Question 6

what is the major theme of this novel? why is this theme important to a teenager living in 2007?
I think the theme is BETRAYAL and dangers of totalitarianism. I heard that the book was written for the people to warn the dangers of totalitarian governments in Spain and Russia. Also when O'Brien betrays Winston, I seriously felt that betrayal is one of the important themes of the novel. Winston becomes weak mentally and physically by the torturing and betrayal of O'Brien. Also when Julie and Winston don't love each other any more, the both of them were almost betrayed by each other since they don't love any more. The teenagers have to believe in their faith. Also the teenagers in 2007 can't believe those who are just kind to them. And there are some teenagers who are calling the teenage-love as a real love and they don't try to seek the real love or a real person who will make them happy. The government in the book tries to control the citizens mentally and physically at the same time with the thoughtpolice and telescreen, but when Winston buys the diary illegally and writes the diary, I felt proud of him.

Question 5

are there any settings in this novel which you have found to be beautiful? or disturbing? or memorable? describe these settings and comment on why they were meaningful to you.

When Julia, the dark-haired girl, gives a note to Winston that says "I love you", I felt it was very beautiful. Even though the relationship doesn't last for a long time, the moment when the two man and woman understand each other, my heart started to pump so quickly because I love that kind of event. But when they fights and when their relationship becomes weaker and was broken, I felt seriously furious and anxious like when I read the part when O'Brien betrays Winston and take him to the Ministry of Love. Also when there were brainwashing and torturing to Winston, I wanted to make O'Brien stop doing that to Winston. Although it was just a fiction, it made me angry. Moreover, I felt pity on Winston, because of his dream about the rats;O'Brien straps a cage full of rats onto Winston's head and prepares to allow the rats to eat his face. When I read about the dream, it was cruel and weird, but it was very memorable and special.

Question 4

please choose one passage from the novel that is significant to you. why is this passage meaningful? Please type it into one of your entries and comment on what you think about the passage.

And perhaps you might pretend, afterwards, that it was only a trick and that you just said it to make them stop and didn’t really mean it. But that isn’t true. At the time when it happens you do mean it. You think there’s no other way of saving yourself and you’re quite ready to save yourself that way. You want it to happen to the other person. You don’t give a damn what they suffer. All you care about is yourself.

Julia speaks to Winston in chapter VI when they were talking what happened in room 101. Julia tells Winston that she hopes her torture to be shifted to Winston, and Winston says that he felt in the same way. Julia knew that she wanted the Party to Winston in order to save herself. The quote means that the physical pain will cause the people to betray the convictions if doing so will end thir suffrings.

Question 3

what is the mood of this novel? do you find this novel saddens you in any way? why?

Dark, frustrated, pessimistic

- The novel saddens me since the world in the novel is very cruel and mean that I can't even imagine. They can't even think about anything they want because they are afraid of becoming a thoughtcrime.

Question 2

what is the climax of this novel? what happens? how do the events of this novel make you feel?

The climax of the book is Winston's torture with the cage of rats in Room 101.

He was caught by the party and betryed by O'Brien. The torture is very cruel and mean, in my opinion.

Question 1

who are the main characters in the novel? do you like them? why or why not? what is special about them? what do they reveal about the universal human experience?

Winston Smith - he's a minor member of the ruling party who is very intellectual, thin, and a thirty-nine-year-old man. He hates the characteristics of his government.

Julia - she's Winston's lover who works in the Fiction Department at the Ministry of Truth. She claims to have had affairs with many members of Party. She is very optimistic.

O'Brien - He's very mysterious and powerful member of the Prty whom Winston believed as a member of the Brotherhood, but he was just a spy.

Mr. Charrington - He's an old man who runs a store in the prole district. He's very kind and encouraging, also he seems to share Winston's interest in the past.