For this post I would like you to go back through your annotations of 1984 and find one that connects to the theme that you have chosen to study. You must copy the passage directly into your post and cite it with the author’s last name and page number in parenthesis i.e. (Orwell 16). You must then explain the context of the passage and finally what that passage says about your chosen topic. This is a chance for you to really show off and share the passages that you think are important and share your thoughts in a way that we sometimes don’t have time to do in class. Enjoy!
"'The proles are not human beings.' he said carelessly" (Orwell 47).This is said by Syme, during lunch with Winston while they talked about the new language being created- "Newspeak" -and how everyone will be speaking it by 2050. Syme says so matter-a- factly that the proles- lowest social class- are not human. The party has convinced its people that other people, definitely human beings, are not actually humans, but instead a slave-like race of animals that should be treated with no respect. The proles are thought of as stupid and animal like. They are used for labor and nothing more. It is even encouraged that female proles deal in the sex trade, if a male party member should have the desire. Party members are to have no compassion for these people, no relationship or bond with them. This is brainwashing at its finest; turning people against their own kind, in order to keep the groups separated and less threatening to the party. The reason the party has made things this way is to keep both groups separate and weak, so they cannot do any kind of harm to the party.
ReplyDeleteOceania is split into different ranks of people. This in it of itself is a way of turnig people against eachother and mind control. You're born thinkning (or knowing) that you are part of a certin group of people and you will not change. The proles are sadly at the bottom and considered animals. The connection between that quote and brainwashing was done very well.
Delete*matter-of-factly, Emily. You can't be matter "a" fact. ♥
DeleteConsider the fact that there has to be a lower class of citizens in any civilization. Labeling the proles as un-human is extremely uncalled for, but there has to be someone to do the dirty work of the world. Even in our world, you would never see a senate member serving lunch at a factory. The only issue that arises with a lower class is belittlement such as referring to them as un-human, or not including them in the social and political aspects of society. We’re saying the same thing, but I think there has to be a lower class, but they should be respected.
DeleteI think its a natural thing for people to have pride in their 'tribe' per se. Wether its race, religion, ethnicity, currency, etc.. People fight each other for their differences, but often forget to see that we are all just people. I think the Party purposely separates the proles to ensure that sense of communal pride in order to strengthen the hold the Party had on its population.
Delete"He was particularly enthusiastic about a papier-mâché model of Big Brother's head, two meters wide, which was being made for the occasion by his daughter's troop of Spies." (Orwell 91)
ReplyDeleteThis really stood out to me because no one in their right mind would make a gigantic bust of a self-absorbed dictator without some sort of thought control. It's made for ‘Hate Week’, which is a way to celebrate your hate for the opposing party. This is another strange tradition in the name of Big Brother. He really has a strong hold of his nation in order to have people follow these crazy orders and even freely think to worship him. When your people are making your head with the happiest of intentions and worship, while you’re actually and egotistical totalitarian is an impressive act of brainwashing. Big Brother is also controlling people to hate the other parties. This more than likely gives him more power and positive worship when there isn’t someone that opposes him.
I thought the same thing when I first read the part in the first chapter about the daily "Two Minutes Hate." At first I didn't understand why Big Brother allowed the opposing party to broadcast their slander of Big Brother to all the people, because this seemed like an effective way of convincing the people to turn against Big Brother, but when the audience burst out in rage at Goldstein's face on the telescreen, it became clear to me that the people were genuinely convinced that Big Brother was the superior governing force.
DeleteI agree but to a certain extent... I see this as the perfect scandal to keep control amongst everyone. The proles (being ignorant) are fairly easy to control they are not educated to there political world. The inner and outer party however are not as nieve therefore a more complicated and diabolical tactic must be used to keep them in check thus we see the events such as "Hate Week" being used to trick the people into beieveing they have free will... will in which they have been robbed (Shorter D.)
