Category: Book Club

Julia does not agree with Winston's view of their situation. "She always contradicted him …and would not accept it as a law of nature that the individual is always defeated."

What does"contradicted"mean?

Winston's physical, emotional and psychological health has improved since he and Julia began meeting in the secret room: "The process of life had ceased to be intolerable, he had no longer any impulse to make faces at the telescreen or shout curses at the top of his voice."

What does"intolerable"mean?

What is the main idea of this chapter?

When O'Brien approaches Winston in the hallway, he makes the observation that Winston seems to "… take a scholarly interest in Newspeak . . ."

What does"scholarly"mean?

When O'Brien makes a reference to Syme, whom Winston knows is dead, Winston understands that O'Brien is sending him a signal, and that now he is O'Brien's accomplice, because "Any identifiable reference to [Syme] would have been mortally dangerous."

What does"mortally"mean?

Describing the features of the most recent Newspeak dictionary, O'Brien says, :The reduction in the number of verbs —— that is the point that will appeal to you, I think."

What does"reduction"mean?

After the meeting with O'Brien, Winston understands that "There was only one meaning that the episode could possibly have. It had been contrived as a way of letting Winston know O'Brien's address."

What does"episode"mean?

After O'Brien gives Winston his address and walks away, what does Winston expect to happen next?

Were there any words that you did not know?
You can always list them here.

Were there any words that you did not know?
You can always list them here.

What do you think will happen in the next chapter?
(This is just a spot for you to jot some notes for yourself.)

Parsons' daughter has turned him in for committing Thought Crime. He was talking in his sleep. What did he say that was criminal?

What is the main idea of this chapter?

Before directing that Winston be taken to Room 101, O'Brien asks him to state his true feelings toward Big Brother. How does Winston answer?

Please enter the first three words of a sentence that shows your answers is correct.

Winston is aware that something within him has changed because of the announcement that Oceania has defeated Eurasia: "He thought how ten minutes ago —— yes, only ten minutes —— there had still been equivocation in his heart as he wondered whether the news from the front would be of victory or defeat."

What does"equivocation"mean?

After Winston writes DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER several times in his diary, he begins to feel panic and considers tearing out those pages. "He did not do so, however, because he knew that it was useless. Whether he wrote DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER, or whether he refrained from writing it, made no difference."

What does"refrained"mean?

What is the main idea of this chapter?

Winston's apartment building is not well maintained: "Repairs, except what you could do for yourself, had to be sanctioned by remote committees which were liable to hold up even the mending of a window–pane for two years."

What does"sanctioned"mean?

Winston's neighbor is married to one of his fellow–employees, Parsons, who is " …employed in some subordinate post for which intelligence was not required…."

What does "subordinate" mean?

Parson's children, like nearly all children, are "ungovernable little savages", but somehow they do not mind the discipline imposed on them by the Party. "On the contrary, they adored the Party and everything connected with it."

What does"contrary"mean?

Years ago, Winston had a dream in which he heard O'Brien's voice. At the time, "…the words had not made much impression…" on him. What does "impression"mean?

Winston feels himself very alone, lost in a world where the past has been erased. He cannot imagine the future. He wonders how he can be certain "that the dominion of the Party would not endure for ever? What does "dominion"mean?

Despite feeling that no one will read his words, Winston decides to continue writing in his diary: "But so long as he uttered [the truth], in some obscure way the continuity was not broken."

What does"uttered"mean?

Winston understands that it doesn't matter if he writes in the diary or not; his thoughts are criminal. He realizes that "the consequences of every act are included in the act itself."

What does"consequence"mean?

Winston has been home writing in the diary during his "lunch interval". What does "interval"mean?

Now that Winston has "recognized himself as a dead man", how does he feel?

Were there any words that you did not know?
You can always list them here.