GUIDED READING QUESTIONS

George Orwell, 1984

PART ONE: Chapter 1
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What can you infer about the economic circumstances of Airstrip One?
I can infer that Airstrip One’s economic circumstances are somewhat poor, especially
considering the description saying that the airstrip resembles the appearance of “rotting
nineteenth-century houses” (Orwell 5).

2. Describe the various forms of surveillance encountered by Winston in this chapter.

Surveillance encountered by Winston includes signs everywhere that say that “BIG
BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” and his statement that he lived as if “every sound [he]
made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every moment scrutinized” (Orwell 6).

3. What are the four different ministries of the government in Oceania? Provide their name
in Newspeak and describe their responsibilities.
The four different ministries of the government in Oceania are the Ministry of Truth
(Minitrue in Newspeak), which provided news, entertainment, education, and the fine
arts, the Ministry of Peace (Minipax in Newspeak), which dealt with war, the Ministry of
Love (Miniluv in Newspeak), which kept law and order, and the Ministry of Plenty
(Miniplenty in Newspeak), which regulated economic affairs (Orwell 8).

4. Describe Winston's character.

Winston is kind of disloyal to the Party, as he writes in a journal and is in possession of
outlawed items. He is also quite paranoid, as he is constantly worried about the Thought
Police catching him with his illegal belongings.

5. Winston writes about a film in his journal. Describe the film, as well as the audience's
reaction.
The film involves people shooting at a fat man swimming away, as well as a boy in a life
boat who’s arm gets blown off by a bomb. A majority of the audience laughs at all of the
suffering and violence seen throughout the movie.

6. How does Winston feel about the dark-haired girl?

Winston has a strong hatred for the dark-haired girl. He says that he would “flog her to
death with a rubber truncheon. He would tie her naked to a stake and shoot her full of
arrows like Saint Sebations. He would ravish her and cut her throat at the moment of
climax” (Orwell 21). However, after those thoughts, he realizes that he was sexually
attracted to her, but also knew that she would never sleep with him, as she had been a
member of the Junior Anti-Sex League.
 7. Who is Goldstein? What purpose does he serve to the Party?
Goldstein is a man known to go against the Party. He was given the death sentence, but
managed to escape and wound up going into hiding. To the Party, the purpose he serves
is to act as a symbol of opposition and rebellion.

8. What is thoughtcrime? What are the consequences of thoughtcrime?

Thoughtcrime is any opinion or thought that goes against what the Party thinks. A
consequences of thoughtcrime is being vaporized, which means that a person is
disposed of and they are removed from any records in society.

9. What is the Brotherhood?

The Brotherhood is a secret rebellion against the Party who are led by Goldstein.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. a. Define propaganda.
Propaganda is what leaders use to influence those under their rule to believe what they
want them to, often done by overexagerating what they show them.

b. Identify the examples of propaganda in this chapter.

Examples of propaganda in this chapter include the signs that say “BIG BROTHER IS
WATCHING YOU”, the news, and much of what is seen on TV.

2. a. Define situational irony.

Situational irony is when something happens that is the opposite of what many would
think should happen.

b. Identify any examples of situational irony in this chapter.

Examples of situational irony in this chapter include the name “Ministry of Peace” for
something that deals with war, and the name “Ministry of Love” for something that deals
with the enforcement of society.

3. Identify the emotions of the people described in this chapter. What, in your opinion,
might be at the root of these emotions?
The emotions of the people described in this chapter are pretty much all negative. What
lllllllllllllllmight be at the root of these emotions is the cruel and unforgiving nature of the society
lllllllllllllllthat they live in.
PART ONE: Chapter 2
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Describe Mr. and Mrs. Parsons.

Mr. Parsons is an unintelligent man who works at the Ministry of Truth. He is very
committed to the Party. Mrs. Parsons is only around thirty years old, but she is described
as looking much older. She is not a very good mother, as her house is unclean and her
children are poorly supervised.

2. What is "the hanging?"

“The hanging” is where war criminals are publicly hanged, inspiring fear in the people of
Oceania.

3. The narrator claims that "nearly all children nowadays were horrible.” Explain the
narrator's reasoning.
The narrator’s reasoning for the claim that “nearly all children nowadays were horrible” is
that even the children are being influenced by the party, especially the relentless children
of the Parsons.

