Describe the living conditions as they are

Describe the living conditions as they are presented in the first chapter. What does this tell you about society? Everybody gets observed all the time. Everywhere are Telescreens which control what people are doing or saying.

In addition to that there are people from the “ Thought Police”, sometimes with helicopters, who control the peoples as well. All the people must be the way the Party wants them to be. There is no diversity, nobody can be the way they want to be.

Explain why you think that Winston’s diary is important. Winston must not think about things against the system. Because of that, as far as I am concerned, he doesn’t even know his own opinion about the system. He writes in his diary without thinking about what he is writing and because of that his diary helps him to find out what he actually thinks about the Party, Big Brother etc.

. It is Winston’s only possibility to express his opinion hence I think it is important. Another reason why the diary is important is, that Winston gets killed if the Thought Police finds out what he is writing. Winston’s survival depends on whether they find the diary or not. Describe the “ Two Minutes Hate”. In which ways do people react to the “ Hate” (give an example)? Does Winston appear to react differently to other people (example)? The “ Two Minutes Hate” is a ritual, where people have to look at a Telescreen which shows an opponent of the Party, Emmanuel Goldstein. He speaks disparagingly of the Party and its supporters.

People react angrily to the “ Hate”, uncontrollable exclamations of rage break out of half the people in the room. “ People were leaping up and down in their places and shouting at the top of their voices in an effort to drown the maddening bleating voice that came from the screen.”. The dark-haired girl begun crying out “ Swine!” and flung a heavy Newspeak dictionary at the screen. Later all the people fell into trance, stomped and chanted.

Winston reacts the same way as the other people do, but he is not angry because of Goldstein, but because of the Party and Big Brother. “ Winston’s hatred was not turned against Goldstein at all, but, on the contrary, against Big Brother, the Party and the Thought Police.” Activity 4: Part 1 Chapter 2 and 3This chapter introduces Mrs Parsons and her children. What impressions do you get about the way that children are being brought up? I think Mrs Parsons doesn’t keep her children under control. In my opinion they are too dominant, the mother doesn’t have the upper hand. This affects the education. The mother doesn’t have enough force to tell their children what they have to do and what they mustn’t do. Because of that the children (especially the boy) behave disrespectful and do whatever they want.

They don’t have to follow rules. What do you think is meant by “ doublethink”? What effect do you think that attempting to use doublethink has on people? I think “ doublethink” describes the way the Party rigs history to control the people. They change all records to deny disadvantageous happenings and thereby the change people’s opinion about the Party.

As far as I’m concerned “ doublethink” paints a false picture of the past. At the beginning people might remember what happened and what didn’t, but firstly all records tell other things, secondly, they are not allowed to talk about these things and last but not least they mustn’t negate what the Party says, so in the end they believe everything the Party teaches. Certainly, the Party teaches just good things about oneself and so people start thinking good about the Party.