Written by: Melvin Wang

1984: Independent Novel

Study
Setting (Question 1)
1984 is a book that takes place in an alternate reality where the world
is divided into three intercontinental superstates that are perpetually at
war. Airstrip One, the remnants of a war-ravaged England is a province of the
biggest of the three superstates, known as Oceania, and this is where
Winston Smith, the books protagonist, resides in. Taking place in 1984, the
story explores what life could have been like if England was a totalitarian
state.
In the book, the population of Oceania are split into three distinct
categories. The upper-class Inner Party represent the elite ruling minority.
The lower class proles resemble an uneducated working class that are
treated like slaves. The middle-class is represented by the Outer Party, who
work in one of the four ministries of government. These ministries control the
population through rationing, starvation, torture, brainwashing, and
propaganda. The members of the Inner and Outer Parties were constantly
under surveillance and any person who in any way opposed the ideals of the
Party.
The books portrayal of Winston rebellious ideas and the Partys
ruthless obsession with muzzling rebels creates an atmosphere full of
paranoia and distrust. This atmosphere makes the reader wary of every
character that Winston encounters and keeps the reader enticed by the
threat that Winston may be arrested at any time.

Point of View (Question 2)

Every character in this book is referenced by a third person pronoun,
like she or they, but the reader is also privy to the protagonists thoughts and
feelings; therefore the point of view of this story is third person limited. This
perspective allows the reader to gain an intimate connection with the main
character because they are only able to see their thoughts. The following is
an excerpt of 1984 rewritten in first person.

Written by: Melvin Wang

I heard a trampling of boots and another blast on the comb as the
children charged into the living room. Mrs. Parson brought the spanner. I let
out the water and removed the clot of human hair that had blocked up the
pipe. After cleaning my fingers as best I could in the cold water from the tap,
I went back the other room.
Up with your hands! yelled a savage voice.
A handsome, tough-looking boy of nine had popped up from behind
the table and was menacing me with a toy automatic pistol, while what
looking like his small sister, about two years younger, made the same
gesture with a fragment of wood. Both of them were dressed in the blue
shorts. Grey shirts and red neckerchiefs which were the uniform of the Spies.
I raised my hand above my head, but with an uneasy feeling, so vicious was
that boys demeanour, that it was not altogether a game.

Upon comparison of the modified excerpt above and the original text,
one would deduce that the content of the two are virtually the same, but
they both exhibit a different tone. The original text allows you to be an
observer of the scene and creates a feeling similar to watching a movie,
while the new modified text creates a different feeling of actually
experiencing the plot through the main character. While the second
perspective may possibly immerse the reader more deeply into the charters
mind and story, it limits the amount of information that the writer can give
because all observation must be done through the eyes of the character. The
reader is also not able to see how the main character is acting from an
external perspective.
If the book were completely rewritten in first person, it would limit the
readers ability to fully absorb the story and think about the messages
behind the story. Utilizing a third person limited perspective allowed George
Orwell to write in a way where he could describe both the actions and
thoughts of Winston, as well as the action of others. This compromise
between third person omniscient and first person allows the reader to get the
most information possible, while also maintaining a close connection with the
main character and their story.

Main Character (Question 3)

By this point in the novel, Winston Smith, the protagonist, has already
revealed several internal and external characteristics about himself. Orwell

Written by: Melvin Wang

depicts Winston as an apathetic ordinary man who has a deep internal dislike
for the Party. While he doesnt show his opposition of the Party visibly for fear
of being arrested, the reader understands his hatred for the Party through
the portrayal of his thoughts. These thoughts of Winstons also show how
thoughtful he actually is and how he is one of the only people who sees past
the false veils of the Party. In terms of external characteristics, the only thing
that is clearly revealed was that Winston is a middle-aged man who drinks
and smokes (which makes sense because the novel was written in the 40s).
My personal impression of Winston is that he is a thoughtful and
intelligent person who realizes that life under the rule of the Party is
absolutely not fair. He is a person that realizes that change needs to happen
but so far he hasnt shown any indication if hes a person who will actually
take action. I think he has the right ideals and understands that the society
he is living in is immoral and corrupt, but I dont think he has the bravery or
determination to actually do anything about it. Moving forward in the book, I
think it would be interesting to see if Winston actually does try form some
sort of rebellion against the Party or if he decides that it is not worth the
personal risk.

10 Vocabulary Words (Question 5)

Proletariat:
The class of workers who earn a living through manual labour. Typically
the poorest class of society.
The proletariat consisted of poor workers who owned no property.

