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Dystopia 1984

SparkNotes: 1984: Analysis of Major haracters sparknotes!co" #eor$e %rwell: Nineteen &i$hty'(o)r '' *art + orwell!r) Dystopias: Definition and haracteristics ' Definition haracteristics!pdf readwritethink!or$

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SparkNotes: 1984: Analysis of Major Characters

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Winston Smith

%rwell,s pri"ary $oal in 1984 is to de"onstrate the terrifyin$ possi-ilities of totalitarianis"! .he reader e/periences the ni$ht"arish world that %rwell envisions thro)$h the eyes of the prota$onist0 1inston! 2is personal tendency to resist the stiflin$ of his individ)ality0 and his intellect)al a-ility to reason a-o)t his resistance0 ena-les the reader to o-serve and )nderstand the harsh oppression that the *arty0 3i$ 3rother0 and the .ho)$ht *olice instit)te! 1hereas 4)lia is )ntro)-led and so"ewhat selfish0 interested in re-ellin$ only for the pleas)res to -e $ained0 1inston is e/tre"ely pensive and c)rio)s0 desperate to )nderstand how and why the *arty e/ercises s)ch a-sol)te power in %ceania! 1inston,s lon$ reflections $ive %rwell a chance to e/plore the novel,s i"portant the"es0 incl)din$ lan$)a$e as "ind control0 psycholo$ical and physical inti"idation and "anip)lation0 and the i"portance of knowled$e of the past! Apart fro" his tho)$htf)l nat)re0 1inston,s "ain attri-)tes are his re-ellio)sness and his fatalis"! 1inston hates the *arty passionately and wants to test the li"its of its power5 he co""its inn)"era-le cri"es thro)$ho)t the novel0 ran$in$ fro" writin$ 6D%1N 1+.2 3+# 37%.2&78 in his diary0 to havin$ an ille$al love affair with 4)lia0 to $ettin$ hi"self secretly indoctrinated into the anti'*arty 3rotherhood! .he effort 1inston p)ts into his atte"pt to achieve freedo" and independence )lti"ately )nderscores the *arty,s devastatin$ power! 3y the end of the novel0 1inston,s re-ellion is revealed as playin$ into %,3rien,s ca"pai$n of physical and psycholo$ical tort)re0 transfor"in$ 1inston into a loyal s)-ject of 3i$ 3rother! %ne reason for 1inston,s re-ellion0 and event)al downfall0 is his sense of fatalis"9his intense :tho)$h entirely j)stified; paranoia a-o)t the *arty and his overridin$ -elief that the *arty will event)ally catch and p)nish hi"! As soon as he writes 6D%1N 1+.2 3+# 37%.2&78 in his diary0 1inston is positive that the .ho)$ht *olice will <)ickly capt)re hi" for co""ittin$ a tho)$htcri"e! .hinkin$ that he is helpless to evade his doo"0 1inston allows hi"self to take )nnecessary risks0 s)ch as tr)stin$ %,3rien and rentin$ the roo" a-ove Mr! harrin$ton,s shop! Deep down0 he knows that these risks will increase his chances of -ein$ ca)$ht -y the *arty5 he even ad"its this to %,3rien while in prison! 3)t -eca)se he -elieves that he will -e ca)$ht no "atter what he does0 he convinces hi"self that he ")st contin)e to re-el! 1inston lives in a world in which le$iti"ate opti"is" is an i"possi-ility5 lackin$ any real hope0 he $ives hi"self false hope0 f)lly aware that he is doin$ so!
J lia

4)lia is 1inston,s lover and the only other person who 1inston can -e s)re hates the *arty and wishes to re-el a$ainst it as he does! 1hereas 1inston is restless0 fatalistic0 and concerned a-o)t lar$e'scale social iss)es0 4)lia is sens)al0 pra$"atic0 and $enerally content to live in the "o"ent and "ake the -est of her life! 1inston lon$s to join the 3rotherhood and read &""an)el #oldstein,s a-stract "anifesto5 4)lia is "ore concerned with enjoyin$ se/ and "akin$ practical plans to avoid $ettin$ ca)$ht -y the *arty! 1inston essentially sees their affair as te"porary5 his fatalistic attit)de "akes hi" )na-le to i"a$ine his relationship with 4)lia lastin$ very lon$! 4)lia0 on

the other hand0 is well adapted to her chosen for"s of s"all'scale re-ellion! She clai"s to have had affairs with vario)s *arty "e"-ers0 and has no intention of ter"inatin$ her pleas)re seekin$0 or of -ein$ ca)$ht :her involve"ent with 1inston is what leads to her capt)re;! 4)lia is a strikin$ contrast to 1inston: apart fro" their ")t)al se/)al desire and hatred of the *arty0 "ost of their traits are dissi"ilar0 if not contradictory!
!"#rien

%ne of the "ost fascinatin$ aspects of 1984 is the "anner in which %rwell shro)ds an e/plicit portrayal of a totalitarian world in an eni$"atic a)ra! 1hile %rwell $ives the reader a close look into the personal life of 1inston S"ith0 the reader,s only $li"pses of *arty life are those that 1inston hi"self catches! As a res)lt0 "any of the *arty,s inner workin$s re"ain )ne/plained0 as do its ori$ins0 and the identities and "otivations of its leaders! .his sense of "ystery is centrali=ed in the character of %,3rien0 a powerf)l "e"-er of the +nner *arty who tricks 1inston into -elievin$ that he is a "e"-er of the revol)tionary $ro)p called the 3rotherhood! %,3rien ind)cts 1inston into the 3rotherhood! >ater0 tho)$h0 he appears at 1inston,s jail cell to a-)se and -rainwash hi" in the na"e of the *arty! D)rin$ the process of this p)nish"ent0 and perhaps as an act of psycholo$ical tort)re0 %,3rien ad"its that he pretended to -e connected to the 3rotherhood "erely to trap 1inston in an act of open disloyalty to the *arty! .his revelation raises "ore <)estions a-o)t %,3rien than it answers! 7ather than developin$ as a character thro)$ho)t the novel0 %,3rien act)ally see"s to )n'develop: -y the end of the -ook0 the reader knows far less a-o)t hi" than they previo)sly had tho)$ht! 1hen 1inston asks %,3rien if he too has -een capt)red -y the *arty0 %,3rien replies0 6.hey $ot "e lon$ a$o!8 .his reply co)ld si$nify that %,3rien hi"self was once re-ellio)s0 only to -e tort)red into passive acceptance of the *arty! %ne can also ar$)e that %,3rien pretends to sy"pathi=e with 1inston "erely to $ain his tr)st! Si"ilarly0 one cannot -e s)re whether the 3rotherhood act)ally e/ists0 or if it is si"ply a *arty invention )sed to trap the disloyal and $ive the rest of the pop)lace a co""on ene"y! .he novel does not answer these <)estions0 -)t rather leaves %,3rien as a shadowy0 sy"-olic eni$"a on the frin$es of the even "ore o-sc)re +nner *arty! sparknotes!co"

$eor%e !r&ell: Nineteen 'i%hty()o r (( *art +

orwell!r) +t was a -ri$ht cold day in April0 and the clocks were strikin$ thirteen! 1inston S"ith0 his chin n)==led into his -reast in an effort to escape the vile wind0 slipped <)ickly thro)$h the $lass doors of ?ictory Mansions0 tho)$h not <)ickly eno)$h to prevent a swirl of $ritty d)st fro" enterin$ alon$ with hi"! .he hallway s"elt of -oiled ca--a$e and old ra$ "ats! At one end of it a colo)red poster0 too lar$e for indoor display0 had -een tacked to the wall! +t depicted si"ply an enor"o)s face0 "ore than a "etre wide: the face of a "an of a-o)t forty'five0 with a heavy -lack "o)stache and r)$$edly handso"e feat)res! 1inston "ade for the stairs! +t was no )se tryin$ the lift! &ven at the -est of ti"es it was seldo" workin$0 and at present the electric c)rrent was c)t off d)rin$ dayli$ht ho)rs! +t was part of the econo"y drive in preparation for 2ate 1eek! .he flat was seven fli$hts )p0 and 1inston0 who was thirty'nine and had a varicose )lcer a-ove his ri$ht ankle0 went slowly0 restin$ several ti"es on the way! %n each landin$0 opposite the lift'shaft0 the poster with the enor"o)s face $a=ed fro" the wall! +t was one of those pict)res which are so contrived that the eyes follow yo) a-o)t when yo) "ove! 3+# 37%.2&7 +S 1A. 2+N# @%A0 the caption -eneath it ran! +nside the flat a fr)ity voice was readin$ o)t a list of fi$)res which had so"ethin$ to do with the prod)ction of pi$'iron! .he voice ca"e fro" an o-lon$ "etal pla<)e like a d)lled "irror which for"ed part of the s)rface of the ri$ht'hand wall! 1inston t)rned a switch and the voice sank so"ewhat0 tho)$h the words were still distin$)isha-le! .he instr)"ent :the telescreen0 it was called; co)ld -e di""ed0 -)t there was no way of sh)ttin$ it off co"pletely! 2e "oved over to the window: a s"allish0 frail fi$)re0 the "ea$reness of his -ody "erely e"phasi=ed -y the -l)e overalls which were the )nifor" of the party! 2is hair was very fair0 his face nat)rally san$)ine0 his skin ro)$hened -y coarse soap and -l)nt ra=or -lades and the cold of the winter that had j)st ended! %)tside0 even thro)$h the sh)t window'pane0 the world looked cold! Down in the street little eddies of wind were whirlin$ d)st and torn paper into spirals0 and tho)$h the s)n was shinin$ and the sky a harsh -l)e0 there see"ed to -e no colo)r in anythin$0 e/cept the posters that were plastered everywhere! .he -lack"o)stachioBd face $a=ed down fro" every co""andin$ corner! .here was one on the ho)se'front i""ediately opposite! 3+# 37%.2&7 +S 1A. 2+N# @%A0 the caption said0 while the dark eyes looked deep into 1instonBs own! Down at street level another poster0 torn at one corner0 flapped fitf)lly in the wind0 alternately coverin$ and )ncoverin$ the sin$le word +N#S% ! +n the far distance a helicopter ski""ed down -etween the roofs0 hovered for an instant like a -l)e-ottle0 and darted away a$ain with a c)rvin$ fli$ht! +t was the police patrol0 snoopin$ into peopleBs windows! .he patrols did not "atter0 however! %nly the .ho)$ht *olice "attered! 3ehind 1instonBs -ack the voice fro" the telescreen was still -a--lin$ away a-o)t pi$'iron and the overf)lfil"ent of the Ninth .hree'@ear *lan! .he telescreen received and trans"itted si")ltaneo)sly! Any so)nd that 1inston "ade0 a-ove the level of a very low whisper0 wo)ld -e picked )p -y it0 "oreover0 so lon$ as he re"ained within the field of vision which the "etal pla<)e co""anded0 he co)ld -e seen as well as heard! .here was of co)rse no way of knowin$ whether yo) were -ein$ watched at any $iven "o"ent! 2ow often0 or on what syste"0 the .ho)$ht *olice pl)$$ed in on any individ)al wire was $)esswork! +t was even conceiva-le that they watched every-ody all the ti"e! 3)t at any rate they co)ld pl)$ in yo)r wire whenever they wanted to! @o) had to live 9 did live0 fro" ha-it that -eca"e instinct 9 in the ass)"ption that every so)nd yo) "ade was overheard0 and0 e/cept in darkness0 every "ove"ent scr)tini=ed! 1inston kept his -ack t)rned to the telescreen! +t was safer0 tho)$h0 as he well knew0 even a -ack can -e revealin$! A kilo"etre away the Ministry of .r)th0 his place of work0 towered vast and white a-ove the $ri"y landscape! .his0 he tho)$ht with a sort of va$)e distaste 9 this was >ondon0

