December 18 2012

‘‘For a moment the lids flitted down over his eyes. He began asking his questions in a low, expressionless voice, as though this were a routine, a sort of catechism, most of whose answers were known to him already.’’ (179)

After reading a couple of pages, I fell on this one and I instantly knew that it was quiet different to the structure or meaning of this chapter/passage. It is the first time Winston describes O’Brien as being some kind of programed machine. I have the impression that all tension has vaporized instantaneously and that the world seems to be following a specific conduct. It reminds me of criminal T.V shows like NCIS, because It seems like Winston is the criminal and O’Brien the detective/cop. 

Regardless to the turned off tele screen, I still had the inside feeling that something was listening to them. After this weird sensation I do not trust O’Brien as much anymore, even though it is hard to trust any character in the book, O’Brien seems even more suspicious.

There are questions that I have been asking myself... 

• Are Winston and Julia able to trust O’Brien? 
• Is O’Brien actually a member of the so called ‘‘brotherhood’’? 
• Are we able to trust Julia? 
• Is the waiter, Martin, an actual actor, like Winston implies with stating ‘‘It struck him [Winston] that the man’s whole life was playing a part, and that he felt it to be dangerous to drop his assumed personality even for a moment’’? And does the ‘‘brotherhood’’ exist?
• Why does Julia’s presence seem to be unimportant?