Major Works Data Sheet

Relevant Biographical information

about the Author
Best known for Animal Farm and 1984
Author: George Orwell
Son of a British civil servant
Date of Publication: 1949
Born in India but raised in England
Genre: Dystopian
In 1922 he joined the India Imperial
Historical information about the
Police Force
period of publication
He spent five years in Burma
Establishment of NATO (North Atlantic
Fought against General Francisco Franco
Treaty Organization)
in the Spanish Civil War
South Africa implements apartheid
Often battled with sickness throughout
Communist Peoples Republic of China is
his life
formed
Mainly wrote works pertaining to politics
Relatively near the end of World War II
and political criticisms
Formation of the Soviet Union
Characteristics of the genre
Creation and recognition of Israel
Strict conformity within society
Republic of Ireland gained
individualism is bad
independence from the United Kingdom
Constant surveillance
Federal Republic of Germany (West
Protagonist who questions the society
Germany) established
Caste-like system
A fear of the world outside the society
Authors Style
Examples of Style
1. Creation of Newspeak
1. crimestop, doublethink. ownlife,
unperson, doubleplus ungood
2. Very descriptive passages about the setting
2. This was London (3) and p. 185
3. Told from 3rd person
3. The story is told from the 3rd POV but Orwell also
focuses a lot on the main characters inner
thoughts and no one elses so it would make
better sense to be told from the 1st POV
Title: 1984

Plot Summary
Winston Smith is a citizen in Oceania, under the Party and the ideals of IngSoc. He lives within a tightly
controlled society, where the masses are constantly watched through telescreens ad under the constant threat of
being caught by the Thought Police for committing thoughtcrime. The novel focuses on Winstons thoughts
against the Party and his quiet rebellion. He oft spends his time in the proletarian part of town, pondering how
the only hope for rebellion lies within the masses of the proles. He eventually develops a relationship with a
dark-haired, coworker named Julia and they secretly meet up in a rented room above a shop, where there is
presumably no telescreen, and rebel (often times their only rebellion being to have sex, though they do end up
joining The Brotherhood). However, the room in fact did have a telescreen and they get caught and arrested by
the Thought Police. They are taken to the Ministry of Love where Winston is kept in a cell with other criminals,
both Party and non-Party. Often guards come in to take other criminals to the mysterious Room 101, and these
summons are always met with negative reactions. After some times, OBrien (a man whom Winston often times
thought was against the Party) enters the cell and takes Winston to a room to be interrogated and saved.
OBrien reveals to him that they have been watching him for some time now. He explains to Winston that he
must learn to be like the rest of society and that he must learn to know that 2 + 2 does indeed equal 5,
especially if the Party says so. The novel ends months after Winstons release from the Ministry of Love. He is
seen at the Chestnut Tree Caf and he recalls his last encounter with Julia, when they both reveal that they have
betrayed each other. In the end, Winston reveals that he does indeed love Big Brother.

Memorable Quotes
Quotation
1. And if all others accepted the lie
which the Party imposed - if all
records told the same tale - then
the lie passed into history and
became truth. Who controls the
past, ran the Party slogan,
controls the future: who controls
the present controls the past (34).

Significance
Often, its stated that history is written by the victors.
That kind relates to this quote because in this society,
the victors were the Party and they are indeed the ones
who write society. In modern history, it is primarily the
Europeans and Americans who were the victors, and
therefore they were the ones who wrote history,
meaning that it was told through a white perspective.
However, in this society the Party was the victor and so
history is written from the perspective of them.

2. They were like the ant, which can

see small objects but not large
ones (93).

Human nature is inclined to focus more on minute

details rather than the grander scale. This means that
lies about the past can be easily accepted by society
when general trends in history cannot be formed
because the larger scale could not have been grasped.

3. If you kept the small rules you

could break the big ones (129).

BY breaking the small rules, you could fly under the

radar and people wouldnt be too suspicious of you
when you did break a big rule. But if you did break a
big rule right off the bat, youd be highly suspicious. As
well, by breaking the small rules, you gain experience
on how to hide your actions and your guilt, so that
when you break a big rule, youre able to play off the
guilt and throw people off your tail.