4. Describe the dream that Winston had years ago.

The dream that Winston had years ago involves him walking by another man that told
him that they would “meet in the place where there is no darkness” (Orwell 32).

5. The telescreen shares a news flash and an announcement. Explain the information
shared by the telescreen, as well as Winston's reaction.
The information shared by the telescreen included the announcement that the army won
in a battle against Eurasia and that chocolate rations would be lowered. Winston’s
reaction was being worried about bad news to come about the war.

6. According to the narrator, "nothing was your own except ________________”

According to the narrator, “nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside
your skull” (Orwell 34).

7. Winston is careful to conceal his disloyalty to the Party. What is "the kind of detail
that might betray [him]?"
“The kind of detail that might betray [him]” are the “[t]wo fingers of his right hand [that]
were inkstained” (Orwell 36). The insktained fingers are a sign of him writing, which is
something the Party forbids.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Describe what you imagine the Junior Spies to involve. What might be the purpose of
this organization?
I imagine the Junior Spies involves children chosen and corrupted by the Party to listen
to their parents and their friends for possible thoughtcrimes. The purpose of this
organization would be to enable the Party to gather intel and find people to vaporize.

2. How does Winston know that the telescreen is about to deliver bad news? What
does this suggest about the tactics of the Party?
Winston knows that the telescreen is about to deliver bad news because the Party
always seems to deliver bad news only after they have delivered good news. This
suggests that the tactics of the Party are to get the people to side with them by saying
that they can always save the country from war.

3. Winston writes that "thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death.” What is
the meaning of this statement?
The meaning of this statement is that thoughtcrimes themselves are a death sentence.
PART ONE: Chapter 3
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. According to the narrator, what happened to Winston's parents?

According to the narrator, Winston’s parents died in a purge during the 1950s.

2. Winston regards that his mother's death "had been tragic and sorrowful in a way that
was no longer possible" (p. 37}. Explain Winston's reasoning.
Winston’s reasoning for his mother’s death being “tragic and sorrowful in a way that was
no longer possible” is that his society doesn’t have any complex emotions.

3. Describe Winston's health as depicted in this chapter.

As depicted in this chapter, Winston’s health isn’t too great, as he has a horrible cough
and a varicose ulcer.

4. What is "doublethink?” How does doublethink apply to Oceania's relationship with

Eurasia and Eastasia?
“Doublethink” is how the Party changed older words into words with more contradictory
meanings. Doublethink applies to Oceania’s relationship with Eurasia and Eastasia
because it manipulates the truth and gets in the way of free speech.

5. What is "Ingsoc?"
“Ingsoc” the Newspeak word for “English Socialism.”

6. What memory from Winston's childhood contradicts the Party's teachings of history?
Winston’s memory from his childhood that contradicts the Party’s teaching of history is
how he remember planes, while the Party’s history books say that they invented them.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. According to the narrator, what is the biggest obstacle for Winston in accessing his
memory and recalling his childhood?
According to the narrator, the biggest obstacle for Winston in accessing his memory and
recalling his childhood is that there are records for him to see what actually happened.

2. Winston thinks that "even to understand the word 'doublethink' involved the use of
‘doublethink." What is the meaning of this statement?
The meaning of this statement is that someone would have to know the original meaning
of the word, as well as the new and brainwashed meaning of it.
PART ONE: Chapter 4
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What is a memory hole?

A memory hole is a place to get rid of paper, where it then gets burned by furnaces
inside of the Ministry.

2. Describe Winston's occupation at the Ministry of Truth.

Winston’s occupation at the Ministry of Truth in the records section, where he changes
information based on the Party.

3. How does Winston feel about his work?

Winston finds work to be his greatest pleasure in life, despite all of the messed of
changes he has to make.

4. Winston claims that his work for the Ministry of Truth is "not even forgery.” Explain his
reasoning.
Winston’s reasoning for his claim that the his work for the Ministry of Truth is “not even
forgery” is that he is just making already false information even more false.

