In the beginning of the book, the main character, Winston Smith, tries to write in a diary but realizes that he does not know what to write. The narrator explains that Winston not merely to have lost the power of expressing himself, but even to “seemed have forgotten what it was that he had originally intended to say” (8). The dystopian setting of the novel explains why Winston cannot think for himself. A poster with a face gazed down from every commanding corner” (2) stating “blackmoustachio'd “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” (2). Inside Winston’s apartment is a that “telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously” (2-3), recording every sound that he makes. The setting shows the government’s overwhelming presence in the lives of each individual, making it nearly impossible for a citizen to think for him/herself. In addition to the ubiquitous posters of Big Brother watching, there is a language called Newspeak that oversimplifies words, and therefore thought. The government uses names for its departments that are the opposite of their functions. For example, the department of war is called the of Love” (4). Then there are the government’s “Ministry three slogans which also define ideas as their opposites, is Peace Freedom is “War Slavery Ignorance is Strength” (4). The impact this propaganda has on Winston is that he is almost completely ignorant. The narrator states, did not know with any certainty “he that this was 1984” because was never possible nowadays to pin down any date “it within a year or two” (7). _________________________________ Writing a Well-Structured
In the beginning of the book, the main character, Winston Smith, tries to write in a diary but realizes that he does not know what to write. The narrator explains that Winston “seemed not merely to have lost the power of expressing himself, but even to have forgotten what it was that he had originally intended to say” (8). The dystopian setting of the novel explains why Winston cannot think for himself. A poster with a “blackmoustachio'd face gazed down from every commanding corner” (2) stating “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” (2). Inside Winston’s apartment is a “telescreen that received and transmitted simultaneously” (2-3), recording every sound that he makes. The setting shows the government’s overwhelming presence in the lives of each individual, making it nearly impossible for a citizen to think for him/herself. In addition to the ubiquitous posters of Big Brother watching, there is a language called Newspeak that oversimplifies words, and therefore thought. The government uses names for its departments that are the opposite of their functions. For example, the department of war is called the “Ministry of Love” (4). Then there are the government’s three slogans which also define ideas as their opposites, “War is Peace Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is Strength” (4). The impact this propaganda has on Winston is that he is almost completely ignorant. The narrator states, “he did not know with any certainty that this was 1984” because “it was never possible nowadays to pin down any date within a year or two” (7). _________________________________ Writing a Well-Structured
writing-handouts.docx