chief city of Airstrip %ne0 itself the third "ost pop)lo)s of the provinces of %ceania! 2e tried to s<)ee=e o)t so"e childhood "e"ory that sho)ld tell hi" whether >ondon had always -een <)ite like this! 1ere there always these vistas of rottin$ nineteenth'cent)ry ho)ses0 their sides shored )p with -a)lks of ti"-er0 their windows patched with card-oard and their roofs with corr)$ated iron0 their cra=y $arden walls sa$$in$ in all directionsC And the -o"-ed sites where the plaster d)st swirled in the air and the willow'her- stra$$led over the heaps of r)--le5 and the places where the -o"-s had cleared a lar$er patch and there had spr)n$ )p sordid colonies of wooden dwellin$s like chicken'ho)sesC 3)t it was no )se0 he co)ld not re"e"-er: nothin$ re"ained of his childhood e/cept a series of -ri$ht'lit ta-lea)/ occ)rrin$ a$ainst no -ack$ro)nd and "ostly )nintelli$i-le! .he Ministry of .r)th 9 Minitr)e0 in Newspeak:1; 9 was startlin$ly different fro" any other o-ject in si$ht! +t was an enor"o)s pyra"idal str)ct)re of $litterin$ white concrete0 soarin$ )p0 terrace after terrace0 DEE "etres into the air! (ro" where 1inston stood it was j)st possi-le to read0 picked o)t on its white face in ele$ant letterin$0 the three slo$ans of the *arty: .he Ministry of .r)th contained0 it was said0 three tho)sand roo"s a-ove $ro)nd level0 and correspondin$ ra"ifications -elow! Scattered a-o)t >ondon there were j)st three other -)ildin$s of si"ilar appearance and si=e! So co"pletely did they dwarf the s)rro)ndin$ architect)re that fro" the roof of ?ictory Mansions yo) co)ld see all fo)r of the" si")ltaneo)sly! .hey were the ho"es of the fo)r Ministries -etween which the entire apparat)s of $overn"ent was divided! .he Ministry of .r)th0 which concerned itself with news0 entertain"ent0 ed)cation0 and the fine arts! .he Ministry of *eace0 which concerned itself with war! .he Ministry of >ove0 which "aintained law and order! And the Ministry of *lenty0 which was responsi-le for econo"ic affairs! .heir na"es0 in Newspeak: Minitr)e0 Minipa/0 Minil)v0 and Miniplenty! .he Ministry of >ove was the really fri$htenin$ one! .here were no windows in it at all! 1inston had never -een inside the Ministry of >ove0 nor within half a kilo"etre of it! +t was a place i"possi-le to enter e/cept on official -)siness0 and then only -y penetratin$ thro)$h a "a=e of -ar-ed'wire entan$le"ents0 steel doors0 and hidden "achine'$)n nests! &ven the streets leadin$ )p to its o)ter -arriers were roa"ed -y $orilla'faced $)ards in -lack )nifor"s0 ar"ed with jointed tr)ncheons! 1inston t)rned ro)nd a-r)ptly! 2e had set his feat)res into the e/pression of <)iet opti"is" which it was advisa-le to wear when facin$ the telescreen! 2e crossed the roo" into the tiny kitchen! 3y leavin$ the Ministry at this ti"e of day he had sacrificed his l)nch in the canteen0 and he was aware that there was no food in the kitchen e/cept a h)nk of dark'colo)red -read which had $ot to -e saved for to"orrowBs -reakfast! 2e took down fro" the shelf a -ottle of colo)rless li<)id with a plain white la-el "arked ?+ .%7@ #+N! +t $ave off a sickly0 oily s"ell0 as of hinese rice' spirit! 1inston po)red o)t nearly a teac)pf)l0 nerved hi"self for a shock0 and $)lped it down like a dose of "edicine! +nstantly his face t)rned scarlet and the water ran o)t of his eyes! .he st)ff was like nitric acid0 and "oreover0 in swallowin$ it one had the sensation of -ein$ hit on the -ack of the head with a r)--er cl)-! .he ne/t "o"ent0 however0 the -)rnin$ in his -elly died down and the world -e$an to look "ore cheerf)l! 2e took a ci$arette fro" a cr)"pled packet "arked ?+ .%7@ +#A7&..&S and inca)tio)sly held it )pri$ht0 where)pon the to-acco fell o)t on to the floor! 1ith the ne/t he was "ore s)ccessf)l! 2e went -ack to the livin$'roo" and sat down at a s"all ta-le that stood to the left of the telescreen! (ro" the ta-le drawer he took o)t a penholder0 a -ottle of ink0 and a thick0 <)arto'si=ed -lank -ook with a red -ack and a "ar-led cover! (or so"e reason the telescreen in the livin$'roo" was in an )n)s)al position! +nstead of -ein$ placed0 as was nor"al0 in the end wall0 where it co)ld co""and the whole roo"0 it was in the lon$er wall0 opposite the window! .o one side of it there was a shallow alcove in which 1inston was now sittin$0 and which0 when the flats were -)ilt0 had pro-a-ly -een intended to hold -ookshelves! 3y sittin$ in the alcove0 and keepin$ well -ack0 1inston was a-le to re"ain o)tside the ran$e of the telescreen0 so far as si$ht went! 2e co)ld -e heard0 of co)rse0 -)t so lon$ as he stayed in his present position he co)ld not -e seen! +t was partly the )n)s)al $eo$raphy of the roo" that had s)$$ested to hi" the thin$ that he was now a-o)t to do!

3)t it had also -een s)$$ested -y the -ook that he had j)st taken o)t of the drawer! +t was a pec)liarly -ea)tif)l -ook! +ts s"ooth crea"y paper0 a little yellowed -y a$e0 was of a kind that had not -een "an)fact)red for at least forty years past! 2e co)ld $)ess0 however0 that the -ook was ")ch older than that! 2e had seen it lyin$ in the window of a frowsy little j)nk'shop in a sl)""y <)arter of the town :j)st what <)arter he did not now re"e"-er; and had -een stricken i""ediately -y an overwhel"in$ desire to possess it! *arty "e"-ers were s)pposed not to $o into ordinary shops :Fdealin$ on the free "arket,0 it was called;0 -)t the r)le was not strictly kept0 -eca)se there were vario)s thin$s0 s)ch as shoelaces and ra=or -lades0 which it was i"possi-le to $et hold of in any other way! 2e had $iven a <)ick $lance )p and down the street and then had slipped inside and -o)$ht the -ook for two dollars fifty! At the ti"e he was not conscio)s of wantin$ it for any partic)lar p)rpose! 2e had carried it $)iltily ho"e in his -riefcase! &ven with nothin$ written in it0 it was a co"pro"isin$ possession! .he thin$ that he was a-o)t to do was to open a diary! .his was not ille$al :nothin$ was ille$al0 since there were no lon$er any laws;0 -)t if detected it was reasona-ly certain that it wo)ld -e p)nished -y death0 or at least -y twenty'five years in a forced'la-o)r ca"p! 1inston fitted a niinto the penholder and s)cked it to $et the $rease off! .he pen was an archaic instr)"ent0 seldo" )sed even for si$nat)res0 and he had proc)red one0 f)rtively and with so"e diffic)lty0 si"ply -eca)se of a feelin$ that the -ea)tif)l crea"y paper deserved to -e written on with a real ni- instead of -ein$ scratched with an ink'pencil! Act)ally he was not )sed to writin$ -y hand! Apart fro" very short notes0 it was )s)al to dictate everythin$ into the speak'write which was of co)rse i"possi-le for his present p)rpose! 2e dipped the pen into the ink and then faltered for j)st a second! A tre"or had $one thro)$h his -owels! .o "ark the paper was the decisive act! +n s"all cl)"sy letters he wrote: 2e sat -ack! A sense of co"plete helplessness had descended )pon hi"! .o -e$in with0 he did not know with any certainty that this was 1984! +t ")st -e ro)nd a-o)t that date0 since he was fairly s)re that his a$e was thirty'nine0 and he -elieved that he had -een -orn in 1944 or 194G5 -)t it was never possi-le nowadays to pin down any date within a year or two! (or who"0 it s)ddenly occ)rred to hi" to wonder0 was he writin$ this diaryC (or the f)t)re0 for the )n-orn! 2is "ind hovered for a "o"ent ro)nd the do)-tf)l date on the pa$e0 and then fetched )p with a -)"p a$ainst the Newspeak word doublethink! (or the first ti"e the "a$nit)de of what he had )ndertaken ca"e ho"e to hi"! 2ow co)ld yo) co"")nicate with the f)t)reC +t was of its nat)re i"possi-le! &ither the f)t)re wo)ld rese"-le the present0 in which case it wo)ld not listen to hi": or it wo)ld -e different fro" it0 and his predica"ent wo)ld -e "eanin$less! (or so"e ti"e he sat $a=in$ st)pidly at the paper! .he telescreen had chan$ed over to strident "ilitary ")sic! +t was c)rio)s that he see"ed not "erely to have lost the power of e/pressin$ hi"self0 -)t even to have for$otten what it was that he had ori$inally intended to say! (or weeks past he had -een "akin$ ready for this "o"ent0 and it had never crossed his "ind that anythin$ wo)ld -e needed e/cept co)ra$e! .he act)al writin$ wo)ld -e easy! All he had to do was to transfer to paper the inter"ina-le restless "onolo$)e that had -een r)nnin$ inside his head0 literally for years! At this "o"ent0 however0 even the "onolo$)e had dried )p! Moreover his varicose )lcer had -e$)n itchin$ )n-eara-ly! 2e dared not scratch it0 -eca)se if he did so it always -eca"e infla"ed! .he seconds were tickin$ -y! 2e was conscio)s of nothin$ e/cept the -lankness of the pa$e in front of hi"0 the itchin$ of the skin a-ove his ankle0 the -larin$ of the ")sic0 and a sli$ht -oo=iness ca)sed -y the $in! S)ddenly he -e$an writin$ in sheer panic0 only i"perfectly aware of what he was settin$ down! 2is s"all -)t childish handwritin$ stra$$led )p and down the pa$e0 sheddin$ first its capital letters and finally even its f)ll stops: 1inston stopped writin$0 partly -eca)se he was s)fferin$ fro" cra"p! 2e did not know what had "ade hi" po)r o)t this strea" of r)--ish! 3)t the c)rio)s thin$ was that while he was doin$ so a totally different "e"ory had clarified itself in his "ind0 to the point where he al"ost felt e<)al to writin$ it down! +t was0 he now reali=ed0 -eca)se of this other incident that he had s)ddenly decided to co"e ho"e and -e$in the diary today!