4. To hang on from day to day and

from week to week, spinning out a
present that had no future, seemed
like an unconquerable instinct, just
as ones lungs will always draw
the next breath so long as there is
air available (152).

Human instinct keeps us fighting to survive, and so

even though we may know that it may be futile, we still
cannot help but to keep on surviving. As well, the
instinct to survive seems to be something that goes
against Party ideology because the Party wants to
suppress all human instincts. This means that they
would also have to suppress the will to survive in order
to have a complete grasp over society.

5. Does the past exist concretely, in

space? Is there somewhere or other
a place, a world of solid objects,
where the past is still happening?
(248).

If there was nothing to prove the past existed, did it

ever?
In modern times, we know past events happened
because we have evidence that they did happen. But if
there was no evidence, it could be played off that the
past never did exist.

6. Power is in inflicting pain and

humiliation. Power is in tearing
human minds to pieces and putting
them together again in new shapes
of your own choosing (266).

This is essentially what the Party is doing in a nutshell,

but it is also what most totalitarian regimes do in order
to gain control over a population. In the 1930s, this is
what the Nazis did in order to establish control over the
Jewish population as they inflicted both pain and
humiliation to the point that the Jewish population
could not really rise up against them. And in the 1940s
and 50s, this is what Stalin did in order to gain power
over the entire Russian population.

Name
1. Winston

Role in the story

Winston is the main character in the
novel. He works in the Ministry of Truth
where he fabricates history. He often
contemplates rebellion against the Party
and he even goes as far as acting upon
his thoughts even though he knows it will
most certainly lead to death. He joins the
Brotherhood with the help of OBrien and
he reads part of Goldsteins book. He is
eventually caught for thoughtcrime and
taken to the Ministry of Love. There he is
interrogated by OBrien and told that he
will be saved and made into the perfect
member of society before they kill him.
He is eventually mentally converted to
align with Party ideology and he declares
his love for Big Brother.

Adjectives

39
a smallish, frail figure,
the meagerness of his
body merely emphasized
by the blue overalls which
were the uniform of the
Partyhis hair was very
fair, his face naturally
sanguine, his skin
roughened (2)
works in the Records
Department at the
Ministry of Truth

2. Julia

3. OBrien

4. Big
Brother

5. Emmanuel
Goldstein

6. Mr.
Charringto
n

Julia is Winstons love interest in the

book. She works in a different department
than Winston but they still seek out a
relationship through secret meetings. She
originally encourages him to act on his
feelings of rebellion and she says that she
too would like to rebel, although the only
form of rebellion that she truly seems to
like is sex.
OBrien is an Inner Party member that
Winston believes is secretly working
against the Party. He eventually goes to
OBriens apartment with Julia to join The
Brotherhood and he provides Winston
with a copy of Goldsteins book. However
after Winston is arrested, OBrien
interrogates Winston in the Ministry of
Love. He also has mentioned to Winston
that they would meet in the place where
there is no darkness, alluding to
Winstons eventual arrest.
Big Brother is the figurehead of the Party.
He is often depicted on posters around
each corner, with the slogan Big Brother
is Watching You. It is unclear whether Big
Brother was an actual person or if he was
just created by the Party.
Emmanuel Goldstein is the supposed
enemy of Big Brother and leader of The
Brotherhood. He is prominently featured
during the Two Minutes Hate, as the Party
uses his image to help with controlling
the emotions of the masses. As well, he
wrote a book about the Party and
explaining some of the Partys messages
and slogans.

Mr. Charrington is the shopkeeper from

whom Winston purchased the diary and
the paperweight from and also whom
Winston rents a room from so that he and
Julia can meet up in secret to have sex
and rebel. In the first interaction with
him, he is described as being a kind prole
man but it is revealed towards the end of
Part Two that Mr. Charrington was
actually a member of the Thought Police
who had been spying upon Winston.

