1984 Test Study Guide – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Who is the main character? Briefly describe the main character.
answer
The main character is Winston Smith. He is about thirty-nine years old.
question
What is the setting of the novel? Give the country and the city.
answer
The novel is set in and around London, which is the main city of Airstrip One, a province of the country of Oceania.
question
What are the three slogans of the Party? Write them the way they are shown in the novel.
answer
WAR IS PEACE FREEDOM IS SLAVERY IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
question
What does the caption on the posters say?
answer
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU
question
Name each of the Ministries and explain its function. Also include the Newspeak name for each ministry.
answer
The Ministry of Truth, or Minitrue, is concerned with news, entertainment, education, and the fine arts. The Ministry of Peace, or Minipax, is concerned with war. The Ministry of Love, or Miniluv, maintains law and order. The Ministry of Plenty, or Miniplenty is responsible for economic affairs.
question
What date does the main character record?
answer
April 4th , 1984
question
Describe the two people the main character sees just before the Two Minutes Hate. Tell what he thinks of each of these people.
answer
He sees a girl of about age 27 who works in the Fiction Department. She looks like the ideal young Party member. Winston feels uneasy and hostile whenever he sees her. The other character is a man named O'Brien. He is a member of the Inner Party and does some kind of very important work, although Winston does not know exactly what it is. Winston is attracted to O'Brien. He thinks O'Brien is someone he could talk to.
question
. Explain the importance of Emmanuel Goldstein. Also describe the way his image looks.
answer
Emmanuel Goldstein is the Enemy of the People. He had been a leading member of the Party but then turned traitor. All crimes against the Party are attributed to his teaching. His image is shown on the telescreen and on posters to create hatred among Party members. He looks Jewish with fuzzy white hair and a goatee beard. His nose is long and thin. He wears glasses. He supposedly commands an army of conspirators called The Brotherhood.
question
Explain the importance of Big Brother. Also describe the way his image looks.
answer
Big Brother is the leader of the Party. He has black hair, a black mustache, and looks calm and powerful.
question
What crime does the main character commit? How does he do this? What is the punishment?
answer
Smith commits Thoughtcrime when he opens the diary and when he writes "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" in it. The punishment is vaporization
question
What is the telescreen and how is it used?
answer
The telescreen is a large screen that sends and receives images and sounds at the same time. Telescreens are in all workplaces and homes. The Thought Police regularly monitor them.
question
Describe thoughtcrime and give an example.
answer
Thoughtcrime is thinking anything against the Party. Orwell describes it as "the essential crime that contained all others in itself." Thoughtcrime could not be concealed forever. Eventually the Thought Police would get whoever committed thoughtcrime. Winston committed an act of thoughtcrime when he wrote in his diary.
question
What happens to the rewritten news articles after Winston puts them into the pneumatic tube? Why is this significant?
answer
An edition of the Times is reprinted to include the revisions. Then the original edition is destroyed. In this way, the past is always kept up to date with the present. All predictions made by the Party are always correct.
question
Winston thinks that what he does is not forgery. What does he think it is?
answer
Winston thinks it is the substitution of one piece of nonsense for another. The material has no connection with the real world.
question
What is Winston's greatest pleasure in his life, and why is it so?
answer
His greatest pleasure is his work. He thinks he is good at the type of rewriting that he has to do.
question
Describe the aim of Newspeak and how it works.
answer
The main aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought. Newspeak is the only language that destroys words instead of adding new ones. The vocabulary continually gets smaller. When the Eleventh Edition of the Newspeak Dictionary is finished, every needed concept will be expressed by exactly one word. All meanings will be rigidly defined. It will become impossible to commit Thoughtcrime.
question
What is Syme's observation about Winston's appreciation of Newspeak?
answer
Syme says that Winston does not really appreciate Newspeak, even though his written articles are good enough. Syme thinks Winston still thinks in and prefers Oldspeak
question
Winston is at lunch when the message on the telescreen relates the good news about increases in production, including that the chocolate ration has been raised to twenty grams a week. What is Winston thinking as he hears this message?
