64.

Part Three – Inside Winston Smith’s Head: Chapter Twelve – Room 101

“After being tortured, Winston does not understand why he fought against the Party.” True or false?

This statement is true: after being tortured, Winston realises that he ‘had been stupid to fight against the power of the Party’ because it is not possible to do so.

65.

Although Winston cannot tell whether it is day or night outside while he is in the cells in the Ministry of Love, what can he tell from inside them?

Even though he cannot tell whether it is day or night outside from inside the cells in the Ministry of Love, Winston is able to use the quality of the air to tell whether the different cells he is put into are ‘high up or low down’ in the buiding.

66.

What detail about the behaviour of rats is repeated from earlier in the book?

When explaining how he will use the rats to torture Winston, O’Brien repeats some details about rats which Julia tells Winston earlier in the novel – chiefly, that in some poor parts of London mothers cannot leave their babies outside for more than a couple of minutes for fear that the rats will attack and eat it.

67.

“Winston never betrays Julia.” True or false?

This statement is false: when faced with being tortured by rats – his greatest fear – he instinctively implores O’Brien to inflict the pain on Julia instead, before he realises that he has said anything.

68.

“After his release from the Ministry of Love, Winston just wants to see Julia again.” True or false?

This statement is false: when he is released, Winston is no longer interested in Julia – he knows that they could see each other again but neither of them wants to.

69.

How is Julia different to the girl Winston loved before they were arrested by the Thought Police?

When Winston sees Julia again by chance after they have been released from the Ministry of Love, he notices that she is ‘fatter’ than she was before.

70.

How is Winston’s fight against the Party described in the final paragraph?

In the final paragraph, Winston’s fight against the Party is described as a ‘fight against himself’ which he has won, thereby demonstrating that the Party’s interrogation of him has been so successful that Winston has taken their side against his original views and sees his former self as the enemy.

15.

Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter Three – The Ministry of Truth

Why does Winston have to rewrite part of the speech delivered by Big Brother on the 17th of March?

Winston has to rewrite part of the speech delivered by Big Brother on the 17th of March so that the records of the Times indicate ‘that Big Brother had known about the attack before it had happened’.

16.

What definition of an unperson is given?

An unperson in Newspeak, is described as someone who has been vaporized – that is, taken away and expunged from the records.

17.

What job does Ampleforth do?

Ampleforth rewrites previously written poems so that they endorsed the values and views of the Party.

18.

Is it fair to say that Syme is depicted as bloodthirsty?

Yes, Syme is described as deriving great enjoyment from watching others suffer: for example, he claims to prefer watching hangings where those being executed do not have their legs tied together, allowing them to kick and struggle.

19.

Why does Winston give Tom Parsons two dollars?

Winston gives Tom Parsons two dollars because he promised that he would contribute that amount to the purchase of the flags for Victory Mansions for Hate Week.

52.

Part Three – Inside Winston Smith’s Head: Chapter Ten – Two And Two Make Five

How can we tell that the interrogation techniques used by the Party are extremely effective.

We can tell that the interrogation techniques used by the Party are extremely effective from the detail that even the ‘first stage of questioning’ makes Winston admit to ‘every imaginable crime’, such as being an Eastasian spy.

53.

Why is O’Brien not satisfied with the first time Winston says that he is holding up ‘five’ fingers?

O’Brien is not satisfied with the first time Winston says that he is holding up ‘Five’ fingers because he thinks that he is lying and that he still thinks that the answer is ‘four’.

54.

When the dial on the torture machine is put up to ‘seventy-five’, with what detail does Orwell convey that it causes Winston worse pain than he has ever imagined possible? 

Orwell uses the detail that Winston no longer notices whether he is crying or not to show that ‘seventy-five’ is worse pain than Winston has ever imagined possible.

55.

What is surprising about the way Winston views O’Brien after torturing him?

It is extremely surprising that Winston views O’Brien as ‘a friend’ and that the fact that he has been torturing him ‘makes no difference’ to how he views him.

56.

What does O’Brien assert is the purpose of bringing Winston to the Ministry of Love?

O’Brien asserts that the reason that the party has brought Winston to the Ministry of Love is to make him ‘better’, rather than to punish him.

57.

“O’Brien tells Winston that Julia could not resist the Party’s tortures for very long.” True or false?

This statement is true: O’Brien tells Winston that Julia betrayed him ‘immediately, completely’ when she was tortured, commenting that he has never seen anyone gave in sp quickly.

58.

How does Orwell build mystery around ‘Room 101’?