Proliferate:
To increase rapidly, often excessively.
Bacteria proliferate when exposed to favourable conditions.

Fulminate:
To explode or detonate with a loud noise or to verbally
denunciate/attack.
The activist fulminated against racial profiling.

Anodyne:
Something that relieves pain or distress.

Written by: Melvin Wang

The sound of classical music is an anodyne to my grief.

Saccharine
Containing or resembling sugar. Exaggeratingly sweet or sentimental.
There was a saccharine smile on her face.

Aureole:
A radiance surrounding the head or figure of a sacred person. A halo.
The aureole surrounding the saint radiated brilliantly.

Multifarious:
Having many different parts, elements, aspects, etc.
Their clandestine leader did not disclose the nature of his multifarious
activities.

Sinecure:
A position or office that requires little to no work, particularly one
yielding lucrative earnings.
Even though the job holds a prestigious title, its just a sinecure offered
to widely respected figures.

Nebulous:
Hazy, vague, indistinct, confused.
When I woke up, I had a nebulous recollection of what happened.

Deride:
To laugh at in contempt. To mock.
Other politicians deride Donald Trump and his policies.

Conflict (Question 8)
In this section of the book, the main conflict is Winston deciding
whether or not he and OBrien is part of the brotherhood. Through the years,
Winston has encountered OBrien only a couple of times but he has a gut
feeling that OBrien shared his hate for the Party. Although OBrien hasnt
even said a single word to Winston, in one of their encounters OBriens gaze
caught the attention of Winston. Winston seems to think that something in

Written by: Melvin Wang

OBriens eyes when he looked at him seemed to convince him that OBrien
shared his negative view of the Party.
While this is not the most climatic or exciting conflict, it certainly is still
an important one. Winston is in a dilemma where he believes that OBrien
supports the brotherhoods revolt, but if hes wrong then Winston is at risk of
being arrested or killed. This is just one of many examples where Winston is
internally conflicted and cannot decide which choice matters more to him. In
this case he cannot choose whether his fear of being caught is stronger than
his desire to be part of a larger rebellion.
I think these types of internal conflicts can be very common and
relatable to real life. For example, sometimes I would have to make a choice
between spending time with friends and spending time with family. On one
hand, I would prefer to go out and have fun with my friends, but on the other
hand, time spent with my family is important to me and it gets more and
scarcer as I get older. Both choices offer something that is important to me,
but there is no easy compromise to choose both. While this example may not
result in a life or death situation, it still stems from the same idea of an
internal conflict.
With regard to Winstons specific conflict, I believe that he should make
himself know to OBrien because I believe that the risk of being caught is less
important that the possibility of making a change. Even if Winston doesnt do
it to make a change in the dystopian world, he should do it for himself. His
whole life is miserable because of the Party and their totalitarian way of
ruling. If Winston makes approaches OBrien about joining the brotherhoods
rebellion, I think it puts him in the best spot to end his misery and potentially
find happiness.

A Sentence Reminiscent of Me (Question 13)

Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls
the present controls the past.

This excerpt is one of the many slogans that the Party uses as a
cornerstone of their power. It talks about how the Party is able to have a firm
grip on their rule because they have control over history and memory. The
Partys technique of changing the history recorded in books and newspapers
allows them to manipulate how the general population thinks and behaves. It

Written by: Melvin Wang

is very similar to how media controls how we perceive news and how
propaganda can change peoples opinions about important topics.
When I first read this line, my first thought was that the Party realizes
how important the past is and how every decision in the past affects the
future. This speaks to me because it reminds me about how the person I am
today is defined by every decision I made in the past. While the Party uses
this ideology in a more malicious way, the bottom-line is still the same. Both
the Party and I agree that the past, whether it be of a person or of a nation,
outlines who you are or who you are perceived to be. Both of us agree that
the past is very important and is a huge component in defining your future.

1984 vs. Movie (Question 14)

The overarching theme of 1984 is Winston vs. the Party. The Party is a
dictatorial oppressive force that works to control and maintain power over
the general population of Oceania and Winston wants nothing more than to
do something about it. These themes of tyrannical government and wanting
to do something about it remind me a lot about The Hunger Games Trilogy of
movies.
The Hunger Games movies have a very similar overarching plot. While
a big part of the Hunger Games movies was the actual games, the rest of the
movies explored the Capitols prejudiced treatment of the districts and how
Katniss tried to overthrow President Snow. Just like the Party, the Capitol is
feeding propaganda and changing historical records to maintain power over
the masses. Katniss can also be comparable to Winston in that they both
realize that something is wrong and that that needs to change. Unlike
Winstons Hunger Games counterpart, Winston has yet to make any move to
try to make a change. I think that the main difference between the two
dystopian universes is that the general population in the Hunger Games
realizes that they are being oppressed, but the general population in 1984
does not. Overall, the Hunger Games is a much more positive storyline about
hope and change, while 1984 focuses more on the devastating possibilities
of totalitarianism.

