1984 Written task

International Baccalaureate World Literature

David Mulder

1984 Written task

Rationally

This written task describes the various revisions of the article from which Winston Smith saw the photograph of Jason, Aaronson and Rutherford and which were regarded by him as the absolute piece of falsification, as the people in the photograph were claimed to have been outside Oceania during the date of the photograph. The following rationally describes the most important changes in every article, although not all changes are named.

The first article is the original article and was written just 5 years after the Party gained power, the article is fairly straightforward and everything is named mostly like we are used to. All names and any available details were taken from the book.

The second article - the first revision - is making various subtle changes, while still not changing the actual 'truth', as people will still remember the events and the Party's power is not yet great enough to force everybody to DOUBLETHINK. The date of the party has also been pushed back to 10 years ago, as this suggests to the people that the Party has a strong base. Interesting to note are various changes like "socialistic party" to "the Party", as all other parties have been eradicated, the ministries have been changed to their 1984 counterparts and "the victory" to "our victory" suggesting the start of a creation of a social conscience.

Thirdly an entirely new concept was added, namely Big Brother, he is the one who invited everybody to the party and the one who announced all the changes. To the end of the article an increase in the victory gin ration is also announced, this to associate Big Brother with good news. I assumed that Big Brother is a fictional entity existing purely in the historical records, rather than being a real living person. Various other changes are made like the "house of parliament" is left out, as it refers to the old system.

The fourth revision ...

This is a preview of the whole essay

The fourth revision is the first revision where Aaronson, Rutherford and Jason are UNPERSONED, in their place a slightly longer speech is given and a new comrade named Lee Person is invented. Interesting to note here is that I attempted to remove two people from the photograph on the right side.

The last - most recent - revision was made to correct the text into NEWSPEAK, most of the words in this revision were taken directly from the book, however some were invented as the book only mentions a limited amount of NEWSPEAK.

The written task

THE TIMES, 1955

F.J. StJohn, LONDON - Yesterday the socialistic party has gathered at the Houses of Parliament to celebrate the victory in the United Kingdom from 5 years ago. Central to the party was the announcement that Aaronson and Rutherford will both become the newest ministers of the United Kingdom and the United States. Aaronson will be concerned with the execution of party ideals and Rutherford will become the army minister - originally called the minister of defence -. They will fulfill their new functions from today on from the party center in New York. jones Aaronson, Richard Rutherford together with the minister of finance Dave Jones were responsible for the mass protests against the old party's two years ago, which eventually caused the rise of the socialistic party in the Americas.

F.J. StJohn, LONDON - Yesterday the Party has gathered at the Houses of Parliament to celebrate our victory from 10 years ago in Airstrip One. Central to the party was the announcement that Aaronson and Rutherford will both become the newest ministers of the Airstrip One and the Americas. Aaronson will be concerned with the execution of Party ideals and Rutherford will become the minister of Peace. They will fulfill their new functions from today on from the party center in New York. jones Aaronson, Richard Rutherford together with the minister of Plenty Dave Jason were responsible for the mass protests against the old party's eight years ago, which eventually caused the rise of the Party in the Americas.

LONDON - Yesterday Big Brother invited the main inner Party members to celebrate our victory from 15 years ago in Airstrip One. Central to the party was Big Brother's speech were he announced that comrade Aaronson and comrade Rutherford will both become the newest ministers of Oceania. Comrade Aaronson will be concerned with the execution of Party ideals and comrade Rutherford will become the minister of Peace. They will fulfill their new functions from today on from the respective ministries in New York. Comrades jones Aaronson, Richard Rutherford together with the minister of Plenty Dave Jason were responsible for the mass protests against the aristocrats ten years ago, which under the magnificent rule of Big Brother caused the rise of the Party in the Americas. As Big Brother always wants to share all good times with us he also announced that the ration for victory gin has be increased to an astonishing three bottles per month!

LONDON - Yesterday Big Brother invited the main inner Party members to celebrate our victory from 15 years ago in Airstrip One. Central to the party was Big Brother's speech where he announced that Oceania has successfully grown over the last 15 years and has united Airstrip One, the America's and South Africa. Both the ministry of Peace and Plenty have seen many successful campaigns in the past years and the ministry of Truth rectified many false history. Big Brother also remembered the brave actions of comrade Lee Smith who started the mass protests against the corrupt aristocrats ten years ago, which under the magnificent rule of Big Brother have all been eradicated from our current times. As Big Brother always wants to share all good times with us he also announced that the ration for victory gin has be increased to an astonishing three bottles per month!

LONDON - Yesterday Big Brother invited the main inner Party members to celebrate INGSOC's victory from 20 years ago in Airstrip One. Central to the party was Big Brother's speech where he announced that Oceania has successfully grown over the last 20 years and has united Airstrip One, the America's and South Africa under His PLUS-GOOD rule. Both the MINIPAX and MINIPLENTY have seen many successful campaigns in the past years and the MINITRUE rectified many MISPRINTS. Big Brother also GOODTHINKED the HEROWISE actions of comrade Lee Smith who started the mass protests against the PLUS-GREED aristocrats sixteen years ago, which under the magnificent rule of Big Brother have all been RECTIFIED from our current times. As Big Brother always wants to share all GOODACTS with us, so he increased the ration for victory gin to three bottles per month!

Sources: