Chapters 2-6
"But actually, he thought as he readjusted the Ministry of Plenty's figures, it was not even forgery. It was merely the substitution of one piece of nonsense for another." -pg.37
In Winston Smith's job, he has to alter reports, newspapers or any written record that contradicted what Big Brother had said would happen. For example, Big Brother had said that the ration of chocolate would stay the same throughout the whole year and had paper work to prove it. However, they ended up reducing the actual amount so Winston altered what the newspaper said and replaced it for the old one. After he did that, he threw the old copy away. Although this act would be considered forgery today, it wasn't back then because it was nonsense in the first place. I personally agree because it is nonsense because no record of anything is created and even if they are created, they could be altered with ease. For example, when they were once allies with a country and at war with another. They ended up going to war with their once-allies and their allies were their once-enemies. However, there was no record of it as they had altered it.
"Very likely as many as a dozen people were now working away on rival versions of what Big Brother had actually said. And presently some master brain in the inner party would select this version or that, would re-edit it... ,and then the chosen lie would pass into the records and become truth." -pg.41
To me what stood out was that this actually was a thing. The job is to see who has the best imagination and make a story to make Big Brother and his party to be set in a positive light. It kind of reminds me of Animal Farm and how it is used to described communism. They are all under the rule of a small group of people and the figure "Big Brother." They make up lies to be viewed by everyone as good and that they are being taken care of. Winston ends up writing about "Comrade Ogilvy" who is a brave soldier that dies honorably in a battle. He is also said to follow every single rule of the party, for example, he didn't smoke, and taking a vow of celibacy. Basically, outlining the "perfect" citizen in this society and by this example, it is telling the citizens indirectly that they should also be like him.
"Some Eurasian prisoners, guilty of war crimes, were to be hanged in the Park that evening, Winston remembered. This happened about once a month, and was a popular spectacle. Children always clamored to be taken to see it." -pg.23
This really shocked me mainly for two reasons. The first one being that they made these hangings were made public and especially that children could be part of the audience. Not only that, but the children were always enthusiastic to see these events. Something else that caught my eye was that the hangings reminded me of the witch trials that happened before in history. Although the idea is different, the fact that these hangings were made public reminded me of this part in history.
In Winston Smith's job, he has to alter reports, newspapers or any written record that contradicted what Big Brother had said would happen. For example, Big Brother had said that the ration of chocolate would stay the same throughout the whole year and had paper work to prove it. However, they ended up reducing the actual amount so Winston altered what the newspaper said and replaced it for the old one. After he did that, he threw the old copy away. Although this act would be considered forgery today, it wasn't back then because it was nonsense in the first place. I personally agree because it is nonsense because no record of anything is created and even if they are created, they could be altered with ease. For example, when they were once allies with a country and at war with another. They ended up going to war with their once-allies and their allies were their once-enemies. However, there was no record of it as they had altered it.
"Very likely as many as a dozen people were now working away on rival versions of what Big Brother had actually said. And presently some master brain in the inner party would select this version or that, would re-edit it... ,and then the chosen lie would pass into the records and become truth." -pg.41
To me what stood out was that this actually was a thing. The job is to see who has the best imagination and make a story to make Big Brother and his party to be set in a positive light. It kind of reminds me of Animal Farm and how it is used to described communism. They are all under the rule of a small group of people and the figure "Big Brother." They make up lies to be viewed by everyone as good and that they are being taken care of. Winston ends up writing about "Comrade Ogilvy" who is a brave soldier that dies honorably in a battle. He is also said to follow every single rule of the party, for example, he didn't smoke, and taking a vow of celibacy. Basically, outlining the "perfect" citizen in this society and by this example, it is telling the citizens indirectly that they should also be like him.
"Some Eurasian prisoners, guilty of war crimes, were to be hanged in the Park that evening, Winston remembered. This happened about once a month, and was a popular spectacle. Children always clamored to be taken to see it." -pg.23
This really shocked me mainly for two reasons. The first one being that they made these hangings were made public and especially that children could be part of the audience. Not only that, but the children were always enthusiastic to see these events. Something else that caught my eye was that the hangings reminded me of the witch trials that happened before in history. Although the idea is different, the fact that these hangings were made public reminded me of this part in history.
Good job Luis! I like how you were able to connect the hangings to other events similar in world history. As well as that, you mentioned the children who were enthusiastic about these events. Do you think children would have been excited about such events back in the times of the Salem Witch Trials? Good (not in the sense of nice) topic to think about.
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