Shopkeeper
63
long, benevolent nose (94)
Frail
mild eyes
hair white
air of intellectuality
AFTER THE ARREST
Hair is black
No glasses

works in the Fiction

Department
bold-looking
27
thick dark hair
freckled face
member of the Junior AntiSex League
Inner Party worker
burly, thick neck
coarse/humorous/brutal
face
secret belief his political
orthodoxy was not perfect
He was the tormentor, he was
the protector, he was the
inquisitor, he was the friend
(244).
the face of a man about 45,
with a heavy black mustache and
ruggedly handsome features (1).
the eyes follow you about
when you move. (1)
Enemy of the People
used to be a leading figure
of the Party
lean Jewish face, with a
great fuzzy aureole of
white hair and a small
goatee beard (12)
resembles a sheep

7. Syme

8. The
Parsons

9. Winstons
Family

10. Kathari
ne

Syme is one of Winstons friends who

works within the Research Department on
an updated version of the Newspeak
Dictionary. He is described as
venomously orthodox which makes his
vaporization even that more peculiar.
However, an interesting note is that
Winston had previously predicted that
Syme would indeed be vaporized.
The Parsons are Winstons neighbors in
the Victory Mansions. Mr. Parsons works
in the Ministry of Truth as well and he is
often shown to be a good Party member,
although at the end of the novel he had
been arrested for committing
thoughtcrime by saying down with Big
Brother in his sleep. Even though it was
his own daughter who turned him in, he
is still proud of her.
Winstons family are rarely mentioned
but when they are, it is his mother who is
mentioned the most. His family is only
seen through flashbacks to the time
when the Party did not exist and often
times during a period of starvation. His
family is mentioned as having been
vaporized and Winston seems to show
some regret as to how he treated his
family before their deaths.
Katharine is Winstons wife, whom he is
no longer with. They had originially
married only in order to have children,
which Katharine often described as their
duty to the Party. However, they split
up and it is unknown whether or not she
is still living or if she had been vaporized
after their split.

Winstons friend
Works in the Research
Department
philologist (specialist in
Newspeak)
tiny, dark hair
large/protuberant eyes
venomously orthodox (48)
Mrs. Parsons: colorless,
crushed-looking, wispy
hair, lined face,
Winstons neighbor, 30ish
The Children: members of
the Spies
Mr. Parsons: works in the
Ministry of Truth as well
all dead
Mother: tall, statuesque, silent,
magnificent, fine hair
Father: dark, thin, well
dressed, thin shoe-soles
Sister: but a baby

Winstons wife
parted/not divorced (no
divorces allowed)
tall
fair-haired
very straight
only thought in Party jargon

Setting

Oceania
Oceania is one of the three states left in the world and it consists of the British Isles,
North and South America, the southern tip of Africa, and Australia
It is described as constantly being at war with one of the other two states (Eurasia
and Eastasia)
Oceania is the totalitarian society under which Winston lives and it is also the only
society which Winston knows a lot about
Room Above the Shop
Located above Mr. Charringtons shop
Simple bedroom with a painting in the room, and no known telescreen (though it
was hidden behind the painting)
The room is also the place where Julia and Winston meet up for rebellious activities
It seems to be their safe place as they feel like nothing they do there needs to be
censored
o Julia even mentions that in the room shell be a true woman, and not just a
comrade
The room also can resemble a safe place in our lives where we feel like we cant
be hurt
Room 101
This is a room within the Ministry of Love where everyones worst fears lie
It could symbolize a place in our own minds where we tend to keep our darkest
secrets and where most of our inner demons reside
o Both locations have a daunting air about them and are met with a reluctance of
confrontation
Symbols and Other Devices