Delete“They had played a similar trick with the instinct of parenthood. The family could not actually be abolished, and indeed, people were encouraged to be fond of their children in almost an old-fashioned way. The children, on the other hand, were systematically turned against their parents and taught to spy on them and report their deviations. The family had become in effect an extension to of the Thought Police.” (Orwell 111) In this passage, Winston is talking with Julia about the Party and how they’re both against it and how there is a connection between chastity and political orthodoxy. This passage shows how the Party has brainwashed families to the point where they can’t even be a happy, loving family; they’re too obsessed with finding out something bad about each other and reporting it. The children were “systematically turned against their parents” to the point where they don’t even trust their own mom’s and dad’s, the people who you should trust the most. This also shows how the Party has social control over families because they can’t function like a normal family; they have to be “encouraged” to be fond of their children.
ReplyDeleteExcellent example of brainwashing. It is impressive that the Party has so much control over a family unit. I wonder sometimes why the Party even encourages family units if they could just separate the sexes from birth and produce more children in a lab, like it has been mentioned they can. Wouldn't this simplify things? Or is having children turn on their parents for the Party more effective in the brainwashing process?
DeleteThis is the best form of brainwashing because kids can be easily taught anything. They have no idea of what being tricked or controlled is. They just want to please their teachers, parents, who ever can reward them for doing as they are told.
Delete"If there is hope it must lie within the proles,because only there, in those swarming disregaured mases, 85% of the population of Oceania, could the force to destroy the Party ever be generated. The party could not be overthrown from within. Its enemies, if it had any enemies, had no way of comming together or even identifying one another... Rebellion meant a look in the eyes, an infection of the voice; at the most, an occasional whispered word. But the proles, if only they could somehow become conscious of their own strength, would have no need to conspire. They only need to rise up and shake themselves like a horse shaking off flies. If they choose they could blow the Party into pieces tomorrow morning. Surly sooner or later it must occur to them to do it." (Orwell 60) In the beginning of the book there was a slogan in bold letters... WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STREGNTH. The majority of the population are the proles but the proles are ignorant to social and poltical oppression. They live in satifaction because they believe that life is all well; blinded by Big Brother's outragous slogan they believe and have faith in the social order of the world. Evedintly the lack of education has an impact on people. The African American slaves centuries ago faced similar problem. It was only until they were educated did they begin to rebel effectivly. They out numbered their owners by nearly a ratio of 10:1, but the fear of punishment kept them in line.
ReplyDeleteI like how you tied in slavery. And i agree, the Party purposely keeps the proles ignorant so they do not understand the need to rebel. On the other hand, there was a description of the proles that made them seem like they were very happy. I don't have the exact quote but the proles were described as playing sports, drinking beer, having sex, and living there life without any real restrictions in their life. Seems like there really isn't much reason to rebel if you ask me...
Delete"War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength"(Orwell 7)
ReplyDeleteThese are the three slogans that the party uses to express how they run the people living of this time. This quote is significant to the topic I choose because the people in charge (Big Brother&Inner Party) are completely switching the meaning of these words. War is not peace. War can actually be avoided if people were peaceful. Freedom is not slavery. They have brainwashed the people (outer party) to thinking that if they are free they are slaves. They have changed the minds of the people to thinking that if they are not under the control of the Party they are actually slaves to freedom. Last but not least Ignorance is not strength. Ignorance is really being unknowing to something. How can someone show or have strength if they are unknowing to something. To me they are just using stupid sick twisted similes to gain control of people.
I agree but is it the thought of the unknown of free will that the people are afraid. We see Winston in the story as a symbol of this. He is aware of the control the Big Brother Party has on his society but the fear of free will and its consequences stalls his actions. We can make a connection to the slaves centuries ago how they were aware of oppression but feared to pursue it. They too were brainwashed into believeing that it was God's will to be a good slave. But overtime they soon lead to rebel and gained their freedom. This is the same fate that Winston will be awakened to. But how he will respond is an action we have yet to see
DeleteI totally agree with the idea that the people are afraid to rebel against Big Brother. I also can't wait to see the outcome of Winston going against what he taught/told to do. Itbwill be good and exciting to read because I feel that Winston will have at least one follower and they are going to go through some crazy events.