5. According to both the Ministry of Plenty and the narrator, how many boots were
produced for the quarter?
According to both the Ministry of Plenty and the narrator, 62 million pairs of boots (124
million individual boots) were produced for the quarter.

6. Who is Comrad Ogilvy?

Comrad Ogilvy is a Party member that Winston came up with off the top of his head. He
was made to replace Comrad Withers, and was described as having an almost perfect
life in every aspect.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Is Oceania a class society? Provide evidence from this chapter to support your answer.
Oceania is a class society, as demonstrated by the obvious bottom class, known as the
proles.

2. Winston is struck by the idea that "you could create dead men but not living ones.”
Explain the meaning of this statement.
The meaning of this statement is that people were erased from records after they were
no longer alive, but people who were never really alive and just created were never
erased.

PART ONE: Chapter 5

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Why does Syme ask Winston for a razor blade?

Syme asks Winston for a razor blade because there has been a terrible shortage of
them, especially for anybody of lower class.

2. Describe Syme's occupation at the Ministry of Truth. Why is his occupation necessary?
Syme’s occupation at the Ministry of Truth is working at the Research Department and
he is working on the newest version of Newspeak. His occupation is necessary because
it is shaping the language into what the Party wants it to be.

3. According to Syme, what is the goal of Newspeak?

According to Syme, the goal of Newspeak is to make thoughtcrime impossible becasue
there will be no words to commit one.

4. According to Syme, what will happen to classic literature?

According to Syme, classic literature will be destroyed, and will only be readable as the
contradictory Newspeak.

5. What does Winston predict will inevitably happen to Syme? Explain Winston's
reasoning.
Winston predicts that Syme will inevitably be vaporized. His reasoning is that he is
simply just too intelligent for the Party.

6. What does Winston think is the objective of the dark-haired girl?

Winston thinks the objective of the dark-haired girl is to watch him for any signs of
breaking the rules of the Party.

7. What is "facecrime"?
“Facecrime” is having a certain countenance that the Party is unfond of.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. a. Define juxtaposition.
b. In this chapter, the announcement of the raised standard of living in Oceania
is juxtaposed with what information from the narrator? What is the effect of this
juxtaposition?
a. Juxtaposition is when two things are put next to each other for contrasting effect.
b. In this chapter, the announcement of the raised standard of living in Oceania is
juxtaposed with Winston rationing holding onto his tobacco. The effect of this
juxtaposition shows that the difference between what the Party says and does.
2. What happens to the chocolate ration in this chapter? How do the people react to this
news?
In this chapter, the chocolate ration is lowered to twenty grams per week, while the Party
says the the ration has just been raised to twenty grams. The people react to this news
with optimism, as it tricks them into thinking that the economy is prosperous, and that the
chocolate ration is being increased, when in reality, it is being decreased.
PART ONE: Chapter 6
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. According to Winston, who is your own worst enemy? Explain his reasoning.
According to Winston, your own worst enemy is you nervous system. His reasoning is
that you can’t fully control it, and it can make you do things that will make the Though
Police go after you.

2. Who is Katherine? Describe her character.

Katherine is Winston’s wife, although they are legally separated. She is tall, has fair hair,
and has blind faith in the Party, intently listening to what they are saying and
regurgitating everything she is hearing.

3. Who are the "proles?" What differences between proles and Party members are
presented in this chapter?
The “proles” are the lowest and least liked class of Oceania. Differences between proles
and Party members presented in this chapter include not being allowed to consume gin
and how they could be turned into prostitutes by members of the Party.

4. How does the Party suppress the natural instincts of Party members?
The Party suppresses the natural instincts of Party members by only allowing people to
marry if they do not find each other physically attractive, as well as enforcing the idea
that sex is purely for reproductive purposes, not for pleasure.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. In this chapter, Winston recalls a past memory with much discomfort. Describe the past
memory, as well as its significance to the novel.
Winston’s discomforting past memory involves him having a sexual encounter with an elderly
prole prostitue. While he didn’t find her attractive in the slightest, he continued on to satiate his
“natural” desires. The significance of this memory to the novel is that it further demonstrates
how he wants to oppose the Party for what he longs to have, such as intimacy.
PART ONE: Chapter 7
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. According to the narrator, why can't the Party be overthrown from within?
According to the narrator, the Party can’t be overthrown from within because there could
never be there could never be a fully organized opposition.