Orwell creates mystery around ‘Room 101’ by not having O’Brien answer Winston’s question about what it is or what is in there: instead, he has O’Brien enigmatically reply that Winston knows what it contains, but the reader remains uncertain.

59.

Part Three – Inside Winston Smith’s Head: Chapter Eleven – The Last Man

What does O’Brien reveal about ‘Goldstein’s book’?

O’Brien reveals to Winston that ‘Goldstein’s book’ is not actually Goldstein’s book at all, informing Winston that, instead, it was written by him and a number of others.

60.

According to O’Brien, what kind of world is the Party trying to build?

O’Brien states that the Party is attempting to build ‘a world of fear and suffering and hate’, destroying everything else such as ‘love’ and ‘pleasure’.

61.

What does O’Brien mean when he tells Winston ‘you are the last man’?

When he tells Winston that he is ‘the last man’, O’Brien means that Winston is the only person left alive who thinks that the Party does not and cannot control ‘life’ or ‘the way people are’.

62.

What does O’Brien use Winston’s teeth to assert?

O’Brien uses that fact that, after his torture, Winston has many fewer teeth than before he was brought to the Ministry of Love to show Winston how he is falling apart and now barely human.

63.

Whom does O’Brien blame for Winston’s old and grizzled appearance?

O’Brien blames Winston for the fact that he now looks old and grizzled: he says that it was not him who inflicted it on Winston, but Winston himself by ceasing to obey the Party.

12.

Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter Two – The Spies

Why does Mrs Parsons ask Winston to repair her kitchen sink for her?

Mrs Parsons asks Winston to repair her kitchen sink for her because otherwise she would have to get the Party to agree to the repairs, which would take much longer.

13.

What details are given about the character of Tom Parsons?

Tom Parsons, a co-worker of Winston’s at the Ministry of Truth, is described as fat but active and stupid but enthusiastic. He is also described as ‘a follower with no mind of his own’ and as having been keen a member of the Young People’s League and the Spies.

14.

What is an unexpected form of children’s entertainment in the world in which ‘1984’ is set?

Surprisingly watching the execution by hanging of Eurasian prisoners is a popular form of entertainment for children in the world in which ‘1984’ is set, 

Number

Chapter

Question

Answer

1.

Part One – Thoughtcrime: Chapter One – Big Brother Is Watching You

With what unusual detail does Orwell capture the reader’s attention in the opening sentence?

Orwell’s inclusion of the unusual detail that ‘the clocks were striking thirteen’ captures the reader’s attention by emphasising how different the world in which ‘1984’ is set is to our own.

2.

Why does Winston take the stairs rather than the lift?

Winston takes the stairs because ‘the electricity was switched off during the day to save money for Hate Week’.

3.

What is different about the televisions in our world to those the world in which ‘1984’ is set?

The televisions in the world in which ‘1984’ is set cannot be switched off completely, unlike those in our world.

4.

What effect does the presence of the Thought Police have on the behaviour of the citizens of Oceania?

The fact that the Thought Police can listen to or watch the citizens of Oceania at any time without them noticing ensures that they behave ‘correctly’ all of the time.

5.

“The Ministry of Truth is described as a small building.” True or false?

This statement is false: the Ministry of Truth ‘was an enormous white building, three hundred metres high’ and you could see it towering above the buildings surrounding it from up to a kilometre away.

6.

What is unexpected about the Ministry of Love, given its name?

The fact that Ministry of Love ‘was responsible for Law and Order’ and surrounded by armed guards is surprising given its name.

7. 

How does Orwell imply that the smile Winston gives to the telescreen in his bedroom was not genuine?

Orwell implies that the smile Winston gives to the telescreen in his bedroom was not genuine by following his description of it with the comment that ‘it was a good idea to look happy when you were facing the telescreen’.

8.

Which details of Goldstein’s life are depicted as uncertain?

The uncertainty surrounding the life of Goldstein focuses on three details: how long ago he was an important member of the Party, how he escaped with his life and from where he commits his crimes against the Party.

9.

What reasons are given for Winston’ dislike of young women?

Winston’s dislike of young women is ascribed to his view of them as ‘always most loyal to the Party’ and ‘happiest to spy on others’.

10.

Why is Winston interested in O’Brien?

Winston is interested in O’Brien because he thinks that his intelligent appearance suggests that he might question the beliefs of the Party.

11.

What definition of thoughtcrime in given?

Thoughtcrime, in Newspeak, is described as having an idea or opinion which the Party viewed as criminal.