DeleteI agree with this, these ideas have clearly been twisted. All that has been done is the first words are switched. Freedom should be peace, Ignorance should be slavery, and war should be strength. Though war is still bad it is strength if you can protect yourself from it. However these ideas are twisted by Big Brother to control their people.
Delete“Whether she was really an agent of the Thought Police, or simply an amateur spy actuated by officiousness, hardly mattered,” (Orwell Pg 85). This quotation explains Winston’s thoughts about Julia before he knew her or had even spoken to her. He felt as though she was stalking him and would eventually bust him for thoughtcrime. Winston’s paranoia shows that the tactics Big Brother uses for mind control actually work. 1984 has yet to show the consequences of committing a thoughtcrime, and this leads me to believe that there is no such thing. Big Brother traps society into fearfully thinking negative thoughts on the pretense that negative thoughts would become less frequent. At this point in the book, Winston is a perfect example of the type of person that Big Brother has tried to create—a person that becomes nervous when they are consciously thinking or doing wrong.
ReplyDeleteI have been thinking the very same thing. Winston is exactly what the Party, what Big Brother, wants: a good citizen (in the beginning, who fears everything, even the unknown. How could they possibly keep track of your thoughts? The Party has spread the rumor that they can keep track of your thoughts, and it's working. My question is: for how long will it continue to fool people?
DeleteWe all seem to be thinking the same thing! Except I really don't question whether or not this tactic will continue to work... As long as they keep circulating the stories of people being snatched from their homes and their names completely removed from all databases, just gone without a trace, the people will keep living in fear of the Thought Police. It also seems logical to assume that the children being taught from birth to remain loyal to the Party and to turn in anyone and everyone showing the slightest inkling of disloyalty, will continue to troll everyone into compliance.
DeleteThey do put alot of fear in peoples minds behind the thought of committing Thoughtcrime, eventually people are going to begin to question if there is any really punishment behing taking part in such a crime. Random but what if everyone participated in Thoughtcrime at the same time, what would happen ?
DeleteI agree with you, they’ve yet to show the people what the consequences are if you commit a Thoughtcrime. This makes people think is there really even a Thoughtcrime or is it just something made up to scare the people into not thinking their own thoughts for fear of being punished.
Delete"[Winston] was struggling to think his way backward into the dim period of his early childhood. It was extraordinarily difficult. Beyond the late '50s everything faded. When there were no external records that you could refer to, even the outline of your own life lost its sharpness. You remembered huge events which had quite probably not happened, you remembered the details of incidents without being able to recapture their atmosphere, and there were long blank periods to which you could assign nothing." (Orwell, 30) This passage was taken from the moments right after Winston woke from dreams about witnessing his mother and sister sinking to the depths of the ocean, during the habitual morning exercises, when he let his mind wander. When I first read this quote, I had to go back and read it again, to make sure I fully grasped its meaning, and upon reading it the second time, I realized that the absence of “external records” of the first ten or twelve years of my life could completely change my memories of my childhood. If there were no pictures to which I can refer, I might completely forget some huge life experiences altogether. While the novel does not specifically state that these records were not allowed, I suspect they went missing when Big Brother took over; by not allowing people who existed before Big Brother reminisce on what life was like before the government gained complete control of everyone’s everyday life, they can essentially wipe away all memory of it, thus making the people more compliant.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I believe, as does Winston, that hope lies within the proles. Winston doesn’t realize that he can also stop Big Brother. The turn that the story takes in book two leads me to believe that there are more people who remember the past (before Big Brother). If Winston and Julia were witty enough, they could band together a group of people with the same ideas and ideals about society. I’m certain that most of the outer Party hate’s the dictatorship, but nobody has come forth. From the way Julia describes things, even the inner Party members find the strict society sexual and socially inconvenient. I sort of strayed from the topic, but it all goes back to the creation of Big Brother’s government.
DeleteI agree with you because as a child, the memories you have then pretty much shape you into the person you're going to become. If you have no records of what happend, the Party has a mind they can brainwash easily since the person didn't know any better.