2. Winston recalls hearing yelling from womens' voices down a side street. What did
Winston hope to be the source of the yelling? What did he discover instead?
Winstons hoped the source of the yelling to be rebellion of the proles against the horrible
Party, but he instead discovered that the source was just from women fighting and
yelling over kitchen supplies.

3. This chapter explores the life circumstances of the proles. Describe these
circumstances.
These circumstances include a life of lower quality, with less rights, poverty, health
issues, hard labor, and all around unfair treatment.

4. Winston opens a children's history textbook. Briefly summarize the textbook's

depiction of life before the Revolution.
The textbook’s depiction of life before the Revolution basically said that anybody who
wasn’t into the elite class had very little income, were starving, and impoverished,

5. Who are Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford?

Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford are the original leaders of the Revolution who later got
arrested and were given a chance to confess their crimes.

6. In this chapter, Winston shares information he had come across that contradicts
the Party's current claims of truth. What is this information, and why is it significant?
This information is how Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford were featured in a Times
article, even thought they was supposed to be the day that they confessed. This is
significant because it shows that nothing can be really be credible anymore, as these
coinciding events don’t make sense.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Winston writes about the proles: "Until they become conscious they will never rebel,
and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.” Explain the meaning
of this statement.
The meaning of this statement is that the proles won’t rebel unless they are fully aware
of their situation, but they also aren’t fully aware of their situation if they haven’t done
anything to change it.
2. According to the Party's history, what is the infant mortality rate both before and after
the Revolution? Why are these details important to the novel as a whole?
According to the Party’s history, the infant mortality rate before the Revolution was 300
per thousand, and after the Revolution it was only 160 per thousand. These details are
important to the novel as a whole because it is a way for the Party to trick the public into
thinking these statistics are good, when in reality, these numbers are far higher than
almost every other nation in the world.

3. Winston is confused as to why Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford would provide

false confessions of guilt. Why do you think they offered these confessions? Use
evidence from the text to support your answer.
I think they offered these confessions because they were beaten to. Otherwise, it
wouldn’t make sense for them to confess, considering they had very strong beliefs that
would not have been changed. Also, Winston notes that their noses are broken, which is
a sign that they may have been tortured.
PART ONE: Chapter 8
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. What is meant by the Newspeak term "ownlife?” Provide an example from this chapter to
support your answer.
The Newspeak term “ownlife” means that someone’s life is their own. An example from
this chapter is when the narrator says that it means “individualism and eccentricity”
(Orwell 104).

2. While Winston is wandering down a prole neighborhood, he witnesses a commotion.

What has happened? How do the people react both during and after the event?
A steamer, as rockets are called by the proles, has just landed in the city, very close by
to Winstion. He even sees somebody’s disembodied hand on the ground. People react
poorly during and after the event, freaking out and getting upset.

3. Describe the proles' preoccupation with the Lottery.

The proles’ preoccupation with the Lottery is very deep, with them being very obsessive
over it. They even keep records of previous winning numbers.

4. Why does Winston buy the coral embedded in glass?

Winston buys the coral embedded in glass because it isn’t for anything else but aesthetic
appeal, and therefore only has to look nice.

PART ONE: Chapter 8

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

5. According to the narrator, what item from before the Revolution is unlikely to exist
anywhere in Oceania?
According to the narrator, the item from before the Revolution that is unlikely to exist
anywhere in Oceania is any book from before the 1960s, as there are no more left.

6. After exiting Mr. Charrington's shop, who does Winston see?

After exiting Mr. Charrington’s ship, Winston sees the dark-haired girl from before.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Explain the significance of the conversation between Winston and the old man at the
pub.
The significance of the conversation between Winston and the old man at the pub is how
ignorant the population of the proles seems to be to politics and how it impacts them.
2. a. Define paradox.
A paradox is a statement that contradicts itself and can be proven wrong.
b. Three paradoxes are presented in this chapter. Identify these paradoxes.
Three paradoxes that are presented in this chapter are at the very end, saying “WAR IS
PEACE; FREEDOM IS SLAVERY; IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” (Orwell 130-131).