"Their real weapon was the merciless questioning that went on and on hour after hour, tripping him up, laying traps for him, twisting everything that he said, convicting him of every step of lies and self-contradiction, until he began weeping as much from shame as from nervous fatigue" (241)
One of the major themes of this book is not only the idea of getting people to obey the Big Brother but to actually think and believe everything that the party does. Before Winston was captured he outwardly expressed his consent to the party's every whim however he never in the slightest believed it. The whole idea of thought crime is Big Brother trying to get rid of all the people that are like Winston and are not all in with the party. This quote reveals this theme effectively and demonstrates the party's willingness to go far beyond mental ways of persuading people to follow them. I guess the torture is a pretty effective way of getting people to crack!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Parallelism
"The pencil felt thick and awkward in his fingers. He began to write down the thoughts that came to his head. He wrote in large clumsy letters..." (277)
I thought this was a very obvious parallel between the first time Winston began writing and well, this time. Last time Winston wrote it said, "His pen slid voluptuously over the smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals -- DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER." That is literally the exact opposite of what Winston is doing now and I don't think for a second it was a mistake. Both of these occurrences are so drastically different because Winston is so drastically different. On page 277 Winston has given in to Big Brother. I also think that the fact that he can barely write now that he has given in to Big Brother shows just how much they have severely impacted Winston mentally. Also, this time instead of writing about his hatred for Big Brother and everything he represents he writes the 3 ideologies of the party.
I thought this was a very obvious parallel between the first time Winston began writing and well, this time. Last time Winston wrote it said, "His pen slid voluptuously over the smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals -- DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER." That is literally the exact opposite of what Winston is doing now and I don't think for a second it was a mistake. Both of these occurrences are so drastically different because Winston is so drastically different. On page 277 Winston has given in to Big Brother. I also think that the fact that he can barely write now that he has given in to Big Brother shows just how much they have severely impacted Winston mentally. Also, this time instead of writing about his hatred for Big Brother and everything he represents he writes the 3 ideologies of the party.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Well isn't this precious
"At the sight of the words I love you the desire to stay alive had welled up in him, and the taking of minor risks suddenly seemed stupid" (109).
This quote, along with what actually has happened in the book shows possible one of the main themes. Human's need to love/have another person in their life. This is not only shown by this quote but also when Winston is contemplating suicide that quickly changes when the brown haired chick gives him a note saying she loves him. Touching I know. Back to the point though, even though Winston doesn't directly say that is why he decides not to commit suicide it is painfully obvious. The novel depicts a government that has basically taken away all human emotion and therefore all human relationships. We haven't heard of anyone actually dying, it seems like everyone gets vaporized before they have the chance to die and the people aren't even aloud to talk about it! Winston also points out that he thinks the proles are the most human like out of anyone. Why is this? Simple, they still possess emotions.
This quote, along with what actually has happened in the book shows possible one of the main themes. Human's need to love/have another person in their life. This is not only shown by this quote but also when Winston is contemplating suicide that quickly changes when the brown haired chick gives him a note saying she loves him. Touching I know. Back to the point though, even though Winston doesn't directly say that is why he decides not to commit suicide it is painfully obvious. The novel depicts a government that has basically taken away all human emotion and therefore all human relationships. We haven't heard of anyone actually dying, it seems like everyone gets vaporized before they have the chance to die and the people aren't even aloud to talk about it! Winston also points out that he thinks the proles are the most human like out of anyone. Why is this? Simple, they still possess emotions.
Just Another to Add to the List
"Until they become conscious, they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious." page 70
This is just another paradoxicalish sentence used by good ol' George. He seems to like these. . . a lot. I kinda do to though, there interesting compared to the relatively dry plot to the rest of the book. I can't complain too much though, its not that bad. This sentence is a little different though since the two clauses are basically the same just rearranged. I'm pretty sure there is a lit term for that but I don't remember what its called and I am far too lazy to look it up. Maybe it's Antimetabole? This sentence is a reference to the proles, the only group that Winston thinks are still truly human. They won't rise up against the government because they don't think they have the power capable of such a thing even though they do. The only way they'll realize this though is by rising up so it is a vicious circle.