answer
Winston remembers that the previous day the chocolate ration had been decreased to twenty grams. He wonders how all the people manage to believe the lie. He wonders if he is the only person with a memory. Winston wonders if life has always been the way it is now, and why he feels that some things are intolerable. He thinks he must have an ancestral memory that things had once been different
question
What is facecrime? Give an example
answer
Facecrime is having the wrong look on one's face. One's features are always to be under control. To show surprise or disbelief when a war victory is announced is a facecrime
question
Who is looking at Winston during lunch? How does this affect him?
answer
The girl with the dark hair is looking at him. Winston is afraid that she is a spy, if not a member of the Thought Police
question
What is the aim of the Party with regard to male-female relationships and sex?
answer
The Party wants to prevent men and women from forming relationships and loyalties that it might not be able to control. It wants to remove all pleasure from the sexual act
question
What is the Party's policy on marriage, divorce, and children?
answer
The Party approves all marriages. If the couple seem physically attracted to one another, the Party does not allow the marriage to take place. The only reason for sexual intercourse is to create a child. Divorce is not allowed. Separation is encouraged if there are no children.
question
Where does Winston think hope lies? Why?
answer
He thinks hope lies in the proles. Since the proles make up eighty-five percent of the population of Oceania, they could come together to destroy the Party. He does not think the Party can be overthrown from within.
question
What is the Party belief about the proles?
answer
The Party sees the proles as natural inferiors who must be kept in subjection. They should not have strong political feelings. They do not need to be indoctrinated in Party ideology. They only need enough patriotism to make them accept whatever the Party offers.
question
Describe the one time that Winston held real evidence of an act of falsification.
answer
Once when he was in the Chestnut Tree Café, Winston saw three men who had been arrested, confessed, and reinstated in the Party. A little while later they were arrested. They confessed again and were killed. About five years later Winston found a newspaper article with photo of the men at a Party function. The date of the article was the same as the date the men said they were in Eurasia betraying the Party. Winston realized the confessions had to be false. He destroyed the newspaper article.
question
What bothers Winston the most, along with the sense of nightmare?
answer
He is bothered because he does not clearly understand why the falsifications take place. He wonders if he is a lunatic.
question
What bothers Winston more than the thought that he might be a lunatic?
answer
The thought that he might be wrong bothers him more.
question
What is the heresy of heresies? Why is that terrifying to Winston?
answer
The heresy of heresies is common sense. It is terrifying to Winston that the Party might be right in its ideas.
question
For whom does Winston realize he is writing his diary? Why?
answer
He is writing for O'Brien because he thinks O'Brien is on his side.
question
What is the final, most essential command of the Party?
answer
The Party tells people to reject the evidence of their eyes and ears.
question
What does Winston write in his diary?
answer
He writes: Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows
question
Describe what happens when Winston goes to the antique shop, and who he sees when he comes out.
answer
He buys an old paperweight that has a piece of coral in it. Then Mr. Charrington shows him the room above the shop. Winston realizes there is no telescreen. Mr. Charrington tells Winston the part of an old nursery rhyme. When he leaves the shop he sees the girl from the Fiction Department. He thinks she is following him.
question
Describe what happens when the girl with the dark hair falls on the floor.
answer
Her arm is in a sling. She falls near Winston, and he helps her up. While he is helping her up she slips a note in Winston's hand
question
What does the note say?
answer
I love you
question
How does Winston feel about the message on the note?
answer
He is stunned and finds it hard to concentrate on his work for part of the day. He feels a desire to stay alive. That night in the dark he thinks about ways to meet with the girl. Then he becomes afraid that he might lose her.
question
Describe their next meeting.
answer
It takes place at lunchtime in the canteen a week later. Winston sits at her table and they are able to arrange a meeting in Victory Square for that night.
question
Describe their meeting in Victory Square
answer
They stand next to each other and watch a parade of prisoners go by. They do not look at each other. The girl gives Winston directions for a place to meet the following Sunday. They manage to hold hands for about ten seconds
question
What emotions does Winston feel at first when the girl puts her arms around him? What emotion didn't he feel?
answer
He feels incredulity and pride. He does not feel any physical desire.
question
What is the girl's name?
answer
Julia
question
Winston asks the girl what attracted her to him. What is her answer?
answer
She says there is something in his face that shows he does not belong. She knew right away that Winston was against the Party.
question
What does the girl tell Winston about her attitude toward the party?
