tell you about him and the other citizens of Oceania? This statement tells the reader that there is little individuality to be proud of in this society and even though his wrong is unmoral it’s the only thing that separates as an individual. Discussion Question 2

9. What does the vaporization of Comrade Withers tell the reader about the party and its organization? The fact that someone like Comrade Withers who had been an important member of the inner-party and a well accomplished member as well can easily be executed for a thought-crime proves that any member is expendable Discussion Question 3

10. In the Department of Records where Winston works it is understood that employees do not talk much about their work, why might this be? Their job is to change the media history that the public sees, therefore for them to share their insight on the changes they have made could be seen as a crime against the party. Discussion Question 4

11. In this chapter the main focus is the setting where Winston works, why is this? Orwell writes this chapter to show more about the party and how it uses its power to manipulate the thoughts and feelings of the citizens of Oceania. Discussion Question 5

12. Chapter Analysis • In this chapter the reader begins to see Winston’s work life which helps with understanding the setting and mind frame of the citizens of Oceania. He works in the department of records which is responsible for the revisionist history that goes on under the reign of Big Brother and the party. Theses “corrections” made by this department can be as minor as a projected production rates or as major as erasing a person from existence. On this day Winston is to revise an article on Comrade Withers who was once a prominent party member, but now is understood to have been vaporized. Now that he is no longer a person in society Winston rewrites the article of Withers Order of Conspicuous Merit award for a fictional person Comrade Ogilvy. In this chapter the tone seems to make the reader feel that all of this has become second nature and that no one will challenge the word of the party.