Tuesday 28 May 2013
6. Newspeak Diction!
1984 is set in Oceania. In Oceania the official language is called 'newspeak' (read new-speak) is an excellent example of diction. The party does a good job of controlling people's minds. One of the ways they do this is by breaking down their vocabulary. Newspeak can be somewhat understood by the layman (reader) which is what makes it interesting. Part of the way it works is by eliminating as many words as possible. Not only can all synonyms be taken away but all antonyms as well. For example, there is no need for the word "bad" when "ungood" works just as well, and for things that are worse than "ungood" things "plusungood" or "doubleplusungood" would suffice. This, in conjunction with the mind control already in place "Who controls the past, controls the future. Who controls the present, controls the past" (Orwell, 35) is part of controlling the present and the way the people of Oceania think about things. By creating a whole new language, they can take out words like "rebellion" so no one even knows what that means.
Sunday 19 May 2013
5. Significance
1984 - George Orwell
1. The Diary
2. The shop he bought it at
The diary is the outlet that allows Winston to rebel. His life, as well as most other people's life, is consumed by conformity. The diary allows for progression in the book. It starts Winston on his journey to revolution. Winston has conformed his entire life. The purchasing of the diary, is his first thought crime, he intends to write in it! What a novel idea! He firsts writes a entry which is mostly nonsense, however the next time he sits down he writes "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" (Orwell, 48) over and over. This does not entail death for Winston, this IS death. Now Winston has nothing to lose. He has already committed the worst crime one can commit!
The shop he bought the book at is a place that sells antiques. In Oceania the past is completely controlled. A place that sells relics of the past is quite the thing to exist in such a place. To me, something seems off about it. Winston must have been seen with the diary coming out of the shop. Perhaps there is some way in which the shop will be used as a way to find Winston. Winston will be figured out eventually and the shop's existence doesn't make any sense.
1. The Diary
2. The shop he bought it at
The diary is the outlet that allows Winston to rebel. His life, as well as most other people's life, is consumed by conformity. The diary allows for progression in the book. It starts Winston on his journey to revolution. Winston has conformed his entire life. The purchasing of the diary, is his first thought crime, he intends to write in it! What a novel idea! He firsts writes a entry which is mostly nonsense, however the next time he sits down he writes "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER" (Orwell, 48) over and over. This does not entail death for Winston, this IS death. Now Winston has nothing to lose. He has already committed the worst crime one can commit!
The shop he bought the book at is a place that sells antiques. In Oceania the past is completely controlled. A place that sells relics of the past is quite the thing to exist in such a place. To me, something seems off about it. Winston must have been seen with the diary coming out of the shop. Perhaps there is some way in which the shop will be used as a way to find Winston. Winston will be figured out eventually and the shop's existence doesn't make any sense.
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