A great read

I am currently reading the book Monkey House by Kurt Vonnegut. It is amazing and has many similarities with 1984. (Yes this means I finished 1984) So I suggest this book to anyone who decided to read this post. Hopefully not only Fernando and Ms.G. It is an amazing book and really is a wonder to behold.

A passion worth having, Heresy never felt so good

Winston meets up with the sandy haired girl. She reveals her name is Julia. They meet at the forest where the party couldn't see them. She explains why she loved Winston so much. He was aroused how much she detested the party. They then began to fall into a fit of passion. Winston was able to live the fantasies he so wanted with her on the floor of the forest. They had passion, they had passion for lust and for their beliefs. They hated the party. This might be what Winston needed to jump start his ability to fight the party. Information is his tool. With Julia he might be able to spread it.

Does she love me or she loves me not? Either way I'm dead

This chapter has really given me high hopes for the book. Finally a new character has been introduced to the story. Winston has spoken about other characters such as Syme and his wife Catherine, but the interaction seen here was nonexistent through part one of the book. By the way this is the second part of the book thus explaining why it says Part 2. The sandy blonde hair girl the one Winston previously hated dropped him a letter saying she loved him. Winston originally was afraid of what the letter was, but he when he read the words he was stunned with disbelief. She then sent him another note telling him a place where he could meet her. In Winston's mind escape from the party seemed ridiculous, but he needed something to live for and she was it. I cannot wait to read what happens next chapter.

I am lying to myself, but I just can't help it

Denial is one of the many ways in the book Winston and everyone else is controlled. The scariest part of this form of control is the fact that your the one that empowers it. In the Science times that spoke of the different forms of denial. Your subconscious does this so you do not have bring on unwanted guilt so in such it lies to you that way you don't feel guilty. This also pertains to unwanted knowledge. In the book no one wants to feel their beloved party is evil and controlling. This natural denial we have plays a strong part in the control of someone. When someone is controlled they struggle naturally to regain control, but if they are in denial about even being in control they will not struggle to regain the control they lost. This goes to the theme knowledge is power. They do not have the knowledge of being controlled and thus they aren't powerful. This is why Winston is so strong. He has the knowledge the whole Oceania doesn't have. If he is to rebel it will have to be with the artful spread of knowledge. Hopefully he doesn't fall back in denial

I didn't steal "I borrowed"

I was reading a new york times article today and I stumbled upon an article on the science times talking about how denail is one of the things that cuases relationships to work so well. This power of denial led me striaght back to the book. So I was wondering if Fernando and I could post on denial and how it relates back to the party's method of control.

Hopefully I'll find the answer, the answer to life and the answer to who I am

This chapter really took me to a knew area in Oceania. It took me to the area in which the proles lived at. The proles have been mentioned by Winston on several times as the hope for the end of the party. And this motto still ran through his head. The chapter started with him reiterating what he learned saying if there is hope its with the proles. Winston goes to a prole bar where he found an old man asking for a pint of beer. The bartenders argues stating there was only liters and half of liters. The man becomes disgusted and argues more. Winston decided if anyone knew answers it was the old man. Winston tries to butter him up by buying him beer and he talks with the old man. Winston tries subtly to get the old man to talk about his past. The old man wasn't shy at all about his past. But the man had difficulty getting into specific details. This is another time where you could see how destroyed the mans subconscious was. The fact the man couldn't even remember specific time periods and events. The party obviously did their job well. The man was unable to give Winston the information he wanted. What was even more sad was the state the man was in. He was lost in the reminiscent of the past he once had. Winston wanted that past to be instilled in him. However the party stopped it. Winston stumbled on the store he bought his diary from. To reenter would have placed him in serious danger, but he did regardless. Winston and the owner had a long chat. It was an antique store that no one hardly noticed. Winston bought everything he could from the store. He wanted to obtain his past back and through the items he might be able to gain just a little. Winston is now lost and hope that he once had is just so bleak. This story does that. You feel like the climax of the story is about to come, but it just turns into a feint. I wonder when will that turning point begin? I guess we'll have to read on to find out.

I know how to fight now wheres the gun?