DeleteI disagree i think its a much deeper form of brain washing just because you have nothing to see a memory theres stil something in you that rembers, theres stil things that will spark the memory like a tree or a smell or an action. Memory is something we all are and what we experience sticks to us as a lesson to learn in the future. Brain washing removed the memorie so there are no lessons to learn. We can only learn from the past and without a memory of it we remain the same. Brainwashed.
Delete“His heart sank as he thought of the enormous power arrayed against him, the ease with which any Party intellectual would overthrow him in debate, the subtle arguments which he would not be able to understand, much less answer. And yet he was in the right!” (Orwell 81). This passage talks about Winston having the moral ability to understand what is right and wrong but lacks the knowledge to argue his points, as well as the ability of the Party to reason any action. This sense of confusion disables or discourages anybody who is intelligent to come up with conclusions about Big Brother or the direction of the Party. But, we see that morality is strong enough to convince anybody to seek truth, and eventually freedom.
ReplyDeleteWith the complexities of the world, I feel as if a lot of these issues are extremely relevant today. While lawyers, politicians, and experienced businessmen may be able to reason the goals of different laws, bills, institutions, etc, the people who must abide by these laws do not know how to express their concerns as most of their concerns are strictly ethical or moral, and they do not have the necessary experience to debate the issue.
The Party is so difficult to argue against because it is supported so enthusiastically by those who do not truly understand it and are incapable of doing so.
Delete"He turned round. It was his friend Syme, who worked in the Research Department. Perhaps "friend" was not exactly the right word. You did not have friends nowadays, you had comrades;..." (Orwell 43)
ReplyDeleteIn a controlled society people can't have friends. If they could then they could pick sides and share opinions and ideas. This would be bad for the government that is in need of controlling the people.
Friendship is based on feelings and feelings are impossible to control. The Party knows this and will attempt to put distance between people by its condemnation of friendship.
DeleteI feel as if the government in the book didn't not allow them to have friends, they just didn't have a drive to have friends because they didn't know what they were. That was the government brainwashing them. They took out the idea of friends completely, but maybe later in the book the people will realize what the unknown is.
Delete“Such a thing as an independent political movement was outside her imagination; and in any case the Party was invincible. It would always exist and would always be the same.” (Orwell 153)
ReplyDeleteThis quote illustrates how thoroughly brainwashed Julia became due to the apparent strength of the Party. The fact that Julia maintained this belief even though she was against the party displays the power of the Party’s brainwashing through the rewriting of history and the transformation of thought criminals into scapegoats. When history reads that the Party has always been in power, it seems as if the Party will always be in power. When thought criminals are blamed for ills in society or burned in effigy, members of society pay no heed to their ideas or reasoning.
Looking back through my annotations of 1984, I found this quote that best describes brainwashing; “WAR IS PEACE. FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.”(Orwell 26). This quote shows how two opposite words can be twisted in peoples’ minds as the same thing. In the book the government wants to trick people into thinking that the social ills of the world are right, and the rights are wrong. An example of this trickery is “war is peace”. This shows how the government brainwashes the people into wanting to go to and stay at war. This brainwashing reminds me of the controversy over marijuana laws. Government officials (usually conservatives) try to brainwash the population into thinking marijuana will kill people and start wars, when really it could heal people and end drug wars. Both the book and reality are examples of brainwashing in some form of controversial, but serious topics.
ReplyDelete"War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is peace"(Orwell 17) I think this is a very good example of how brainwashing words. Clearly in our un-brainwashed minds these sentences don’t make sense. Brain washing is just that controlling peoples minds to believe something even if it isn’t reality. The way people act in the society in the novel 1984 reminds me very much of what religion does too many people in our modern day society. I’m not saying that religion is bad but it can be taking to an extreme. Many people that are faithful to a religion turn into a zombie of god. They no longer think from themselves there not free spirits they become obsessed with fitting the mold to gain eternal life. Just like in the novel people cant even think own there own without worrying about the thought police, in religion God knows all your thoughts and if you have any impure ones you must repent. I think it’s a clear illusion to one another.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, religion can absolutely be a form of brainwashing but people don't notice because it is godly, which is seen as good and unquestionable. When people are so focused on eternal life and being good, how do they fget a chance to find themselves?
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