Thursday, December 6, 2012

Two and Two Makes Five

To think about and comment on:

  • DESIRE: "Desire was thoughtcrime" (71).
  • The PROLES: "'Proles and animals are free'" (75). Who are the proles? To what extent - if any - does contemporary life resemble the life of the proles? Why does Winston assert "If there is hope ... it lies in the proles" (72)? Do you agree? Would you rather be a prole or a party member? 
  • The CHESTNUT TREE CAFÉ: What is this place? Who meets there? What might be the significance of the strange song Winston hears? 
  • The SENSES: What role do the senses - specifically sight and hearing - play in the novel? 
  • KATHARINE
  • LONELINESS vs. UNITY: Think about the tension between the two in the novel. 

4 comments:

  1. The PROLES: "'Proles and animals are free'" (75). Who are the proles? To what extent - if any - does contemporary life resemble the life of the proles? Why does Winston assert "If there is hope ... it lies in the proles" (72)? Do you agree? Would you rather be a prole or a party member? :

    - After Winston's description of the proles "in those swarming disregarded masses, 85 per cent of the population of Oceania, could the force to destroy the party ever be generated"(72), we are confronted with the low income people . These people "But simultaneously, true to the principles of doublethink, the Party taught that the proles were natural inferiors who must be kept in subjection, like animals, by the application of a few simple rules. In reality very little was known about the proles. It was not necessary to known much. So long as they continued to work and breed, their other activities were without importance"(74) are undermined individuals that are exploited by the government. However, regardless to their size "To keep them in control was not difficult"(74), they were easy to control and manipulate. Since they were referred as "Proles and animals are free"(75), the government were directly stating that the proles are not even part of the realm of human beings, since they took no consideration of their actions and almost never interfered in their lives.

    I think that Winston has a great point when stating that hope lies in the hands of the proles because they make up 85 of the population. This reminds me of the French revolution, because the monarchy were suppressing the "sans-culottess"(who formed 90% of pop) and when they decided to rise up against the monarchy it was completely dismantled and the era of feudalism was eradicated in France.

    To continue on the proles, Wintson himself says that "They needed only to rise up and shake themselves like a horse of flies. If they chose they could blow the Party to pieces tomorrow morning. Surely sooner or later it must occur to do it? And yet---!"(73), the proles can overthrow "BIG BROTHER". However they had no reason to because the government never bothered them and left them do whatever they wanted in one condition: that they kept breeding and working. Since the government never interfered in their affairs why would they have a reason to overthrow it?

    If I had to choose I would be a prole rather than a member of the party because you are free of government control, there is no police tracking you down if you have committed an inappropriate action against the community, and the only thing you have to do to gain those privileges is to procreate and to work, what can be better than that!

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  2. I really like the idea of the Chestnut Cafe in 1984, reminds me of an underground jazz cafe, in which artists go to write and people go to talk. Obviously after the revolution it has lost the ability to do such things. But in a sense still stands for the same purpose, Winston mentions at least twice in the book about revolutionists frequenting the Cafe. I think the Chestnut almost represents the last hope of freedom for the conspirators against Big Brother. Almost like a safe zone for those who do not wish to be oppressed. But really strange during the last mentioning when the three conspirators met together in silence and the telescreen came on saying:

    Under the spreading chestnut tree
    I sold you and you sold me:
    There lie they, and here lie we
    Under the spreading chestnut tree

    I almost found this to be a specific mocking of these people from Big Brother. That he was watching them in there desperate attempt to live there normal lives. Thoughts?

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    Replies
    1. The chestnut tree cafe is where, in a sense "revolutionaries" go to meet and talk. Perhaps metaphorically we can call it the seed of innovation? Although Winston doubts hi own memory, he remembers deleting the three people that are in the cafe (Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford) from a newspaper article. They are free here to share their revolutionary beliefs and thoughts and it is almost certain that Orwell is introducing us to the cafe now so that later on it the novel, he can re-reference to this symbolic place.

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  3. Tristan and So Jung, keep an eye on the cafe and its significance in the novel. It seems to me a strange place - revolutionaries pop up there and it has a rebellious and dangerous air to it. Why would the Party even let such a place exist? I find the song even more puzzling. Perhaps Tristan is right, and Big Brother is mocking these men.

    Also interesting, this link to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "The Village Blacksmith": http://www.bartleby.com/102/59.html


    The Village Blacksmith

    UNDER a spreading chestnut tree
    The village smithy stands;
    The smith, a mighty man is he,
    With large and sinewy hands;
    And the muscles of his brawny arms 5
    Are strong as iron bands.

    His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
    His face is like the tan;
    His brow is wet with honest sweat,
    He earns whate'er he can, 10
    And looks the whole world in the face,
    For he owes not any man.

    Week in, week out, from morn till night,
    You can hear his bellows blow;
    You can hear him swing his heavy sledge 15
    With measured beat and slow,
    Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
    When the evening sun is low.

    And children coming home from school
    Look in at the open door; 20
    They love to see the flaming forge,
    And hear the bellows roar,
    And watch the burning sparks that fly
    Like chaff from a threshing-floor.

    He goes on Sunday to the church, 25
    And sits among his boys;
    He hears the parson pray and preach,
    He hears his daughter's voice,
    Singing in the village choir,
    And it makes his heart rejoice. 30

    It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
    Singing in Paradise!
    He needs must think of her once more,
    How in the grave she lies;
    And with his hard, rough hand he wipes 35
    A tear out of his eyes.

    Toiling,—rejoicing,—sorrowing,
    Onward through life he goes;
    Each morning sees some task begin,
    Each evening sees it close; 40
    Something attempted, something done,
    Has earned a night's repose.

    Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
    For the lesson thou hast taught!
    Thus at the flaming forge of life 45
    Our fortunes must be wrought;
    Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
    Each burning deed and thought!

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