+t had happened that "ornin$ at the Ministry0 if anythin$ so ne-)lo)s co)ld -e said to happen! +t was nearly eleven h)ndred0 and in the 7ecords Depart"ent0 where 1inston worked0 they were dra$$in$ the chairs o)t of the c)-icles and $ro)pin$ the" in the centre of the hall opposite the -i$ telescreen0 in preparation for the .wo Min)tes 2ate! 1inston was j)st takin$ his place in one of the "iddle rows when two people who" he knew -y si$ht0 -)t had never spoken to0 ca"e )ne/pectedly into the roo"! %ne of the" was a $irl who" he often passed in the corridors! 2e did not know her na"e0 -)t he knew that she worked in the (iction Depart"ent! *res)"a-ly 9 since he had so"eti"es seen her with oily hands and carryin$ a spanner 9 she had so"e "echanical joon one of the novel'writin$ "achines! She was a -old'lookin$ $irl0 of a-o)t twenty'seven0 with thick hair0 a freckled face0 and swift0 athletic "ove"ents! A narrow scarlet sash0 e"-le" of the 4)nior Anti'Se/ >ea$)e0 was wo)nd several ti"es ro)nd the waist of her overalls0 j)st ti$htly eno)$h to -rin$ o)t the shapeliness of her hips! 1inston had disliked her fro" the very first "o"ent of seein$ her! 2e knew the reason! +t was -eca)se of the at"osphere of hockey'fields and cold -aths and co"")nity hikes and $eneral clean'"indedness which she "ana$ed to carry a-o)t with her! 2e disliked nearly all wo"en0 and especially the yo)n$ and pretty ones! +t was always the wo"en0 and a-ove all the yo)n$ ones0 who were the "ost -i$oted adherents of the *arty0 the swallowers of slo$ans0 the a"ate)r spies and nosers'o)t of )northodo/y! 3)t this partic)lar $irl $ave hi" the i"pression of -ein$ "ore dan$ero)s than "ost! %nce when they passed in the corridor she $ave hi" a <)ick sidelon$ $lance which see"ed to pierce ri$ht into hi" and for a "o"ent had filled hi" with -lack terror! .he idea had even crossed his "ind that she "i$ht -e an a$ent of the .ho)$ht *olice! .hat0 it was tr)e0 was very )nlikely! Still0 he contin)ed to feel a pec)liar )neasiness0 which had fear "i/ed )p in it as well as hostility0 whenever she was anywhere near hi"! .he other person was a "an na"ed %B3rien0 a "e"-er of the +nner *arty and holder of so"e post so i"portant and re"ote that 1inston had only a di" idea of its nat)re! A "o"entary h)sh passed over the $ro)p of people ro)nd the chairs as they saw the -lack overalls of an +nner *arty "e"-er approachin$! %B3rien was a lar$e0 -)rly "an with a thick neck and a coarse0 h)"oro)s0 -r)tal face! +n spite of his for"ida-le appearance he had a certain char" of "anner! 2e had a trick of resettlin$ his spectacles on his nose which was c)rio)sly disar"in$ 9 in so"e indefina-le way0 c)rio)sly civili=ed! +t was a $est)re which0 if anyone had still tho)$ht in s)ch ter"s0 "i$ht have recalled an ei$hteenth'cent)ry no-le"an offerin$ his sn)ff-o/! 1inston had seen %B3rien perhaps a do=en ti"es in al"ost as "any years! 2e felt deeply drawn to hi"0 and not solely -eca)se he was intri$)ed -y the contrast -etween %B3rienBs )r-ane "anner and his pri=e'fi$hterBs physi<)e! M)ch "ore it was -eca)se of a secretly held -elief 9 or perhaps not even a -elief0 "erely a hope 9 that %B3rienBs political orthodo/y was not perfect! So"ethin$ in his face s)$$ested it irresisti-ly! And a$ain0 perhaps it was not even )northodo/y that was written in his face0 -)t si"ply intelli$ence! 3)t at any rate he had the appearance of -ein$ a person that yo) co)ld talk to if so"ehow yo) co)ld cheat the telescreen and $et hi" alone! 1inston had never "ade the s"allest effort to verify this $)ess: indeed0 there was no way of doin$ so! At this "o"ent %B3rien $lanced at his wrist'watch0 saw that it was nearly eleven h)ndred0 and evidently decided to stay in the 7ecords Depart"ent )ntil the .wo Min)tes 2ate was over! 2e took a chair in the sa"e row as 1inston0 a co)ple of places away! A s"all0 sandy'haired wo"an who worked in the ne/t c)-icle to 1inston was -etween the"! .he $irl with dark hair was sittin$ i""ediately -ehind! .he ne/t "o"ent a hideo)s0 $rindin$ speech0 as of so"e "onstro)s "achine r)nnin$ witho)t oil0 -)rst fro" the -i$ telescreen at the end of the roo"! +t was a noise that set oneBs teeth on ed$e and -ristled the hair at the -ack of oneBs neck! .he 2ate had started! As )s)al0 the face of &""an)el #oldstein0 the &ne"y of the *eople0 had flashed on to the screen! .here were hisses here and there a"on$ the a)dience! .he little sandy'haired wo"an $ave a s<)eak of "in$led fear and dis$)st! #oldstein was the rene$ade and -ackslider who once0 lon$ a$o :how lon$ a$o0 no-ody <)ite re"e"-ered;0 had -een one of the leadin$ fi$)res of the *arty0 al"ost on a level with 3i$ 3rother hi"self0 and then had en$a$ed in co)nter'revol)tionary activities0 had -een conde"ned to death0 and had "ysterio)sly escaped and disappeared! .he pro$ra""es of the

.wo Min)tes 2ate varied fro" day to day0 -)t there was none in which #oldstein was not the principal fi$)re! 2e was the pri"al traitor0 the earliest defiler of the *artyBs p)rity! All s)-se<)ent cri"es a$ainst the *arty0 all treacheries0 acts of sa-ota$e0 heresies0 deviations0 spran$ directly o)t of his teachin$! So"ewhere or other he was still alive and hatchin$ his conspiracies: perhaps so"ewhere -eyond the sea0 )nder the protection of his forei$n pay"asters0 perhaps even 9 so it was occasionally r)"o)red 9 in so"e hidin$'place in %ceania itself! 1instonBs diaphra$" was constricted! 2e co)ld never see the face of #oldstein witho)t a painf)l "i/t)re of e"otions! +t was a lean 4ewish face0 with a $reat f)==y a)reole of white hair and a s"all $oatee -eard 9 a clever face0 and yet so"ehow inherently despica-le0 with a kind of senile silliness in the lon$ thin nose0 near the end of which a pair of spectacles was perched! +t rese"-led the face of a sheep0 and the voice0 too0 had a sheep'like <)ality! #oldstein was deliverin$ his )s)al veno"o)s attack )pon the doctrines of the *arty 9 an attack so e/a$$erated and perverse that a child sho)ld have -een a-le to see thro)$h it0 and yet j)st pla)si-le eno)$h to fill one with an alar"ed feelin$ that other people0 less level'headed than oneself0 "i$ht -e taken in -y it! 2e was a-)sin$ 3i$ 3rother0 he was deno)ncin$ the dictatorship of the *arty0 he was de"andin$ the i""ediate concl)sion of peace with &)rasia0 he was advocatin$ freedo" of speech0 freedo" of the *ress0 freedo" of asse"-ly0 freedo" of tho)$ht0 he was cryin$ hysterically that the revol)tion had -een -etrayed 9 and all this in rapid polysylla-ic speech which was a sort of parody of the ha-it)al style of the orators of the *arty0 and even contained Newspeak words: "ore Newspeak words0 indeed0 than any *arty "e"-er wo)ld nor"ally )se in real life! And all the while0 lest one sho)ld -e in any do)-t as to the reality which #oldsteinBs specio)s claptrap covered0 -ehind his head on the telescreen there "arched the endless col)"ns of the &)rasian ar"y 9 row after row of solid' lookin$ "en with e/pressionless Asiatic faces0 who swa" )p to the s)rface of the screen and vanished0 to -e replaced -y others e/actly si"ilar! .he d)ll rhyth"ic tra"p of the soldiers8 -oots for"ed the -ack$ro)nd to #oldsteinBs -leatin$ voice! 3efore the 2ate had proceeded for thirty seconds0 )ncontrolla-le e/cla"ations of ra$e were -reakin$ o)t fro" half the people in the roo"! .he self'satisfied sheep'like face on the screen0 and the terrifyin$ power of the &)rasian ar"y -ehind it0 were too ")ch to -e -orne: -esides0 the si$ht or even the tho)$ht of #oldstein prod)ced fear and an$er a)to"atically! 2e was an o-ject of hatred "ore constant than either &)rasia or &astasia0 since when %ceania was at war with one of these *owers it was $enerally at peace with the other! 3)t what was stran$e was that altho)$h #oldstein was hated and despised -y every-ody0 altho)$h every day and a tho)sand ti"es a day0 on platfor"s0 on the telescreen0 in newspapers0 in -ooks0 his theories were ref)ted0 s"ashed0 ridic)led0 held )p to the $eneral $a=e for the pitif)l r)--ish that they were 9 in spite of all this0 his infl)ence never see"ed to $row less! Always there were fresh d)pes waitin$ to -e sed)ced -y hi"! A day never passed when spies and sa-ote)rs actin$ )nder his directions were not )n"asked -y the .ho)$ht *olice! 2e was the co""ander of a vast shadowy ar"y0 an )nder$ro)nd network of conspirators dedicated to the overthrow of the State! .he 3rotherhood0 its na"e was s)pposed to -e! .here were also whispered stories of a terri-le -ook0 a co"pendi)" of all the heresies0 of which #oldstein was the a)thor and which circ)lated clandestinely here and there! +t was a -ook witho)t a title! *eople referred to it0 if at all0 si"ply as the book! 3)t one knew of s)ch thin$s only thro)$h va$)e r)"o)rs! Neither the 3rotherhood nor the book was a s)-ject that any ordinary *arty "e"-er wo)ld "ention if there was a way of avoidin$ it! +n its second "in)te the 2ate rose to a fren=y! *eople were leapin$ )p and down in their places and sho)tin$ at the tops of their voices in an effort to drown the "addenin$ -leatin$ voice that ca"e fro" the screen! .he little sandy'haired wo"an had t)rned -ri$ht pink0 and her "o)th was openin$ and sh)ttin$ like that of a landed fish! &ven %B3rienBs heavy face was fl)shed! 2e was sittin$ very strai$ht in his chair0 his powerf)l chest swellin$ and <)iverin$ as tho)$h he were standin$ )p to the assa)lt of a wave! .he dark'haired $irl -ehind 1inston had -e$)n cryin$ o)t FSwineH SwineH SwineH, and s)ddenly she picked )p a heavy Newspeak dictionary and fl)n$ it at the screen! +t str)ck #oldsteinBs nose and -o)nced off5 the voice contin)ed ine/ora-ly! +n a l)cid "o"ent 1inston fo)nd that he was sho)tin$ with the others and kickin$ his heel violently a$ainst

the r)n$ of his chair! .he horri-le thin$ a-o)t the .wo Min)tes 2ate was not that one was o-li$ed to act a part0 -)t0 on the contrary0 that it was i"possi-le to avoid joinin$ in! 1ithin thirty seconds any pretence was always )nnecessary! A hideo)s ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness0 a desire to kill0 to tort)re0 to s"ash faces in with a sled$e'ha""er0 see"ed to flow thro)$h the whole $ro)p of people like an electric c)rrent0 t)rnin$ one even a$ainst oneBs will into a $ri"acin$0 screa"in$ l)natic! And yet the ra$e that one felt was an a-stract0 )ndirected e"otion which co)ld -e switched fro" one o-ject to another like the fla"e of a -lowla"p! .h)s0 at one "o"ent 1instonBs hatred was not t)rned a$ainst #oldstein at all0 -)t0 on the contrary0 a$ainst 3i$ 3rother0 the *arty0 and the .ho)$ht *olice5 and at s)ch "o"ents his heart went o)t to the lonely0 derided heretic on the screen0 sole $)ardian of tr)th and sanity in a world of lies! And yet the very ne/t instant he was at one with the people a-o)t hi"0 and all that was said of #oldstein see"ed to hi" to -e tr)e! At those "o"ents his secret loathin$ of 3i$ 3rother chan$ed into adoration0 and 3i$ 3rother see"ed to tower )p0 an invinci-le0 fearless protector0 standin$ like a rock a$ainst the hordes of Asia0 and #oldstein0 in spite of his isolation0 his helplessness0 and the do)-t that h)n$ a-o)t his very e/istence0 see"ed like so"e sinister enchanter0 capa-le -y the "ere power of his voice of wreckin$ the str)ct)re of civili=ation! +t was even possi-le0 at "o"ents0 to switch oneBs hatred this way or that -y a vol)ntary act! S)ddenly0 -y the sort of violent effort with which one wrenches oneBs head away fro" the pillow in a ni$ht"are0 1inston s)cceeded in transferrin$ his hatred fro" the face on the screen to the dark' haired $irl -ehind hi"! ?ivid0 -ea)tif)l hall)cinations flashed thro)$h his "ind! 2e wo)ld flo$ her to death with a r)--er tr)ncheon! 2e wo)ld tie her naked to a stake and shoot her f)ll of arrows like Saint Se-astian! 2e wo)ld ravish her and c)t her throat at the "o"ent of cli"a/! 3etter than -efore0 "oreover0 he reali=ed why it was that he hated her! 2e hated her -eca)se she was yo)n$ and pretty and se/less0 -eca)se he wanted to $o to -ed with her and wo)ld never do so0 -eca)se ro)nd her sweet s)pple waist0 which see"ed to ask yo) to encircle it with yo)r ar"0 there was only the odio)s scarlet sash0 a$$ressive sy"-ol of chastity! .he 2ate rose to its cli"a/! .he voice of #oldstein had -eco"e an act)al sheepBs -leat0 and for an instant the face chan$ed into that of a sheep! .hen the sheep'face "elted into the fi$)re of a &)rasian soldier who see"ed to -e advancin$0 h)$e and terri-le0 his s)-'"achine $)n roarin$0 and see"in$ to sprin$ o)t of the s)rface of the screen0 so that so"e of the people in the front row act)ally flinched -ackwards in their seats! 3)t in the sa"e "o"ent0 drawin$ a deep si$h of relief fro" every-ody0 the hostile fi$)re "elted into the face of 3i$ 3rother0 -lack'haired0 -lack' "o)stachioBd0 f)ll of power and "ysterio)s cal"0 and so vast that it al"ost filled )p the screen! No-ody heard what 3i$ 3rother was sayin$! +t was "erely a few words of enco)ra$e"ent0 the sort of words that are )ttered in the din of -attle0 not distin$)isha-le individ)ally -)t restorin$ confidence -y the fact of -ein$ spoken! .hen the face of 3i$ 3rother faded away a$ain0 and instead the three slo$ans of the *arty stood o)t in -old capitals: 3)t the face of 3i$ 3rother see"ed to persist for several seconds on the screen0 as tho)$h the i"pact that it had "ade on everyoneBs eye-alls was too vivid to wear off i""ediately! .he little sandy'haired wo"an had fl)n$ herself forward over the -ack of the chair in front of her! 1ith a tre")lo)s ")r")r that so)nded like FMy Savio)rH, she e/tended her ar"s towards the screen! .hen she -)ried her face in her hands! +t was apparent that she was )tterin$ a prayer! At this "o"ent the entire $ro)p of people -roke into a deep0 slow0 rhyth"ical chant of F3' 3H!!! 3'3H!!!, 9 over and over a$ain0 very slowly0 with a lon$ pa)se -etween the first F3, and the second'a heavy0 ")r")ro)s so)nd0 so"ehow c)rio)sly sava$e0 in the -ack$ro)nd of which one see"ed to hear the sta"p of naked feet and the thro--in$ of to"'to"s! (or perhaps as ")ch as thirty seconds they kept it )p! +t was a refrain that was often heard in "o"ents of overwhel"in$ e"otion! *artly it was a sort of hy"n to the wisdo" and "ajesty of 3i$ 3rother0 -)t still "ore it was an act of self'hypnosis0 a deli-erate drownin$ of conscio)sness -y "eans of rhyth"ic noise! 1instonBs entrails see"ed to $row cold! +n the .wo Min)tes 2ate he co)ld not help sharin$ in the $eneral deliri)"0 -)t this s)-'h)"an chantin$ of F3'3H!!! 3'3H, always filled hi" with horror! %f co)rse he chanted with the rest: it was i"possi-le to do otherwise! .o disse"-le yo)r feelin$s0 to