Winston finally goes into the logic of beating the party. Though he doesn't really solidify his intent for trying to destroy the party he does find out how to destroy them. He establishes the thought that if their is any hope to save the Oceania from the incredible grip the party has over it was through the proles. The proles were the people who were seen as the lower class. This lower class has always been viewed as unimportant to the party. They were controlled by the unaffected change of their lifestyle. They made sure the proles didn't think. They lived their life. Winston knew for him to take down the party they needed to see the control the party had over them. Winston also reflected on the past and some sketchy memories that really didn't make sense. This memory sounded much like the effects of doublethink. The visions of the old days and the rebels. Winston is really shaping into a much better rebel. He has taken the transformation from the disgusted member to the slightly inspiring leader. All he needs to do is take the step into gathering members. But how will he ever be able to gather members under the watchful eye of the party.

The removal of the sexual insinct

This was an interesting chapter. This chapter instead of focusing on events focused on winston writing in his diary. Unlike his past entries about hope and peace he writes a reflection. He reflects on his wife. His wife's name is catherine. She was a loyal devotee to the party and had her mind brainwashed by everything in the party. But what was most interesting was the relationship Winston and Katherine had in terms of sex. Katherine saw this act as only a duty which she would perform in order to create members for the party. No where in her mind was she thinking of the desires people have today. All she was thinking about in her mind was her duty. This sickened Winston and he tried his hardest to break his wife away from it. He then said in regret he had wished he could have broken his wife away from the sick ways of the party just once. Just so he could indulge in the lust that the people of old had. But in his mind he knew that the destruction of sexual instinct and enjoyment was just another way the party controlled him. And that is why he had so much scorn for the sandy haired girl at his job. To know she will never be broken.

Good, Ungood and Plusgood the vocabulary of emotionless writing

Now that I have reached chapter five of the book 1984. Winston has kind of grown on to me. I eagerly await what he will do next. The suspension of if he will ever breakaway from the party is so much to bear. His heart is their, but he doesn't have the resolve. However this chapter was refreshing. Though it had the same elements of secrecy and the unveiling of the parties true nature. It also had one thing that really grabbed my attention. The destruction of what is called in Oceania "oldspeak". You see Winston talks to an enthusiastic worker named Syme. Syme talks excitdley to Winston about the new forming of Newspeak(the official language of Oceania). The detail that grabbed my attention was the fact that instead of making Newspeak more intricate and complex. They were actually destroying words from the language. In short words would have basically main roots and it would be impossible to convey any deep secret meanings and messages when your language is decimated to the basics. This idea of simplifying language is actual something I myself have had odd opinions about for many years. I always saw the simplification of a difficult language a good thing. I frowned towards languages like Cantonese or Japanese, because I felt the memorization of thousands of symbols is pointless. But now I see that when you have a wider vocabulary the easier and more efficiently you can convey a message. This destruction of intricate language falls under another subliminal way the party is destroying human decision and nature. In fact I have decided to add to our blog a listing post which lists everyone single subliminal message Fernando and I have found that the party uses.
Wow...this is a long post. Something else that really made me want to read more was the syllogism Winston used in the story. He conveys that the party doesn't want people who have complete understanding of their principles, or people who do not shout enthusiastically for their principals(contradicting syllogism Ms.G). Those who do not have what the party wants "disappears". Those who graps all the priciples of the party are those the party does not want. Syme( the man who is building the new newspeak) has a complete understanding of their principles. So Winston predicts that Syme would "disappear". He later talks about another man named Parsons. Parsons on the other hand wasn't as resourceful as the other workers. He however was the most active in the parties work. He as Winston describes him was the perfect party member. A man who knew nothing, but how to shout enthusiastically for his party. This may seem like a evil conniving idea of a man who blindly follows, but isn't it said today that behind one smart person is a hundred stupid people following? In the end I wonder if what Winston said was true about himself. He stated that he himself would soon be gone since he didn't fit the role the party wanted for him. This might be a hint for what is later to come.

Who Controls the Past Controls the Present

In this chatper it explains how the Party has the people under such mental confusion that they are terrified to even think about their own past without being paranoid of being convicted of a thought crime, which Raymond has explained in the previous post. In example, Winston was absoutely sure that Oceania, even though currently allianced with Eastasia, that only a few years back it was at war with the country. But, since no written or spoken history had been left since that happened he couldn't prove it. Winston thinking this would be considered the highest treason so most likly no one else would, or should, be thinking this. Even the idea that in the past people were able to speak freely, write freely and not be watched was considered ludicrous. I can predict that after the stretches are finished he will go to work and completle the viciously controlled circle of his life.