Flower Language bluebells

o Mentioned when Julia and Winston are in the meadow
o Symbolize humility and gratitude
Chestnut Tree Caf
o Where people when before they were killed by the Thought police, but after they
had been tortured in MiniLuv
o Thought criminals spend a lot of their time there
Comrade Ogilvy
o Creation of Winstons mind as a replacement for someone who was vaporized
o Meant to be the example of a perfect member of society
The Golden Country
o Peaceful. little slice of heaven
o Could resemble a brighter future or Winstons hope for things to change
o Described with colors, whereas London is only described in blacks and whites
Hate Song
o Described as having a primitive beat to it
o Could resemble the Partys wish to control natural, basic human emotions
whatever the Party did was basically nature itself
Metaphorical Bullet Through the Head
o After leaving MiniLuv, Winston is constantly expecting a bullet through the head
at every turn
o But perhaps the bullet through the head was when Winston finally accepted the
Party ideology
o When he would have finally accepted the Party ideology, he would have killed his
individualism and essentially himself since his individualism is what made him
unique
The Book
o Is basically the doctrine of the Brotherhood
o When Winston read it, he said it was basically everything he already knew

Prole Woman
o She symbolizes hope
o Often Winston remarks that hope lies in the proles
Hate Week
o Designed to increase hatred of the enemy
o Its also a way of controlling the emotions of the masses
o The way the people prepare for it in the society resembles the way we prepare for
Spirit Week
Paperweight
o Winston often describes the paperweight in comparison to the room above Mr.
Charringtons shop
o Could possibly resemble how small and insignificant our lives on earth can be
o Or it could also just resemble life in general
The paperweight seems to be insignificant by itself but it has a variety of uses
and can benefit the whole
As well, it could also resemble how we all look relatively similar on the outside,
but we can be vastly different on the inside (within thoughts and personalities)
The Brotherhood
o May or may not truly exists
o Could possibly be just a creation of the party in order to weed out the thought
criminals
o Its a false sense of hope within the society
Eyes
o Eyes are commonly said to be the windows to the soul
It is impossible to see reality except by looking through the eyes of the Party
(249)
The Party wants to become the standard for everyones minds
The Party will become the soul
Newspeak
o Designed to limit thinking by limiting their language abilities
Eliminates complex thoughts
o Means that people will communicate less
o Takes away words that the party deems unnecessary
For example, freedom and individualism
o If there wasnt a term for it, would we still be able to describe it?
Historical Resemblances
o Many aspects of the society resemble Nazi Germany
The Spies resemble the Hitler Youth
Thought Police = Gestapo
o Some references to Soviet Union
Forced labor camps remind me of the GULAG system
Thought Police = KGB
The fact that people were arrested without reason and then disappeared
resembles the GULAG too
People were arrested for apparently no reason and then sent to the GULAG
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camps and if they survived they were then in exile (often in remote regions)

Significance of the opening scene

I

Significance of the ending / closing

scene
VI
The first chapter of 1984 helps to highlight The end of 1984 seems to further support
the conditions under which the society lies. the reason as to why Orwell wrote the
The first scene describes not only the
novel. Given that Orwells purpose was to
highly-controlled atmosphere of society,
encourage people to never let totalitarian
especially through the use of telescreens,
regimes come to power, Winstons
but it also describes the kind of lifestyle
acceptance of the Partys ideology would
members of society have, through the
aggravate the reader and would leave
description of unkempt living quarters and
them with the feeling that they would truly
standardized, substitute substances/food. It never let a totalitarian regime come to
also gives the reader a hint as to what will
power.
be key information in the later parts of the
As well, the final chapter also wraps up
book. Multiple references to telescreens,
some loose ends particularly concerning
the Ministry of Truth, the Ministry of Love,
Julia. We learn that they did indeed meet
and Big Brother all show that these ideas
again after their journey through the
will be important to understanding the
Ministry of Love and they had both
events later in the book.
betrayed each other but they dont regret
The beginning of 1984 is also very
it. This also serves to aggravate the reader
descriptive, which helps the reader to
because these two characters had been
better understand why the events in the
rebellion for the entire novel and now they
book would happen and why certain acts in have just accepted their fate to be
this society would be considered rebellious. brainwashed by the Party.
Authors Purpose
Past Question 3 Prompts (Years)

10

George Orwells purpose in writing 1984

was to warn the masses to not let a
totalitarian government to power. Having
written the book at the end of World War II,
Orwell had seen the devastation that
totalitarian regimes can have on a society
especially through Hitlers fascist
government and the rise Stalins Marxist
Soviet Union. As well, Orwell had
experienced the struggle for power that
occurred in Spain during the Spanish Civil
War.
The novel also warns the masses against
the loss of individuality. His depiction of a
society in which everyone conforms to the
ideals of a governing mass highlights the
daunting future that could result from the
loss of individuality. The complete
mindlessness of the society depicted in the
novel also serves to show how important
individuality is to preventing the rise of
totalitarian regimes and the complete
suppression of a society.