Satisfaction of Ending (Question 15)

The ending of 1984 is by no means considered your typical happy
ending; in fact, it is quite the opposite. By the end of the book, Winston
Smith has been tortured to the point where he has given up all hope and free
will. He gives up on his rebellion, he loses his love for Julia and he embraces

Written by: Melvin Wang

Big Brother and his oppressive governing. Winston is in essence dead
because he is completely stripped of all his own thoughts and ideology.
I personally was quite satisfied with the ending because it fits the dark
and dystopian theme of the book. The ending emphasised Orwells message
about the terrors of a totalitarian society and how we should be scared of it.
In fact, the main reason George Orwell wrote 1984 was to warn the western
nations to stay as far away from communism as possible. The ending of the
novel nicely wraps up the story of Winston in a way that left me satisfied,
while still leaving me enough open-endedness to think about George Orwells
warning. The endings ambiguity of whether or not Winston died is also very
thought provoking; it made me think about what it really meant to be alive
and at what point are you effectively dead.

Important? (Question 17)

I think one of the most important events in the book was when Winston
first started writing in his journal near the beginning of the story. This is
possible the most significant event in the book because this is where Winston
sets into motion all the other events in the book. This is where Winston
finally admits to himself that he is not okay with the Partys way of ruling and
that he wants it change. This is where he awakens and starts to show
resistance against the party. The mere action of starting to rebelliously write
in the diary represents the start of his defiance of the Partys ideals and it is
the flame that ignites his hatred. This is Winstons tipping point and
without it, none of the other events in the book would have taken place. It is
the single action of the past that defines Winstons future.

Antagonist Motivation (Question 18)

I think the main antagonist of the story is OBrien. He is one of the
members of the Inner Party and a high ranking senior in the Ministry of Truth,
but he tricks Winston into thinking that he secretly opposes the Party.
Winston takes the bait and confides in OBrien who later reveals he was part
of the thought police and turns him in. While Winstons main battle is against
the Party and Big Brother, OBrien serves as the single character that
actively opposes Winston on behalf of the Party.
During the interrogations of Winston, OBrien explicitly reveals that he
is aware of the Partys brutality and their cynicism, but he does not oppose it
like Winston does; Instead, OBrien actively embraces the Party and its
immoral ways. While it is never revealed in the book, I think the reason

Written by: Melvin Wang

OBrien so religiously follows the Party is because he himself benefits so
much from it. As a senior Upper Party Member, he directly benefits from all
the oppression of the proles and the muzzling of the Outer Party. Without the
Partys prejudiced ideals and invasive surveillance, OBrien would not be able
to have the luxurious life he has. This is why he goes as far as to pretend to
be a part of the brotherhood so he can thwart any possibility of an uprising
against the Party.

Written by: Melvin Wang

Movie Soundtrack
Fleur Blanche Orsten
This song was chosen for its unique sound that provokes a sense of
mystery. It would play during the first chapter while the character of Winston
and the world he lives in is introduced. Its the perfect music for this sort of
introduction because it intrigues the audience and gives the effect of pulling
you into to the plot. It evokes imagery of a dark shadowy world that exists
decades in the past. It bridges the gap between reality and the 1984 world
and sets up the story. When I hear this music, it makes me think of a gloomy
scene in an old black and white movie. This is very similar to the gloominess
and depression of Winston as the book opens. All in all, Fleur Blanche evokes
the perfect atmosphere in which to introduce the deeply dystopian paranoiafilled world that Winston Smith lives in.

Nix Dawn of Midi

I think that this song would be perfect for when Winston commits his
first serious act of defiance by writing about his feeling in the diary. This
music effectively emulates the type of adrenaline and intensity that Winston
was feeling while he exposed his deepest feelings in the diary. Its constant
percussive patterns remind me of the danger that Winston exposed himself
to the second he started to write in the diary and how much of a risk he was
actually taking. The never-ending continuity of the piece also relates to how
once Winston started to defy the Party, he could never truly be safe ever
again. In the end, this compositions ability to stimulate a sense of danger
and adrenaline is what led me to choosing it for the soundtrack.