1984
READING NOTES – SET THREE
PAGES 157 – 224
SETTING
- O’Brien’s House – everything was intimidating, exquisitely clean.
- The Brotherhood - organization working against the party, leader is Emmanuel Goldstein, impossible of knowing everyone in the organization – “The Brotherhood cannot be wiped out because it is not an organization in the ordinary sense. Nothing holds it together except an idea which is indestructible.” (Orwell, 176)
- The world state – somewhere completely fixed with one way of approved thinking, acting, etc.
The Brotherhood becomes uncovered in this section of the novel. It becomes something real and helps to reveal more about the plot. It is confirmed that there is a Brotherhood, and that even members of the Inner Party are a part of it (such as O’Brien). It is an underground setting, its entirety undetected by the loyal party members, and this ‘indestructible idea’ can only set up more trouble for the next section of the novel, especially since now Winston and Julia have been caught. The setting that is to come in the next section will most likely completely undermine the power that the Brotherhood seems to now have.
PLOT AND STORY STRUCTURE
- Winston meets O’Brien – they talk inconspicuously, and Winston plans to go to where O’Brien lives, using his fake interest in Newspeak as a cover-up. “By sharing a small act of thoughtcrime he had turned the two of them into accomplices.” (Orwell, 158) – “The conspiracy that he had dreamed of did exist, and he had reached the outer edges of it” (Orwell, page 159) – “… it was like a foretaste of death, like being a little less alive” (Orwell, 159)
- When Winston’s father disappeared, his mother became spiritless and acted as though she were waiting for something that she knew must happen. Winston was a greedy child when it came to food, and he even stole chocolate from his dying sister – he then ran away and never saw them again. Winston does not know whether his mother is dead or not.
- Winston and Julia go to O’Brien’s – has the privilege of turning off the telescreen. O’Brien is a part of the conspiracy/secret organization which works against the party. – Emmanuel Goldstein is alive. Winston and Julia are prepared to do anything it takes except for separate. There is a possibility of them having to change identities (becoming totally different people). They will receive orders and will have to comply. They will be caught, and they will die.
- “Oceania was at war with Eastasia: Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia.” (Orwell, 182) – all documentation changed.
- Winston was given the book.