control yo)r face0 to do what everyone else was doin$0 was an instinctive reaction! 3)t there was a space of a co)ple of seconds d)rin$ which the e/pression of his eyes "i$ht conceiva-ly have -etrayed hi"! And it was e/actly at this "o"ent that the si$nificant thin$ happened 9 if0 indeed0 it did happen! Mo"entarily he ca)$ht %B3rienBs eye! %B3rien had stood )p! 2e had taken off his spectacles and was in the act of resettlin$ the" on his nose with his characteristic $est)re! 3)t there was a fraction of a second when their eyes "et0 and for as lon$ as it took to happen 1inston knew 9 yes0 he knewH 9 that %B3rien was thinkin$ the sa"e thin$ as hi"self! An )n"istaka-le "essa$e had passed! +t was as tho)$h their two "inds had opened and the tho)$hts were flowin$ fro" one into the other thro)$h their eyes! F+ a" with yo)0, %B3rien see"ed to -e sayin$ to hi"! F+ know precisely what yo) are feelin$! + know all a-o)t yo)r conte"pt0 yo)r hatred0 yo)r dis$)st! 3)t donBt worry0 + a" on yo)r sideH, And then the flash of intelli$ence was $one0 and %B3rienBs face was as inscr)ta-le as every-ody elseBs! .hat was all0 and he was already )ncertain whether it had happened! S)ch incidents never had any se<)el! All that they did was to keep alive in hi" the -elief0 or hope0 that others -esides hi"self were the ene"ies of the *arty! *erhaps the r)"o)rs of vast )nder$ro)nd conspiracies were tr)e after all 9 perhaps the 3rotherhood really e/istedH +t was i"possi-le0 in spite of the endless arrests and confessions and e/ec)tions0 to -e s)re that the 3rotherhood was not si"ply a "yth! So"e days he -elieved in it0 so"e days not! .here was no evidence0 only fleetin$ $li"pses that "i$ht "ean anythin$ or nothin$: snatches of overheard conversation0 faint scri--les on lavatory walls 9 once0 even0 when two stran$ers "et0 a s"all "ove"ent of the hand which had looked as tho)$h it "i$ht -e a si$nal of reco$nition! +t was all $)esswork: very likely he had i"a$ined everythin$! 2e had $one -ack to his c)-icle witho)t lookin$ at %B3rien a$ain! .he idea of followin$ )p their "o"entary contact hardly crossed his "ind! +t wo)ld have -een inconceiva-ly dan$ero)s even if he had known how to set a-o)t doin$ it! (or a second0 two seconds0 they had e/chan$ed an e<)ivocal $lance0 and that was the end of the story! 3)t even that was a "e"ora-le event0 in the locked loneliness in which one had to live! 1inston ro)sed hi"self and sat )p strai$hter! 2e let o)t a -elch! .he $in was risin$ fro" his sto"ach! 2is eyes re'foc)sed on the pa$e! 2e discovered that while he sat helplessly ")sin$ he had also -een writin$0 as tho)$h -y a)to"atic action! And it was no lon$er the sa"e cra"ped0 awkward handwritin$ as -efore! 2is pen had slid vol)pt)o)sly over the s"ooth paper0 printin$ in lar$e neat capitals 9 over and over a$ain0 fillin$ half a pa$e! 2e co)ld not help feelin$ a twin$e of panic! +t was a-s)rd0 since the writin$ of those partic)lar words was not "ore dan$ero)s than the initial act of openin$ the diary0 -)t for a "o"ent he was te"pted to tear o)t the spoiled pa$es and a-andon the enterprise alto$ether! 2e did not do so0 however0 -eca)se he knew that it was )seless! 1hether he wrote D%1N 1+.2 3+# 37%.2&70 or whether he refrained fro" writin$ it0 "ade no difference! 1hether he went on with the diary0 or whether he did not $o on with it0 "ade no difference! .he .ho)$ht *olice wo)ld $et hi" j)st the sa"e! 2e had co""itted 9 wo)ld still have co""itted0 even if he had never set pen to paper 9 the essential cri"e that contained all others in itself! .ho)$htcri"e0 they called it! .ho)$htcri"e was not a thin$ that co)ld -e concealed for ever! @o) "i$ht dod$e s)ccessf)lly for a while0 even for years0 -)t sooner or later they were -o)nd to $et yo)! +t was always at ni$ht 9 the arrests invaria-ly happened at ni$ht! .he s)dden jerk o)t of sleep0 the ro)$h hand shakin$ yo)r sho)lder0 the li$hts $larin$ in yo)r eyes0 the rin$ of hard faces ro)nd the -ed! +n the vast "ajority of cases there was no trial0 no report of the arrest! *eople si"ply disappeared0 always d)rin$ the ni$ht! @o)r na"e was re"oved fro" the re$isters0 every record of everythin$ yo) had ever done was wiped o)t0 yo)r one'ti"e e/istence was denied and then for$otten! @o) were a-olished0 annihilated: vapourized was the )s)al word! (or a "o"ent he was sei=ed -y a kind of hysteria! 2e -e$an writin$ in a h)rried )ntidy scrawl:

2e sat -ack in his chair0 sli$htly asha"ed of hi"self0 and laid down the pen! .he ne/t "o"ent he started violently! .here was a knockin$ at the door! AlreadyH 2e sat as still as a "o)se0 in the f)tile hope that whoever it was "i$ht $o away after a sin$le atte"pt! 3)t no0 the knockin$ was repeated! .he worst thin$ of all wo)ld -e to delay! 2is heart was th)"pin$ like a dr)"0 -)t his face0 fro" lon$ ha-it0 was pro-a-ly e/pressionless! 2e $ot )p and "oved heavily towards the door! As he p)t his hand to the door'kno- 1inston saw that he had left the diary open on the ta-le! D%1N 1+.2 3+# 37%.2&7 was written all over it0 in letters al"ost -i$ eno)$h to -e le$i-le across the roo"! +t was an inconceiva-ly st)pid thin$ to have done! 3)t0 he reali=ed0 even in his panic he had not wanted to s")d$e the crea"y paper -y sh)ttin$ the -ook while the ink was wet! 2e drew in his -reath and opened the door! +nstantly a war" wave of relief flowed thro)$h hi"! A colo)rless0 cr)shed'lookin$ wo"an0 with wispy hair and a lined face0 was standin$ o)tside! F%h0 co"rade0, she -e$an in a dreary0 whinin$ sort of voice0 F+ tho)$ht + heard yo) co"e in! Do yo) think yo) co)ld co"e across and have a look at o)r kitchen sinkC +tBs $ot -locked )p and9, +t was Mrs! *arsons0 the wife of a nei$h-o)r on the sa"e floor! :FMrs!, was a word so"ewhat disco)ntenanced -y the *arty 9 yo) were s)pposed to call everyone Fco"rade, 9 -)t with so"e wo"en one )sed it instinctively!; She was a wo"an of a-o)t thirty0 -)t lookin$ ")ch older! %ne had the i"pression that there was d)st in the creases of her face! 1inston followed her down the passa$e! .hese a"ate)r repair jo-s were an al"ost daily irritation! ?ictory Mansions were old flats0 -)ilt in 19DE or therea-o)ts0 and were fallin$ to pieces! .he plaster flaked constantly fro" ceilin$s and walls0 the pipes -)rst in every hard frost0 the roof leaked whenever there was snow0 the heatin$ syste" was )s)ally r)nnin$ at half stea" when it was not closed down alto$ether fro" "otives of econo"y! 7epairs0 e/cept what yo) co)ld do for yo)rself0 had to -e sanctioned -y re"ote co""ittees which were lia-le to hold )p even the "endin$ of a window'pane for two years! F%f co)rse itBs only -eca)se .o" isnBt ho"e0, said Mrs! *arsons va$)ely! .he *arsons8 flat was -i$$er than 1instonBs0 and din$y in a different way! &verythin$ had a -attered0 tra"pled'on look0 as tho)$h the place had j)st -een visited -y so"e lar$e violent ani"al! #a"es i"pedi"enta 9 hockey'sticks0 -o/in$'$loves0 a -)rst foot-all0 a pair of sweaty shorts t)rned inside o)t 9 lay all over the floor0 and on the ta-le there was a litter of dirty dishes and do$' eared e/ercise'-ooks! %n the walls were scarlet -anners of the @o)th >ea$)e and the Spies0 and a f)ll'si=ed poster of 3i$ 3rother! .here was the )s)al -oiled'ca--a$e s"ell0 co""on to the whole -)ildin$0 -)t it was shot thro)$h -y a sharper reek of sweat0 which 9 one knew this at the first sniff0 tho)$h it was hard to say how 9 was the sweat of so"e person not present at the "o"ent! +n another roo" so"eone with a co"- and a piece of toilet paper was tryin$ to keep t)ne with the "ilitary ")sic which was still iss)in$ fro" the telescreen! F+tBs the children0, said Mrs! *arsons0 castin$ a half'apprehensive $lance at the door! F.hey havenBt -een o)t today! And of co)rse9, She had a ha-it of -reakin$ off her sentences in the "iddle! .he kitchen sink was f)ll nearly to the -ri" with filthy $reenish water which s"elt worse than ever of ca--a$e! 1inston knelt down and e/a"ined the an$le'joint of the pipe! 2e hated )sin$ his hands0 and he hated -endin$ down0 which was always lia-le to start hi" co)$hin$! Mrs! *arsons looked on helplessly! F%f co)rse if .o" was ho"e heBd p)t it ri$ht in a "o"ent0, she said! F2e loves anythin$ like that! 2eBs ever so $ood with his hands0 .o" is!, *arsons was 1instonBs fellow'e"ployee at the Ministry of .r)th! 2e was a fattish -)t active "an of paralysin$ st)pidity0 a "ass of i"-ecile enth)sias"s 9 one of those co"pletely )n<)estionin$0 devoted dr)d$es on who"0 "ore even than on the .ho)$ht *olice0 the sta-ility of the *arty depended! At thirty'five he had j)st -een )nwillin$ly evicted fro" the @o)th >ea$)e0 and -efore $rad)atin$ into the @o)th >ea$)e he had "ana$ed to stay on in the Spies for a year -eyond the stat)tory a$e! At the Ministry he was e"ployed in so"e s)-ordinate post for which intelli$ence was not re<)ired0 -)t on the other hand he was a leadin$ fi$)re on the Sports o""ittee and all the other co""ittees en$a$ed in or$ani=in$ co"")nity hikes0 spontaneo)s de"onstrations0 savin$s ca"pai$ns0 and vol)ntary activities $enerally! 2e wo)ld infor" yo) with <)iet pride0 -etween