This is just another paradoxicalish sentence used by good ol' George. He seems to like these. . . a lot. I kinda do to though, there interesting compared to the relatively dry plot to the rest of the book. I can't complain too much though, its not that bad. This sentence is a little different though since the two clauses are basically the same just rearranged. I'm pretty sure there is a lit term for that but I don't remember what its called and I am far too lazy to look it up. Maybe it's Antimetabole? This sentence is a reference to the proles, the only group that Winston thinks are still truly human. They won't rise up against the government because they don't think they have the power capable of such a thing even though they do. The only way they'll realize this though is by rising up so it is a vicious circle.
Nice Touch!
"The air seemed to kiss one's skin. It was the second of May. From somewhere deeper in the heart of the wood came the droning of ring doves." Page 117.
Someone pointed out this little passage to me and I was just struck by how good it sounds! I mean right after ol' George wrote this down he had to have thought to himself, "dang, that sounds pretty awesome." In all seriousness though it displays a great amount of control concerning the syntax. It isn't an overly complex sentence in fact its a group of 2 simple sentences and one somewhat complex. It combines the metaphor with personification of the heart of the tree. The language used also really envelops the way that Winston is feeling at this point. He has just found a bit of a new zest for life and is excited and the language makes it come off as such.
Someone pointed out this little passage to me and I was just struck by how good it sounds! I mean right after ol' George wrote this down he had to have thought to himself, "dang, that sounds pretty awesome." In all seriousness though it displays a great amount of control concerning the syntax. It isn't an overly complex sentence in fact its a group of 2 simple sentences and one somewhat complex. It combines the metaphor with personification of the heart of the tree. The language used also really envelops the way that Winston is feeling at this point. He has just found a bit of a new zest for life and is excited and the language makes it come off as such.
Pardoxical
"WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH"
PAGE 16
This slogan seems twisted and completely backwards upon the first read but after you look into it a little bit more it makes sense. They say that War is Peace. That's not true right? Well, it's a bit of a gray area. They are quite literally constantly at war with another country however the war and common hatred for another group of people keep them united and peaceful at home. Next they say that freedom is slavery. Well this ones a bit more of a stretch but being free to make your own decisions leads to a norm that many people fail to meet and in trying to comply with this norm are enslaved by their work. All of these things are complete opposites in today's world. The Party conducts duties the complete opposite of today's world and the world when Orwell wrote the book. Thankfully, this all didn't happen in the 80's or ever. Or did it? A lot of it reminds me of the grotesquely wrong things that Hitler was able to lead the Nazi Party into during WW2.
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH"
PAGE 16
This slogan seems twisted and completely backwards upon the first read but after you look into it a little bit more it makes sense. They say that War is Peace. That's not true right? Well, it's a bit of a gray area. They are quite literally constantly at war with another country however the war and common hatred for another group of people keep them united and peaceful at home. Next they say that freedom is slavery. Well this ones a bit more of a stretch but being free to make your own decisions leads to a norm that many people fail to meet and in trying to comply with this norm are enslaved by their work. All of these things are complete opposites in today's world. The Party conducts duties the complete opposite of today's world and the world when Orwell wrote the book. Thankfully, this all didn't happen in the 80's or ever. Or did it? A lot of it reminds me of the grotesquely wrong things that Hitler was able to lead the Nazi Party into during WW2.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Number 5
Certainly one of the main themes in "The Death of a Salesman" is living, or at least attempting to live, the American dream. This theme is also very prevalent in "The Glass Menagerie" and many parallels can be made. Willy is a man with a lot of pride. This pride used to be at least somewhat deserved when Willy was a successful salesman when Biff and Happy where children. However, his pride did not change when his circumstances changed and he even lied about his wages. In fact, when the Lomans did not have as much money as they used too Willy saw Linda making herself some stockings and he told her to stop because he would buy her some. This all compares well with the Glass Managerie because Tom and Laura are trapped with their unsuccessful mother with no good way out. Also the fathers are somewhat important in both stories. In The Death of a Salesman he is the spark that starts all of the drama whereas in the Glass Menagerie his picture often lights up at key moments.
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