1970: Choose a character from a novel or

play of recognized literary merit and write
an essay in which you (a) briefly describe
the standards of the fictional society in
which the character exists and (b) show
how the character is affected by and
responds to those standards.
1977: Choose a literary work in which a
character views the past with such feelings
as reverence, bitterness, or longing.
1986: Choose a novel, an epic, or a play of
recognized literary merit and show how the
authors manipulation of time contributes
to the effectiveness of the work as a whole.
1987: Some novels and plays seem to
advocate changes in social or political
attitudes or in traditions. Choose such a
novel or play and note briefly the particular
attitudes or traditions that the author
apparently wishes to modify.
2005: In a novel or play that you have
studied, identify a character who outwardly
conforms while questioning inwardly. Then
write an essay in which you analyze how
this tension between outward conformity
and inward questioning contributes to the
meaning of the work.

Possible Ideas for Discussion (Themes, Motifs, Paradoxes, etc.)

11

Paradox: Party Slogans

o Freedom is Slavery
o Ignorance Is Strength
o War is Peace
By keeping the society in a state of war, society was kept in a state of peace
The people were united against a common enemy and there was a sense of
unity, which meant that there was a lack of a want for rebellion
Paradox: Ministries
o Ministry of Truth concerned with falsifying the past
o Ministry of Love concerned with torture
Paradox: Reality vs. Imagination
o Reality is imagination and imagination is reality
o Reality is what the party decides is reality, but they often fabricate the past which
really means that reality is actually the imagination
o And imagination is what the party does not say is reality, which means that if
something actually happened, but the party doesnt agree with it, its imaginary
Paradox: Sanity vs. Insanity
o People are considered sane in this society when they conform to what the Party
wants
o People are considered insane when they dont conform to the norms of society
Diary
o In essence, resembles Winstons individualism
o Through the diary, he can express his feelings without anyone else influencing his
thought
o Writing is an act of rebellion
Color as a metaphor
o Most notably:
Pre-arrest: Mr. Charrington was described with white hair / post-arrest: Mr.
Charrington is described as having black hair
Could resemble a transition from the good to the bad side
o Blue Overalls
Members of the outer Party are described as all wearing blue overalls
Blue is generally a calm color could resemble the Partys ability to keep the
masses in check and passive
Theme: Pain governs our decisions.
o When Winston is in Room 101, he originally promised himself that he would never
betray Julia, but in the face of horrific pain, he inevitably does
o Often, when faced with pain, we will want it to stop so badly, that we are willing to
do anything to get the pain to stop
Theme: Orthodoxy when practiced among the masses cannot be overthrown.
o If everyone thinks the same thing, there cannot be anyone to really speak out
against the norm.
o As well, if an idea has a strong support base, it will be extremely hard to upset the
norm

For Historical Context:

12

"News and Events of 1949." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.
<http://www.infoplease.com/year/1949.html>.
"Historical Events for Year 1949." OnThisDay.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2015.
<http://www.onthisday.com/events/date/1949>.
For Biographical Information:
Biography.com Editors. "George Orwell." Biography.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d.
Web. 16 Dec.
2015. <http://www.biography.com/people/george-orwell-9429833#synopsis>.
For Characteristics of Genre:
"Dystopia." Division of Humanities. Gordon State College, n.d. Web. 03 Feb. 2016.
<http://ptfaculty.gordonstate.edu/jmallory/index_files/page0082.htm>.
For Flower Symbolism:
"Language of Flowers." The Language of Flowers with Their Meaning. N.p., n.d. Web. 10
Feb. 2016.
<http://thelanguageofflowers.com/>.

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