whiffs of his pipe0 that he had p)t in an appearance at the o"")nity entre every evenin$ for the past fo)r years! An overpowerin$ s"ell of sweat0 a sort of )nconscio)s testi"ony to the stren)o)sness of his life0 followed hi" a-o)t wherever he went0 and even re"ained -ehind hi" after he had $one! F2ave yo) $ot a spannerC, said 1inston0 fiddlin$ with the n)t on the an$le'joint! FA spanner0, said Mrs! *arsons0 i""ediately -eco"in$ inverte-rate! F+ donBt know0 +B" s)re! *erhaps the children9, .here was a tra"plin$ of -oots and another -last on the co"- as the children char$ed into the livin$'roo"! Mrs! *arsons -ro)$ht the spanner! 1inston let o)t the water and dis$)stedly re"oved the clot of h)"an hair that had -locked )p the pipe! 2e cleaned his fin$ers as -est he co)ld in the cold water fro" the tap and went -ack into the other roo"! FAp with yo)r handsH, yelled a sava$e voice! A handso"e0 to)$h'lookin$ -oy of nine had popped )p fro" -ehind the ta-le and was "enacin$ hi" with a toy a)to"atic pistol0 while his s"all sister0 a-o)t two years yo)n$er0 "ade the sa"e $est)re with a fra$"ent of wood! 3oth of the" were dressed in the -l)e shorts0 $rey shirts0 and red neckerchiefs which were the )nifor" of the Spies! 1inston raised his hands a-ove his head0 -)t with an )neasy feelin$0 so vicio)s was the -oyBs de"eano)r0 that it was not alto$ether a $a"e! F@o)Bre a traitorH, yelled the -oy! F@o)Bre a tho)$ht'cri"inalH @o)Bre a &)rasian spyH +Bll shoot yo)0 +Bll vapori=e yo)0 +Bll send yo) to the salt "inesH, S)ddenly they were -oth leapin$ ro)nd hi"0 sho)tin$ F.raitorH, and F.ho)$ht'cri"inalH, the little $irl i"itatin$ her -rother in every "ove"ent! +t was so"ehow sli$htly fri$htenin$0 like the $a"-ollin$ of ti$er c)-s which will soon $row )p into "an'eaters! .here was a sort of calc)latin$ ferocity in the -oyBs eye0 a <)ite evident desire to hit or kick 1inston and a conscio)sness of -ein$ very nearly -i$ eno)$h to do so! +t was a $ood jo- it was not a real pistol he was holdin$0 1inston tho)$ht! Mrs! *arsons8 eyes flitted nervo)sly fro" 1inston to the children0 and -ack a$ain! +n the -etter li$ht of the livin$'roo" he noticed with interest that there act)ally was d)st in the creases of her face! F.hey do $et so noisy0, she said! F.heyBre disappointed -eca)se they co)ldnBt $o to see the han$in$0 thatBs what it is! +B" too -)sy to take the"! and .o" wonBt -e -ack fro" work in ti"e!, F1hy canBt we $o and see the han$in$C, roared the -oy in his h)$e voice! F1ant to see the han$in$H 1ant to see the han$in$H, chanted the little $irl0 still caperin$ ro)nd! So"e &)rasian prisoners0 $)ilty of war cri"es0 were to -e han$ed in the *ark that evenin$0 1inston re"e"-ered! .his happened a-o)t once a "onth0 and was a pop)lar spectacle! hildren always cla"o)red to -e taken to see it! 2e took his leave of Mrs! *arsons and "ade for the door! 3)t he had not $one si/ steps down the passa$e when so"ethin$ hit the -ack of his neck an a$oni=in$ly painf)l -low! +t was as tho)$h a red'hot wire had -een ja--ed into hi"! 2e sp)n ro)nd j)st in ti"e to see Mrs! *arsons dra$$in$ her son -ack into the doorway while the -oy pocketed a catap)lt! F#oldsteinH, -ellowed the -oy as the door closed on hi"! 3)t what "ost str)ck 1inston was the look of helpless fri$ht on the wo"anBs $reyish face! 3ack in the flat he stepped <)ickly past the telescreen and sat down at the ta-le a$ain0 still r)--in$ his neck! .he ")sic fro" the telescreen had stopped! +nstead0 a clipped "ilitary voice was readin$ o)t0 with a sort of -r)tal relish0 a description of the ar"a"ents of the new (loatin$ (ortress which had j)st -een anchored -etween lceland and the (aroe lslands! 1ith those children0 he tho)$ht0 that wretched wo"an ")st lead a life of terror! Another year0 two years0 and they wo)ld -e watchin$ her ni$ht and day for sy"pto"s of )northodo/y! Nearly all children nowadays were horri-le! 1hat was worst of all was that -y "eans of s)ch or$ani=ations as the Spies they were syste"atically t)rned into )n$overna-le little sava$es0 and yet this prod)ced in the" no tendency whatever to re-el a$ainst the discipline of the *arty! %n the contrary0 they adored the *arty and everythin$ connected with it! .he son$s0 the processions0 the

-anners0 the hikin$0 the drillin$ with d)""y rifles0 the yellin$ of slo$ans0 the worship of 3i$ 3rother 9 it was all a sort of $lorio)s $a"e to the"! All their ferocity was t)rned o)twards0 a$ainst the ene"ies of the State0 a$ainst forei$ners0 traitors0 sa-ote)rs0 tho)$ht'cri"inals! +t was al"ost nor"al for people over thirty to -e fri$htened of their own children! And with $ood reason0 for hardly a week passed in which the Times did not carry a para$raph descri-in$ how so"e eavesdroppin$ little sneak 9 Fchild hero, was the phrase $enerally )sed 9 had overheard so"e co"pro"isin$ re"ark and deno)nced its parents to the .ho)$ht *olice! .he stin$ of the catap)lt -)llet had worn off! 2e picked )p his pen half'heartedly0 wonderin$ whether he co)ld find so"ethin$ "ore to write in the diary! S)ddenly he -e$an thinkin$ of %B3rien a$ain! @ears a$o 9 how lon$ was itC Seven years it ")st -e 9 he had drea"ed that he was walkin$ thro)$h a pitch'dark roo"! And so"eone sittin$ to one side of hi" had said as he passed: F1e shall "eet in the place where there is no darkness!, +t was said very <)ietly0 al"ost cas)ally 9 a state"ent0 not a co""and! 2e had walked on witho)t pa)sin$! 1hat was c)rio)s was that at the ti"e0 in the drea"0 the words had not "ade ")ch i"pression on hi"! +t was only later and -y de$rees that they had see"ed to take on si$nificance! 2e co)ld not now re"e"-er whether it was -efore or after havin$ the drea" that he had seen %B3rien for the first ti"e0 nor co)ld he re"e"-er when he had first identified the voice as %B3rienBs! 3)t at any rate the identification e/isted! +t was %B3rien who had spoken to hi" o)t of the dark! 1inston had never -een a-le to feel s)re 9 even after this "ornin$Bs flash of the eyes it was still i"possi-le to -e s)re whether %B3rien was a friend or an ene"y! Nor did it even see" to "atter $reatly! .here was a link of )nderstandin$ -etween the"0 "ore i"portant than affection or partisanship! F1e shall "eet in the place where there is no darkness0, he had said! 1inston did not know what it "eant0 only that in so"e way or another it wo)ld co"e tr)e! .he voice fro" the telescreen pa)sed! A tr)"pet call0 clear and -ea)tif)l0 floated into the sta$nant air! .he voice contin)ed raspin$ly: FAttentionH @o)r attention0 pleaseH A newsflash has this "o"ent arrived fro" the Mala-ar front! %)r forces in So)th +ndia have won a $lorio)s victory! + a" a)thori=ed to say that the action we are now reportin$ "ay well -rin$ the war within "eas)ra-le distance of its end! 2ere is the newsflash9, 3ad news co"in$0 tho)$ht 1inston! And s)re eno)$h0 followin$ on a $ory description of the annihilation of a &)rasian ar"y0 with st)pendo)s fi$)res of killed and prisoners0 ca"e the anno)nce"ent that0 as fro" ne/t week0 the chocolate ration wo)ld -e red)ced fro" thirty $ra""es to twenty! 1inston -elched a$ain! .he $in was wearin$ off0 leavin$ a deflated feelin$! .he telescreen 9 perhaps to cele-rate the victory0 perhaps to drown the "e"ory of the lost chocolate 9 crashed into F%ceania0 Btis for thee,! @o) were s)pposed to stand to attention! 2owever0 in his present position he was invisi-le! F%ceania0 Btis for thee, $ave way to li$hter ")sic! 1inston walked over to the window0 keepin$ his -ack to the telescreen! .he day was still cold and clear! So"ewhere far away a rocket -o"- e/ploded with a d)ll0 rever-eratin$ roar! A-o)t twenty or thirty of the" a week were fallin$ on >ondon at present! Down in the street the wind flapped the torn poster to and fro0 and the word +N#S% fitf)lly appeared and vanished! +n$soc! .he sacred principles of +n$soc! Newspeak0 do)-lethink0 the ")ta-ility of the past! 2e felt as tho)$h he were wanderin$ in the forests of the sea -otto"0 lost in a "onstro)s world where he hi"self was the "onster! 2e was alone! .he past was dead0 the f)t)re was )ni"a$ina-le! 1hat certainty had he that a sin$le h)"an creat)re now livin$ was on his sideC And what way of knowin$ that the do"inion of the *arty wo)ld not end)re for everC >ike an answer0 the three slo$ans on the white face of the Ministry of .r)th ca"e -ack to hi": 2e took a twenty'five cent piece o)t of his pocket! .here0 too0 in tiny clear letterin$0 the sa"e slo$ans were inscri-ed0 and on the other face of the coin the head of 3i$ 3rother! &ven fro" the coin the eyes p)rs)ed yo)! %n coins0 on sta"ps0 on the covers of -ooks0 on -anners0 on posters0