answer
She hates the Party. She says the Party wants to stop people from having fun, so she breaks the rules whenever she can. She has no interest in Party doctrine. However, she always acts interested in the Party and participates in many activities.
question
Summarize Julia's explanation of the meaning of the Party's sexual puritanism.
answer
Doing without sex created a kind of hysteria in the people. When people are able to have sexual relationships they use up energy and are happy. Then they are not interested in the Party. So keeping sex away from the people enables the Party to create fear and hatred.
question
According to Winston, how has the Party used the instinct of parenthood?
answer
Parents are still encouraged to be fond of their children. However, the children are taught to spy on their parents, creating an arm of the Thought Police in every home.
question
What does Winston do the next time he visits the little shop? Why?
answer
He rents the room above the shop. He plans to use it for a private place for himself and Julia.
question
What does Julia bring to their meeting?
answer
She brings luxuries that only the Inner Party members have: real coffee, sugar, and milk. She also brings and puts on makeup and perfume that she got from a prole store.
question
How does Winston react when he sees the rat?
answer
He gets pale and tells Julia he does not like rats. He thinks of a recurring nightmare that he has.
question
Who has vanished?
answer
Syme
question
How has Winston changed since he started coming to the little room with Julia?
answer
He has gained weight, he is not coughing, and his varicose ulcer has gone down. He does not drink gin. He does not have any urge to make faces at the telescreen or curse.
question
What do Winston and Julia realize about their relationship?
answer
They know it cannot last
question
What does Winston realize from talking to Julia about things he remembers?
answer
He realizes that it is easy to look like one was supporting the Party when one has no idea what was really going on.
question
Describe the meeting between Winston and O'Brien.
answer
They meet in a hallway in the Ministry. O'Brien compliments Winston on his writing. He mentions Syme's work but not his name. This reference seems to Winston to be a signal or code word that he and O'Brien are accomplices in thoughtcrime. O'Brien offers to loan Winston a copy of the Eleventh Edition of the Newspeak dictionary and gives Winston his address in full view of a telescreen.
question
What does Winston think this meeting means?
answer
He thinks the meeting means that the conspiracy against The Party is real and he has reached it. He also thinks it will mean his death
question
What does Winston tell Julia the real betrayal will be when they are caught?
answer
He says the real betrayal will be if they can be made to stop loving each other
question
How does Winston say they can beat the Party?
answer
He says if they can feel inside that staying human is worthwhile they will have beaten the Party.
question
Describe the meeting between O'Brien, Julia, and Winston at O'Brien's apartment
answer
Winston asks if Goldstein and the Brotherhood are real. O'Brien tells them it is, and that he is part of it. They say they want to join. O'Brien says they won't see any changes in their lifetime. He tells Winston how he will receive a copy of Goldstein's book.
question
What does O'Brien know that surprises Winston?
answer
O'Brien knows the last line of the rhyme that Mr. Charrington had started telling him.
question
Why is Winston working such long hours?
answer
The enemy has changed from Eurasia to Eastasia, so all of the literature has to be rewritten.
question
According to The Book, what is the aim of modern warfare (in accordance with the principles of doublethink)?
answer
The aim of modern war is to use up products but not raise the standard of living.
question
According to The Book, what is really going on with the war, and why?
answer
The superstates are not really fighting with each other. The powers of each superstate are really warring against their own people to keep the structure of the society intact.
question
While Winston is reading Chapter 1 of The Book, he stops for a minute. Why does he stop reading?
answer
He stopped reading to appreciate the fact that he was reading in comfort and safety, without feeling nervous, and with no telescreen watching him.
question
How is the current government different than any previous governments? What invention enables it to be like this?
answer
The current government is able to watch all the citizens all the time because of the invention of the two-way telescreen. Previous governments were not able to watch the citizens all of the time.
question
Explain the organization of the Party
answer
Big Brother is at the top, followed by members of the Inner Party. The Outer Party comes next, followed by the proles.
question
Explain the concept of doublethink.
answer
Doublethink is the ability to have two opposite or contradictory thoughts at the same time, and accept both of them. People who practice doublethink are able to tell lies and believe them or forget about facts that they don't need. They deny objective reality while they are aware of that same reality.
question
What is the one thing that Winston and Julia know they will never do together?
answer
They will never have a child together.