The constant in the equation

In response to the question of the power of subconscious I have a very strong opinion. In the book I feel more and more trapped as I read the harsh methods of the party. But its the not the public demonstrations of hate or the mindless devotion that bothers me. It ends up being the things you really don't notice, the things that causes a character or narrator to be unreliable. An excellent book I read that really described the subconscious mind is a book called "Blink". Its written by Malcolm Gladwell and really goes into great detail how most of our lives and decisions are effected by our subconscious mind. The controlling of your subconscious as described in the book is extremely scary because then you would never know if you are making decisions for yourself, or if you are being manipulated. I hope the main character Winston doesn't lose his individuality due to the parties cruel methods.

Can you control your subconscious?

Hello everyone its Raymond again and though my friend Fernando hasn't really been posting hes just been having trouble signing in. Wednesdays is our normal day for having a reflection post on one of the many themes in the book ( I apologize for all the other weeks I forgot). Sadly since Fernando has been having trouble signing in he didn't have the chance to pick today's theme. So a theme I believe is really strong in the book is the subliminal messages that are constant. The amount of control that the party has over people, isn't one of fear or power, but one of the elimination of thought. So I was wondering if your subconscious was stronger than your better judgement?

His Job, what I say is the truth and everyone will believe it

The book has begun to have a sluggish movement. Its as if it was just a compilation of information about Winston. His job is odd. He is the writer of history. He changes all of the past and present articles so they correspond with what the party says. His word is the truth. Of course he is only part of the lower level of writers. His work will soon be decided into those which embodies the parties message and those that just didn't cut it. His thoughts are most interesting and his logic very convincing. The way he talks of how only the ignorant can last in the party is extremely understandable. In his world only those who know nothing, but empty words and shallow oaths can last. Those who know too much will end up being destroyed. This world has gotten very familiar.

Can I believe you?

Winston the main is the main character in the book 1984. He is seen at first as a very intelligent man who takes a great deal in the analysis in his opinion. But once he talks about the process of doublethink fear immediately begins to creep into your mind. You begin to wonder if he is under the process of doublethink himself. Even his memories start to sound like hazy picture which can change on the dime. Now when I hear him talk I wonder is he lying to me. In the end the question isn't is he lying to me, but what if he is lying to himself and doesn't know it. This is actually the first time I have read a story where the narrator is partially unreliable it was always he was a complete liar or he was completely truthful. This partial liar really turns the story into a true mystery of what is true and what isn't.

I am not so I am

This chapter hit me with complete surprise. Winston opened his memories of his family in the story and the vagueness of it all is quite puzzling. You feel like there is something he doesn't know or something he isn't saying. It feels like hes lying to you the reader. This is something I never experienced with another book. At first you believe him, but then he brings in a concept which fills your head with doubt. The concept of doublethink is one thing in the story that intrigued me. This concept can only be understood while it is utilized and only when its utilized it is understood. Its the complete submission of logic by a person. The basis of its usage is the common practice of using two contradictory terms placed next to each other. For example, the common slogan "War is peace" is just some of the examples of doublethink in the story. Your head begins to be jumbled with doubt and confusion as you read more and more about doublethink. What it makes you feel is a feeling of nothingness, but at the same time everything. He of course keeps all this emotion, behind that mask. The party was always watching him and he knew that one flicker of hatred would be considered thought crime. The idea of being arrested for your thoughts seems ridiculous now, but in the world of Oceania its all too visible. My predictions for him is very vague due to the vagueness of the book. You can't truly pinpoint anything tangible which is what makes this book so alluring. I have really been won over by the concept of doublethink and the means Winston the main character takes to explain it. George Orwell is a true genius.

Mind Entrapment

In this chapter the idea of him writing aganist the Party & Big Brother hit him like a slap in the face, he had realized that he has commited the worst type of treason & couldn't turn back from it. A new family was introduced in this chapter, the Parsons. The family consisted of Mrs.Parsons, in which Winston described as 30 years of age but looked much older and seemed to have dust in the creases of her face, Mr.Parsons, who''s a very fit, energetic man and because of him the stench of sweat has stained the apartment they live in, and the children, which are so dedicated to the Party that it's horrifying, the idea that you have to be scared of your own children because if you commit any type of unlawful act they will go straight to the though police. The description of how the children were so uncontrolable to the extent that they actully attacked Winston. The thought of Winston becoming a rebel against the Party is seeming to appeal to him more & more, he just needs a way to commit to it.