and on the wrappin$s of a ci$arette packet 9 everywhere! Always the eyes watchin$ yo) and the voice envelopin$ yo)! Asleep or awake0 workin$ or eatin$0 indoors or o)t of doors0 in the -ath or in -ed 9 no escape! Nothin$ was yo)r own e/cept the few c)-ic centi"etres inside yo)r sk)ll! .he s)n had shifted ro)nd0 and the "yriad windows of the Ministry of .r)th0 with the li$ht no lon$er shinin$ on the"0 looked $ri" as the loopholes of a fortress! 2is heart <)ailed -efore the enor"o)s pyra"idal shape! +t was too stron$0 it co)ld not -e stor"ed! A tho)sand rocket -o"-s wo)ld not -atter it down! 2e wondered a$ain for who" he was writin$ the diary! (or the f)t)re0 for the past 9 for an a$e that "i$ht -e i"a$inary! And in front of hi" there lay not death -)t annihilation! .he diary wo)ld -e red)ced to ashes and hi"self to vapo)r! %nly the .ho)$ht *olice wo)ld read what he had written0 -efore they wiped it o)t of e/istence and o)t of "e"ory! 2ow co)ld yo) "ake appeal to the f)t)re when not a trace of yo)0 not even an anony"o)s word scri--led on a piece of paper0 co)ld physically s)rviveC .he telescreen str)ck fo)rteen! 2e ")st leave in ten "in)tes! 2e had to -e -ack at work -y fo)rteen'thirty! )rio)sly0 the chi"in$ of the ho)r see"ed to have p)t new heart into hi"! 2e was a lonely $host )tterin$ a tr)th that no-ody wo)ld ever hear! 3)t so lon$ as he )ttered it0 in so"e o-sc)re way the contin)ity was not -roken! +t was not -y "akin$ yo)rself heard -)t -y stayin$ sane that yo) carried on the h)"an herita$e! 2e went -ack to the ta-le0 dipped his pen0 and wrote: 2e was already dead0 he reflected! +t see"ed to hi" that it was only now0 when he had -e$)n to -e a-le to for")late his tho)$hts0 that he had taken the decisive step! .he conse<)ences of every act are incl)ded in the act itself! 2e wrote: Now he had reco$ni=ed hi"self as a dead "an it -eca"e i"portant to stay alive as lon$ as possi-le! .wo fin$ers of his ri$ht hand were inkstained! +t was e/actly the kind of detail that "i$ht -etray yo)! So"e nosin$ =ealot in the Ministry :a wo"an0 pro-a-ly: so"eone like the little sandy' haired wo"an or the dark'haired $irl fro" the (iction Depart"ent; "i$ht start wonderin$ why he had -een writin$ d)rin$ the l)nch interval0 why he had )sed an old'fashioned pen0 what he had -een writin$ 9 and then drop a hint in the appropriate <)arter! 2e went to the -athroo" and caref)lly scr)--ed the ink away with the $ritty dark'-rown soap which rasped yo)r skin like sandpaper and was therefore well adapted for this p)rpose! 2e p)t the diary away in the drawer! +t was <)ite )seless to think of hidin$ it0 -)t he co)ld at least "ake s)re whether or not its e/istence had -een discovered! A hair laid across the pa$e'ends was too o-vio)s! 1ith the tip of his fin$er he picked )p an identifia-le $rain of whitish d)st and deposited it on the corner of the cover0 where it was -o)nd to -e shaken off if the -ook was "oved! 1inston was drea"in$ of his "other! 2e ")st0 he tho)$ht0 have -een ten or eleven years old when his "other had disappeared! She was a tall0 stat)es<)e0 rather silent wo"an with slow "ove"ents and "a$nificent fair hair! 2is father he re"e"-ered "ore va$)ely as dark and thin0 dressed always in neat dark clothes :1inston re"e"-ered especially the very thin soles of his fatherBs shoes; and wearin$ spectacles! .he two of the" ")st evidently have -een swallowed )p in one of the first $reat p)r$es of the fifties! At this "o"ent his "other was sittin$ in so"e place deep down -eneath hi"0 with his yo)n$ sister in her ar"s! 2e did not re"e"-er his sister at all0 e/cept as a tiny0 fee-le -a-y0 always silent0 with lar$e0 watchf)l eyes! 3oth of the" were lookin$ )p at hi"! .hey were down in so"e s)-terranean place 9 the -otto" of a well0 for instance0 or a very deep $rave 9 -)t it was a place which0 already far -elow hi"0 was itself "ovin$ downwards! .hey were in the saloon of a sinkin$ ship0 lookin$ )p at hi" thro)$h the darkenin$ water! .here was still air in the saloon0 they co)ld still see hi" and he the"0 -)t all the while they were sinkin$ down0 down into the $reen waters which in another "o"ent ")st hide the" fro" si$ht for ever! 2e was o)t in the li$ht and air while they were -ein$ s)cked down to death0 and they were down there -eca)se he was )p here! 2e knew it and they knew it0 and he co)ld see the knowled$e in their faces! .here was no reproach either in their faces or in their hearts0 only the knowled$e that they ")st die in order that he "i$ht re"ain alive0 and that this was part of the )navoida-le order of thin$s! 2e co)ld not re"e"-er what had happened0 -)t he knew in his drea" that in so"e way the

lives of his "other and his sister had -een sacrificed to his own! +t was one of those drea"s which0 while retainin$ the characteristic drea" scenery0 are a contin)ation of oneBs intellect)al life0 and in which one -eco"es aware of facts and ideas which still see" new and val)a-le after one is awake! .he thin$ that now s)ddenly str)ck 1inston was that his "otherBs death0 nearly thirty years a$o0 had -een tra$ic and sorrowf)l in a way that was no lon$er possi-le! .ra$edy0 he perceived0 -elon$ed to the ancient ti"e0 to a ti"e when there was still privacy0 love0 and friendship0 and when the "e"-ers of a fa"ily stood -y one another witho)t needin$ to know the reason! 2is "otherBs "e"ory tore at his heart -eca)se she had died lovin$ hi"0 when he was too yo)n$ and selfish to love her in ret)rn0 and -eca)se so"ehow0 he did not re"e"-er how0 she had sacrificed herself to a conception of loyalty that was private and )naltera-le! S)ch thin$s0 he saw0 co)ld not happen today! .oday there were fear0 hatred0 and pain0 -)t no di$nity of e"otion0 no deep or co"ple/ sorrows! All this he see"ed to see in the lar$e eyes of his "other and his sister0 lookin$ )p at hi" thro)$h the $reen water0 h)ndreds of fatho"s down and still sinkin$! S)ddenly he was standin$ on short sprin$y t)rf0 on a s)""er evenin$ when the slantin$ rays of the s)n $ilded the $ro)nd! .he landscape that he was lookin$ at rec)rred so often in his drea"s that he was never f)lly certain whether or not he had seen it in the real world! +n his wakin$ tho)$hts he called it the #olden o)ntry! +t was an old0 ra--it'-itten past)re0 with a foot'track wanderin$ across it and a "olehill here and there! +n the ra$$ed hed$e on the opposite side of the field the -o)$hs of the el" trees were swayin$ very faintly in the -ree=e0 their leaves j)st stirrin$ in dense "asses like wo"enBs hair! So"ewhere near at hand0 tho)$h o)t of si$ht0 there was a clear0 slow'"ovin$ strea" where dace were swi""in$ in the pools )nder the willow trees! .he $irl with dark hair was co"in$ towards the" across the field! 1ith what see"ed a sin$le "ove"ent she tore off her clothes and fl)n$ the" disdainf)lly aside! 2er -ody was white and s"ooth0 -)t it aro)sed no desire in hi"0 indeed he -arely looked at it! 1hat overwhel"ed hi" in that instant was ad"iration for the $est)re with which she had thrown her clothes aside! 1ith its $race and carelessness it see"ed to annihilate a whole c)lt)re0 a whole syste" of tho)$ht0 as tho)$h 3i$ 3rother and the *arty and the .ho)$ht *olice co)ld all -e swept into nothin$ness -y a sin$le splendid "ove"ent of the ar"! .hat too was a $est)re -elon$in$ to the ancient ti"e! 1inston woke )p with the word FShakespeare, on his lips! .he telescreen was $ivin$ forth an ear'splittin$ whistle which contin)ed on the sa"e note for thirty seconds! +t was no)$ht seven fifteen0 $ettin$')p ti"e for office workers! 1inston wrenched his -ody o)t of -ed 9 naked0 for a "e"-er of the %)ter *arty received only D0EEE clothin$ co)pons ann)ally0 and a s)it of pyja"as was IEE 9 and sei=ed a din$y sin$let and a pair of shorts that were lyin$ across a chair! .he *hysical 4erks wo)ld -e$in in three "in)tes! .he ne/t "o"ent he was do)-led )p -y a violent co)$hin$ fit which nearly always attacked hi" soon after wakin$ )p! +t e"ptied his l)n$s so co"pletely that he co)ld only -e$in -reathin$ a$ain -y lyin$ on his -ack and takin$ a series of deep $asps! 2is veins had swelled with the effort of the co)$h0 and the varicose )lcer had started itchin$! F.hirty to forty $ro)pH, yapped a piercin$ fe"ale voice! F.hirty to forty $ro)pH .ake yo)r places0 please! .hirties to fortiesH, 1inston spran$ to attention in front of the telescreen0 )pon which the i"a$e of a yo)n$ish wo"an0 scrawny -)t ")sc)lar0 dressed in t)nic and $y"'shoes0 had already appeared! FAr"s -endin$ and stretchin$H, she rapped o)t! F.ake yo)r ti"e -y "e! One0 two0 three0 fo)rH One0 two0 three0 fo)rH o"e on0 co"rades0 p)t a -it of life into itH One0 two0 three fo)rH One two0 three0 fo)rH!!!, .he pain of the co)$hin$ fit had not <)ite driven o)t of 1instonBs "ind the i"pression "ade -y his drea"0 and the rhyth"ic "ove"ents of the e/ercise restored it so"ewhat! As he "echanically shot his ar"s -ack and forth0 wearin$ on his face the look of $ri" enjoy"ent which was considered proper d)rin$ the *hysical 4erks0 he was str)$$lin$ to think his way -ackward into the di" period of his early childhood! +t was e/traordinarily diffic)lt! 3eyond the late fifties everythin$ faded! 1hen there were no e/ternal records that yo) co)ld refer to0 even the o)tline of yo)r own life lost its sharpness! @o) re"e"-ered h)$e events which had <)ite pro-a-ly not

happened0 yo) re"e"-ered the detail of incidents witho)t -ein$ a-le to recapt)re their at"osphere0 and there were lon$ -lank periods to which yo) co)ld assi$n nothin$! &verythin$ had -een different then! &ven the na"es of co)ntries0 and their shapes on the "ap0 had -een different! Airstrip %ne0 for instance0 had not -een so called in those days: it had -een called &n$land or 3ritain0 tho)$h >ondon0 he felt fairly certain0 had always -een called >ondon! 1inston co)ld not definitely re"e"-er a ti"e when his co)ntry had not -een at war0 -)t it was evident that there had -een a fairly lon$ interval of peace d)rin$ his childhood0 -eca)se one of his early "e"ories was of an air raid which appeared to take everyone -y s)rprise! *erhaps it was the ti"e when the ato"ic -o"- had fallen on olchester! 2e did not re"e"-er the raid itself0 -)t he did re"e"-er his fatherBs hand cl)tchin$ his own as they h)rried down0 down0 down into so"e place deep in the earth0 ro)nd and ro)nd a spiral staircase which ran$ )nder his feet and which finally so wearied his le$s that he -e$an whi"perin$ and they had to stop and rest! 2is "other0 in her slow0 drea"y way0 was followin$ a lon$ way -ehind the"! She was carryin$ his -a-y sister 9 or perhaps it was only a -)ndle of -lankets that she was carryin$: he was not certain whether his sister had -een -orn then! (inally they had e"er$ed into a noisy0 crowded place which he had reali=ed to -e a .)-e station! .here were people sittin$ all over the stone'fla$$ed floor0 and other people0 packed ti$htly to$ether0 were sittin$ on "etal -)nks0 one a-ove the other! 1inston and his "other and father fo)nd the"selves a place on the floor0 and near the" an old "an and an old wo"an were sittin$ side -y side on a -)nk! .he old "an had on a decent dark s)it and a -lack cloth cap p)shed -ack fro" very white hair: his face was scarlet and his eyes were -l)e and f)ll of tears! 2e reeked of $in! +t see"ed to -reathe o)t of his skin in place of sweat0 and one co)ld have fancied that the tears wellin$ fro" his eyes were p)re $in! 3)t tho)$h sli$htly dr)nk he was also s)fferin$ )nder so"e $rief that was $en)ine and )n-eara-le! +n his childish way 1inston $rasped that so"e terri-le thin$0 so"ethin$ that was -eyond for$iveness and co)ld never -e re"edied0 had j)st happened! +t also see"ed to hi" that he knew what it was! So"eone who" the old "an loved 9 a little $randda)$hter0 perhaps 9 had -een killed! &very few "in)tes the old "an kept repeatin$: F1e didnBt o)$ht to Bave tr)sted Be"! + said so0 Ma0 didnBt +C .hatBs what co"es of tr)stin$ Be"! + said so all alon$! 1e didnBt o)$ht to Bave tr)sted the -)$$ers!, 3)t which -)$$ers they didnBt o)$ht to have tr)sted 1inston co)ld not now re"e"-er! Since a-o)t that ti"e0 war had -een literally contin)o)s0 tho)$h strictly speakin$ it had not always -een the sa"e war! (or several "onths d)rin$ his childhood there had -een conf)sed street fi$htin$ in >ondon itself0 so"e of which he re"e"-ered vividly! 3)t to trace o)t the history of the whole period0 to say who was fi$htin$ who" at any $iven "o"ent0 wo)ld have -een )tterly i"possi-le0 since no written record0 and no spoken word0 ever "ade "ention of any other ali$n"ent than the e/istin$ one! At this "o"ent0 for e/a"ple0 in 1984 :if it was 1984;0 %ceania was at war with &)rasia and in alliance with &astasia! +n no p)-lic or private )tterance was it ever ad"itted that the three powers had at any ti"e -een $ro)ped alon$ different lines! Act)ally0 as 1inston well knew0 it was only fo)r years since %ceania had -een at war with &astasia and in alliance with &)rasia! 3)t that was "erely a piece of f)rtive knowled$e which he happened to possess -eca)se his "e"ory was not satisfactorily )nder control! %fficially the chan$e of partners had never happened! %ceania was at war with &)rasia: therefore %ceania had always -een at war with &)rasia! .he ene"y of the "o"ent always represented a-sol)te evil0 and it followed that any past or f)t)re a$ree"ent with hi" was i"possi-le! .he fri$htenin$ thin$0 he reflected for the ten tho)sandth ti"e as he forced his sho)lders painf)lly -ackward :with hands on hips0 they were $yratin$ their -odies fro" the waist0 an e/ercise that was s)pposed to -e $ood for the -ack ")scles; 9 the fri$htenin$ thin$ was that it "i$ht all -e tr)e! +f the *arty co)ld thr)st its hand into the past and say of this or that event0 it never happened 9 that0 s)rely0 was "ore terrifyin$ than "ere tort)re and deathC .he *arty said that %ceania had never -een in alliance with &)rasia! 2e0 1inston S"ith0 knew that %ceania had -een in alliance with &)rasia as short a ti"e as fo)r years a$o! 3)t where did that knowled$e e/istC %nly in his own conscio)sness0 which in any case ")st soon -e