question
While Winston and Julia are in the room, he says, "We are the dead," and Julia repeats the phrase. What happens next?
answer
They hear another voice say, "We are the dead." The voice is coming from behind the picture, as there is a hidden telescreen. The Thought Police come into the room and captured them.
question
What does Winston discover about Mr. Charrington?
answer
He is a member of the Thought Police
question
Where is Winston as this section of the novel opens?
answer
He is in the Ministry of Love.
question
What is Winston Smith's number?
answer
6079
question
Who is brought into the cell with Winston and why does he think he is there?
answer
Ampleforth is brought in. He thinks it was because he let the word "God" stay at the end of a sentence of a poem he was rewriting.
question
Who is brought into the cell next and why? Who denounced him? How does he feel about the arrest?
answer
Parsons is brought in for committing thoughtcrime. His daughter had denounced him for saying, "Down with Big Brother." He tells Winston he must have been guilty and was glad the Thought Police had stopped him before it went any further.
question
What is the number of the room where the guards take some of the prisoners? How do many of them react to this?
answer
They are taken to Room 101. Many of them react with fear.
question
Who comes into the room next? What does Winston discover about this person?
answer
O'Brien comes in and Winston discovers that O'Brien is a Party member, not a member of the Brotherhood, and has betrayed him
question
Describe what is happening to Winston in Section Three: Chapter II, and who is doing this.
answer
Winston is being tortured by O'Brien. O'Brien says Winston is insane and he (O'Brien) will cure Winston
question
What does O'Brien tell Winston about Big Brother, the Party, and the Brotherhood?
answer
Big Brother and the Party both exist. Winston will never know if the Brotherhood exists.
question
What is the last question that Winston asks O'Brien in Chapter II? What is O'Brien's answer?
answer
Winston asks, "What is Room 101." O'Brien answers that Winston already knows what is in Room 101, as everyone knows.
question
Does Winston betray Julia in either of these chapters?
answer
O'Brien tells Winston that Julia has betrayed him, but the reader has no evidence of this yet
question
According to O'Brien, what are the three stages of Winston's reintegration?
answer
Learning, understanding, and acceptance.
question
What does Winston find out about The Book?
answer
O'Brien wrote part of The Book.
question
Winston learns why the Party seeks power. What is the reason?
answer
The Party wants power just to have power.
question
How has Winston changed physically during his imprisonment? What does he do after he sees himself in the mirror?
answer
He is now stooped over and very thin, and his skin looks gray. He is partly bald, covered with scars and wounds. After Winston looks in the mirror, he collapses on a small stool and cries.
question
What is Winston's answer when O'Brien asks, "Can you think of a single degradation that has not happened to you?" How does O'Brien respond?
answer
Winston replies that he has not betrayed Julia. O'Brien agrees.
question
While Winston is exercising himself in Crimestop, he calls out, "Julia! Julia! Julia, my love! Julia!" What does this show about him? What happens to him as a result? Include his conversation in the room with O'Brien.
answer
His cries show that he is obeying the Party but he still hates the Party. He realizes that he will have to undergo reeducation all over again. O'Brien comes into the room and asks how Winston feels about Big Brother. Winston replies that he hates Big Brother. O'Brien orders Winston to be taken to Room 101. He tells Winston he must learn to love Big Brother.
question
According to O'Brien, what is in Room 101 in general? What is this for Winston in particular?
answer
The worst thing in the world is in Room 101. For Winston, this is rats.
question
Describe the scene with the cage. Tell what is in the cage. Tell the outcome of the scene.
answer
The cage is a kind of face mask that has two rats in it. O'Brien tells Winston he will put the mask on Winston's face unless Winston does what is required of him. Winston asks what he is to do, but O'Brien does not answer. As the mask is closing on his face, Winston screams that O'Brien should put the mask on Julia instead. This is what O'Brien wants; for Winston to betray Julia. The Party has succeeded
question
Describe what happens when Winston and Julia meet after they have been released. Include the verse that Winston hears.
answer
They admit that they have betrayed each other and that they don't feel the same about each other anymore. The voice that Winston hears is singing, "Under the spreading chestnut tree/I sold you and you sold me."
question
What is Winston thinking at the end of the novel?
answer
He realizes that he has won the victory over himself. He now loves Big Brother.