annihilated! And if all others accepted the lie which the *arty i"posed 9 if all records told the sa"e tale 9 then the lie passed into history and -eca"e tr)th! F1ho controls the past0, ran the *arty slo$an0 Fcontrols the f)t)re: who controls the present controls the past!, And yet the past0 tho)$h of its nat)re altera-le0 never had -een altered! 1hatever was tr)e now was tr)e fro" everlastin$ to everlastin$! +t was <)ite si"ple! All that was needed was an )nendin$ series of victories over yo)r own "e"ory! F7eality control,0 they called it: in Newspeak0 Fdo)-lethink, FStand easyH, -arked the instr)ctress0 a little "ore $enially! 1inston sank his ar"s to his sides and slowly refilled his l)n$s with air! 2is "ind slid away into the la-yrinthine world of do)-lethink! .o know and not to know0 to -e conscio)s of co"plete tr)thf)lness while tellin$ caref)lly constr)cted lies0 to hold si")ltaneo)sly two opinions which cancelled o)t0 knowin$ the" to -e contradictory and -elievin$ in -oth of the"0 to )se lo$ic a$ainst lo$ic0 to rep)diate "orality while layin$ clai" to it0 to -elieve that de"ocracy was i"possi-le and that the *arty was the $)ardian of de"ocracy0 to for$et whatever it was necessary to for$et0 then to draw it -ack into "e"ory a$ain at the "o"ent when it was needed0 and then pro"ptly to for$et it a$ain: and a-ove all0 to apply the sa"e process to the process itself! .hat was the )lti"ate s)-tlety: conscio)sly to ind)ce )nconscio)sness0 and then0 once a$ain0 to -eco"e )nconscio)s of the act of hypnosis yo) had j)st perfor"ed! &ven to )nderstand the word Fdo)-lethink, involved the )se of do)-lethink! .he instr)ctress had called the" to attention a$ain! FAnd now letBs see which of )s can to)ch o)r toesH, she said enth)siastically! F7i$ht over fro" the hips0 please0 co"rades! One'twoH One' twoH!!!, 1inston loathed this e/ercise0 which sent shootin$ pains all the way fro" his heels to his -)ttocks and often ended -y -rin$in$ on another co)$hin$ fit! .he half'pleasant <)ality went o)t of his "editations! .he past0 he reflected0 had not "erely -een altered0 it had -een act)ally destroyed! (or how co)ld yo) esta-lish even the "ost o-vio)s fact when there e/isted no record o)tside yo)r own "e"oryC 2e tried to re"e"-er in what year he had first heard "ention of 3i$ 3rother! 2e tho)$ht it ")st have -een at so"e ti"e in the si/ties0 -)t it was i"possi-le to -e certain! +n the *arty histories0 of co)rse0 3i$ 3rother fi$)red as the leader and $)ardian of the 7evol)tion since its very earliest days! 2is e/ploits had -een $rad)ally p)shed -ackwards in ti"e )ntil already they e/tended into the fa-)lo)s world of the forties and the thirties0 when the capitalists in their stran$e cylindrical hats still rode thro)$h the streets of >ondon in $reat $lea"in$ "otor'cars or horse carria$es with $lass sides! .here was no knowin$ how ")ch of this le$end was tr)e and how ")ch invented! 1inston co)ld not even re"e"-er at what date the *arty itself had co"e into e/istence! 2e did not -elieve he had ever heard the word +n$soc -efore 19IE0 -)t it was possi-le that in its %ldspeak for" 9 F&n$lish Socialis",0 that is to say 9 it had -een c)rrent earlier! &verythin$ "elted into "ist! So"eti"es0 indeed0 yo) co)ld p)t yo)r fin$er on a definite lie! +t was not tr)e0 for e/a"ple0 as was clai"ed in the *arty history -ooks0 that the *arty had invented aeroplanes! 2e re"e"-ered aeroplanes since his earliest childhood! 3)t yo) co)ld prove nothin$! .here was never any evidence! 4)st once in his whole life he had held in his hands )n"istaka-le doc)"entary proof of the falsification of an historical fact! And on that occasion 9 FS"ithH, screa"ed the shrewish voice fro" the telescreen! FIEJ9 S"ith 1!H @es0 youH 3end lower0 pleaseH @o) can do -etter than that! @o)Bre not tryin$! >ower0 pleaseH That's -etter0 co"rade! Now stand at ease0 the whole s<)ad0 and watch "e!, A s)dden hot sweat had -roken o)t all over 1instonBs -ody! 2is face re"ained co"pletely inscr)ta-le! Never show dis"ayH Never show resent"entH A sin$le flicker of the eyes co)ld $ive yo) away! 2e stood watchin$ while the instr)ctress raised her ar"s a-ove her head and 9 one co)ld not say $racef)lly0 -)t with re"arka-le neatness and efficiency 9 -ent over and t)cked the first joint of her fin$ers )nder her toes! FThere0 co"radesH That's how + want to see yo) doin$ it! 1atch "e a$ain! +B" thirty'nine and +Bve had fo)r children! Now look!, She -ent over a$ain! F@o) see my knees arenBt -ent! @o) can all do it if yo) want to0, she added as she strai$htened herself )p! FAnyone )nder forty'five is perfectly capa-le of to)chin$ his toes! 1e donBt all have the privile$e of fi$htin$ in the front line0

-)t at least we can all keep fit! 7e"e"-er o)r -oys on the Mala-ar frontH And the sailors in the (loatin$ (ortressesH 4)st think what they have to p)t )p with! Now try a$ain! .hatBs -etter0 co"rade0 thatBs much -etter0, she added enco)ra$in$ly as 1inston0 with a violent l)n$e0 s)cceeded in to)chin$ his toes with knees )n-ent0 for the first ti"e in several years! 1ith the deep0 )nconscio)s si$h which not even the nearness of the telescreen co)ld prevent hi" fro" )tterin$ when his dayBs work started0 1inston p)lled the speakwrite towards hi"0 -lew the d)st fro" its "o)thpiece0 and p)t on his spectacles! .hen he )nrolled and clipped to$ether fo)r s"all cylinders of paper which had already flopped o)t of the pne)"atic t)-e on the ri$ht'hand side of his desk! +n the walls of the c)-icle there were three orifices! .o the ri$ht of the speakwrite0 a s"all pne)"atic t)-e for written "essa$es0 to the left0 a lar$er one for newspapers5 and in the side wall0 within easy reach of 1instonBs ar"0 a lar$e o-lon$ slit protected -y a wire $ratin$! .his last was for the disposal of waste paper! Si"ilar slits e/isted in tho)sands or tens of tho)sands thro)$ho)t the -)ildin$0 not only in every roo" -)t at short intervals in every corridor! (or so"e reason they were nickna"ed "e"ory holes! 1hen one knew that any doc)"ent was d)e for destr)ction0 or even when one saw a scrap of waste paper lyin$ a-o)t0 it was an a)to"atic action to lift the flap of the nearest "e"ory hole and drop it in0 where)pon it wo)ld -e whirled away on a c)rrent of war" air to the enor"o)s f)rnaces which were hidden so"ewhere in the recesses of the -)ildin$! 1inston e/a"ined the fo)r slips of paper which he had )nrolled! &ach contained a "essa$e of only one or two lines0 in the a--reviated jar$on 9 not act)ally Newspeak0 -)t consistin$ lar$ely of Newspeak words 9 which was )sed in the Ministry for internal p)rposes! .hey ran: 1ith a faint feelin$ of satisfaction 1inston laid the fo)rth "essa$e aside! +t was an intricate and responsi-le jo- and had -etter -e dealt with last! .he other three were ro)tine "atters0 tho)$h the second one wo)ld pro-a-ly "ean so"e tedio)s wadin$ thro)$h lists of fi$)res! 1inston dialled F-ack n)"-ers, on the telescreen and called for the appropriate iss)es of the Times0 which slid o)t of the pne)"atic t)-e after only a few "in)tes8 delay! .he "essa$es he had received referred to articles or news ite"s which for one reason or another it was tho)$ht necessary to alter0 or0 as the official phrase had it0 to rectify! (or e/a"ple0 it appeared fro" the Times of the seventeenth of March that 3i$ 3rother0 in his speech of the previo)s day0 had predicted that the So)th +ndian front wo)ld re"ain <)iet -)t that a &)rasian offensive wo)ld shortly -e la)nched in North Africa! As it happened0 the &)rasian 2i$her o""and had la)nched its offensive in So)th +ndia and left North Africa alone! +t was therefore necessary to rewrite a para$raph of 3i$ 3rotherBs speech0 in s)ch a way as to "ake hi" predict the thin$ that had act)ally happened! %r a$ain0 the Times of the nineteenth of Dece"-er had p)-lished the official forecasts of the o)tp)t of vario)s classes of cons)"ption $oods in the fo)rth <)arter of 198D0 which was also the si/th <)arter of the Ninth .hree'@ear *lan! .odayBs iss)e contained a state"ent of the act)al o)tp)t0 fro" which it appeared that the forecasts were in every instance $rossly wron$! 1instonBs jo- was to rectify the ori$inal fi$)res -y "akin$ the" a$ree with the later ones! As for the third "essa$e0 it referred to a very si"ple error which co)ld -e set ri$ht in a co)ple of "in)tes! As short a ti"e a$o as (e-r)ary0 the Ministry of *lenty had iss)ed a pro"ise :a Fcate$orical pled$e, were the official words; that there wo)ld -e no red)ction of the chocolate ration d)rin$ 1984! Act)ally0 as 1inston was aware0 the chocolate ration was to -e red)ced fro" thirty $ra""es to twenty at the end of the present week! All that was needed was to s)-stit)te for the ori$inal pro"ise a warnin$ that it wo)ld pro-a-ly -e necessary to red)ce the ration at so"e ti"e in April! As soon as 1inston had dealt with each of the "essa$es0 he clipped his speakwritten corrections to the appropriate copy of the Times and p)shed the" into the pne)"atic t)-e! .hen0 with a "ove"ent which was as nearly as possi-le )nconscio)s0 he cr)"pled )p the ori$inal "essa$e and any notes that he hi"self had "ade0 and dropped the" into the "e"ory hole to -e devo)red -y the fla"es! 1hat happened in the )nseen la-yrinth to which the pne)"atic t)-es led0 he did not know in detail0 -)t he did know in $eneral ter"s! As soon as all the corrections which happened to -e necessary in any partic)lar n)"-er of the Times had -een asse"-led and collated0 that n)"-er

wo)ld -e reprinted0 the ori$inal copy destroyed0 and the corrected copy placed on the files in its stead! .his process of contin)o)s alteration was applied not only to newspapers0 -)t to -ooks0 periodicals0 pa"phlets0 posters0 leaflets0 fil"s0 so)nd'tracks0 cartoons0 photo$raphs 9 to every kind of literat)re or doc)"entation which "i$ht conceiva-ly hold any political or ideolo$ical si$nificance! Day -y day and al"ost "in)te -y "in)te the past was -ro)$ht )p to date! +n this way every prediction "ade -y the *arty co)ld -e shown -y doc)"entary evidence to have -een correct0 nor was any ite" of news0 or any e/pression of opinion0 which conflicted with the needs of the "o"ent0 ever allowed to re"ain on record! All history was a pali"psest0 scraped clean and reinscri-ed e/actly as often as was necessary! +n no case wo)ld it have -een possi-le0 once the deed was done0 to prove that any falsification had taken place! .he lar$est section of the 7ecords Depart"ent0 far lar$er than the one on which 1inston worked0 consisted si"ply of persons whose d)ty it was to track down and collect all copies of -ooks0 newspapers0 and other doc)"ents which had -een s)perseded and were d)e for destr)ction! A n)"-er of the Times which "i$ht0 -eca)se of chan$es in political ali$n"ent0 or "istaken prophecies )ttered -y 3i$ 3rother0 have -een rewritten a do=en ti"es still stood on the files -earin$ its ori$inal date0 and no other copy e/isted to contradict it! 3ooks0 also0 were recalled and rewritten a$ain and a$ain0 and were invaria-ly reiss)ed witho)t any ad"ission that any alteration had -een "ade! &ven the written instr)ctions which 1inston received0 and which he invaria-ly $ot rid of as soon as he had dealt with the"0 never stated or i"plied that an act of for$ery was to -e co""itted: always the reference was to slips0 errors0 "isprints0 or "is<)otations which it was necessary to p)t ri$ht in the interests of acc)racy! 3)t act)ally0 he tho)$ht as he re'adj)sted the Ministry of *lentyBs fi$)res0 it was not even for$ery! +t was "erely the s)-stit)tion of one piece of nonsense for another! Most of the "aterial that yo) were dealin$ with had no conne/ion with anythin$ in the real world0 not even the kind of conne/ion that is contained in a direct lie! Statistics were j)st as ")ch a fantasy in their ori$inal version as in their rectified version! A $reat deal of the ti"e yo) were e/pected to "ake the" )p o)t of yo)r head! (or e/a"ple0 the Ministry of *lentyBs forecast had esti"ated the o)tp)t of -oots for the <)arter at 14G "illion pairs! .he act)al o)tp)t was $iven as si/ty'two "illions! 1inston0 however0 in rewritin$ the forecast0 "arked the fi$)re down to fifty'seven "illions0 so as to allow for the )s)al clai" that the <)ota had -een overf)lfilled! +n any case0 si/ty'two "illions was no nearer the tr)th than fifty'seven "illions0 or than 14G "illions! ?ery likely no -oots had -een prod)ced at all! >ikelier still0 no-ody knew how "any had -een prod)ced0 ")ch less cared! All one knew was that every <)arter astrono"ical n)"-ers of -oots were prod)ced on paper0 while perhaps half the pop)lation of %ceania went -arefoot! And so it was with every class of recorded fact0 $reat or s"all! &verythin$ faded away into a shadow'world in which0 finally0 even the date of the year had -eco"e )ncertain! 1inston $lanced across the hall! +n the correspondin$ c)-icle on the other side a s"all0 precise'lookin$0 dark'chinned "an na"ed .illotson was workin$ steadily away0 with a folded newspaper on his knee and his "o)th very close to the "o)thpiece of the speakwrite! 2e had the air of tryin$ to keep what he was sayin$ a secret -etween hi"self and the telescreen! 2e looked )p0 and his spectacles darted a hostile flash in 1instonBs direction! 1inston hardly knew .illotson0 and had no idea what work he was e"ployed on! *eople in the 7ecords Depart"ent did not readily talk a-o)t their jo-s! +n the lon$0 windowless hall0 with its do)-le row of c)-icles and its endless r)stle of papers and h)" of voices ")r")rin$ into speakwrites0 there were <)ite a do=en people who" 1inston did not even know -y na"e0 tho)$h he daily saw the" h)rryin$ to and fro in the corridors or $estic)latin$ in the .wo Min)tes 2ate! 2e knew that in the c)-icle ne/t to hi" the little wo"an with sandy hair toiled day in day o)t0 si"ply at trackin$ down and deletin$ fro" the *ress the na"es of people who had -een vapori=ed and were therefore considered never to have e/isted! .here was a certain fitness in this0 since her own h)s-and had -een vapori=ed a co)ple of years earlier! And a few c)-icles away a "ild0 ineffect)al0 drea"y creat)re na"ed A"pleforth0 with very hairy ears and a s)rprisin$ talent for j)$$lin$ with rhy"es and "etres0 was en$a$ed in prod)cin$ $ar-led versions 9 definitive te/ts0 they were called 9 of poe"s which had -eco"e ideolo$ically offensive0 -)t which for one reason or another were to

-e retained in the antholo$ies! And this hall0 with its fifty workers or therea-o)ts0 was only one s)-' section0 a sin$le cell0 as it were0 in the h)$e co"ple/ity of the 7ecords Depart"ent! 3eyond0 a-ove0 -elow0 were other swar"s of workers en$a$ed in an )ni"a$ina-le ")ltit)de of jo-s! .here were the h)$e printin$'shops with their s)-'editors0 their typo$raphy e/perts0 and their ela-orately e<)ipped st)dios for the fakin$ of photo$raphs! .here was the tele'pro$ra""es section with its en$ineers0 its prod)cers0 and its tea"s of actors specially chosen for their skill in i"itatin$ voices! .here were the ar"ies of reference clerks whose jo- was si"ply to draw )p lists of -ooks and periodicals which were d)e for recall! .here were the vast repositories where the corrected doc)"ents were stored0 and the hidden f)rnaces where the ori$inal copies were destroyed! And so"ewhere or other0 <)ite anony"o)s0 there were the directin$ -rains who co'ordinated the whole effort and laid down the lines of policy which "ade it necessary that this fra$"ent of the past sho)ld -e preserved0 that one falsified0 and the other r)--ed o)t of e/istence! And the 7ecords Depart"ent0 after all0 was itself only a sin$le -ranch of the Ministry of .r)th0 whose pri"ary jo- was not to reconstr)ct the past -)t to s)pply the citi=ens of %ceania with newspapers0 fil"s0 te/t-ooks0 telescreen pro$ra""es0 plays0 novels 9 with every conceiva-le kind of infor"ation0 instr)ction0 or entertain"ent0 fro" a stat)e to a slo$an0 fro" a lyric poe" to a -iolo$ical treatise0 and fro" a childBs spellin$'-ook to a Newspeak dictionary! And the Ministry had not only to s)pply the ")ltifario)s needs of the party0 -)t also to repeat the whole operation at a lower level for the -enefit of the proletariat! .here was a whole chain of separate depart"ents dealin$ with proletarian literat)re0 ")sic0 dra"a0 and entertain"ent $enerally! 2ere were prod)ced r)--ishy newspapers containin$ al"ost nothin$ e/cept sport0 cri"e and astrolo$y0 sensational five' cent novelettes0 fil"s oo=in$ with se/0 and senti"ental son$s which were co"posed entirely -y "echanical "eans on a special kind of kaleidoscope known as a versificator! .here was even a whole s)-'section 9 Pornosec0 it was called in Newspeak 9 en$a$ed in prod)cin$ the lowest kind of porno$raphy0 which was sent o)t in sealed packets and which no *arty "e"-er0 other than those who worked on it0 was per"itted to look at! .hree "essa$es had slid o)t of the pne)"atic t)-e while 1inston was workin$0 -)t they were si"ple "atters0 and he had disposed of the" -efore the .wo Min)tes 2ate interr)pted hi"! 1hen the 2ate was over he ret)rned to his c)-icle0 took the Newspeak dictionary fro" the shelf0 p)shed the speakwrite to one side0 cleaned his spectacles0 and settled down to his "ain jo- of the "ornin$! 1instonBs $reatest pleas)re in life was in his work! Most of it was a tedio)s ro)tine0 -)t incl)ded in it there were also jo-s so diffic)lt and intricate that yo) co)ld lose yo)rself in the" as in the depths of a "athe"atical pro-le" 9 delicate pieces of for$ery in which yo) had nothin$ to $)ide yo) e/cept yo)r knowled$e of the principles of +n$soc and yo)r esti"ate of what the *arty wanted yo) to say! 1inston was $ood at this kind of thin$! %n occasion he had even -een entr)sted with the rectification of the Times leadin$ articles0 which were written entirely in Newspeak! 2e )nrolled the "essa$e that he had set aside earlier! +t ran: 1inston read thro)$h the offendin$ article! 3i$ 3rotherBs %rder for the Day0 it see"ed0 had -een chiefly devoted to praisin$ the work of an or$ani=ation known as (( 0 which s)pplied ci$arettes and other co"forts to the sailors in the (loatin$ (ortresses! A certain o"rade 1ithers0 a pro"inent "e"-er of the +nner *arty0 had -een sin$led o)t for special "ention and awarded a decoration0 the %rder of onspic)o)s Merit0 Second lass! .hree "onths later (( had s)ddenly -een dissolved with no reasons $iven! %ne co)ld ass)"e that 1ithers and his associates were now in dis$race0 -)t there had -een no report of the "atter in the *ress or on the telescreen! .hat was to -e e/pected0 since it was )n)s)al for political offenders to -e p)t on trial or even p)-licly deno)nced! .he $reat p)r$es involvin$ tho)sands of people0 with p)-lic trials of traitors and tho)$ht'cri"inals who "ade a-ject confession of their cri"es and were afterwards e/ec)ted0 were special show'pieces not occ)rrin$ oftener than once in a co)ple of years! More co""only0 people who had inc)rred the displeas)re of the *arty si"ply disappeared and were never heard of a$ain! %ne never had the s"allest cl)e as to what had happened to the"! +n so"e cases they "i$ht not even -e dead! *erhaps thirty people personally

known to 1inston0 not co)ntin$ his parents0 had disappeared at one ti"e or another! 1inston stroked his nose $ently with a paper'clip! +n the c)-icle across the way o"rade .illotson was still cro)chin$ secretively over his speakwrite! 2e raised his head for a "o"ent: a$ain the hostile spectacle'flash! 1inston wondered whether o"rade .illotson was en$a$ed on the sa"e jo- as hi"self! +t was perfectly possi-le! So tricky a piece of work wo)ld never -e entr)sted to a sin$le person: on the other hand0 to t)rn it over to a co""ittee wo)ld -e to ad"it openly that an act of fa-rication was takin$ place! ?ery likely as "any as a do=en people were now workin$ away on rival versions of what 3i$ 3rother had act)ally said! And presently so"e "aster -rain in the +nner *arty wo)ld select this version or that0 wo)ld re'edit it and set in "otion the co"ple/ processes of cross'referencin$ that wo)ld -e re<)ired0 and then the chosen lie wo)ld pass into the per"anent records and -eco"e tr)th! 1inston did not know why 1ithers had -een dis$raced! *erhaps it was for corr)ption or inco"petence! *erhaps 3i$ 3rother was "erely $ettin$ rid of a too'pop)lar s)-ordinate! *erhaps 1ithers or so"eone close to hi" had -een s)spected of heretical tendencies! %r perhaps 9 what was likeliest of all 9 the thin$ had si"ply happened -eca)se p)r$es and vapori=ations were a necessary part of the "echanics of $overn"ent! .he only real cl)e lay in the words Frefs )npersons,0 which indicated that 1ithers was already dead! @o) co)ld not invaria-ly ass)"e this to -e the case when people were arrested! So"eti"es they were released and allowed to re"ain at li-erty for as ")ch as a year or two years -efore -ein$ e/ec)ted! ?ery occasionally so"e person who" yo) had -elieved dead lon$ since wo)ld "ake a $hostly reappearance at so"e p)-lic trial where he wo)ld i"plicate h)ndreds of others -y his testi"ony -efore vanishin$0 this ti"e for ever! 1ithers0 however0 was already an unperson! 2e did not e/ist: he had never e/isted! 1inston decided that it wo)ld not -e eno)$h si"ply to reverse the tendency of 3i$ 3rotherBs speech! +t was -etter to "ake it deal with so"ethin$ totally )nconnected with its ori$inal s)-ject! 2e "i$ht t)rn the speech into the )s)al den)nciation of traitors and tho)$ht'cri"inals0 -)t that was a little too o-vio)s0 while to invent a victory at the front0 or so"e tri)"ph of over' prod)ction in the Ninth .hree'@ear *lan0 "i$ht co"plicate the records too ")ch! 1hat was needed was a piece of p)re fantasy! S)ddenly there spran$ into his "ind0 ready "ade as it were0 the i"a$e of a certain o"rade %$ilvy0 who had recently died in -attle0 in heroic circ)"stances! .here were occasions when 3i$ 3rother devoted his %rder for the Day to co""e"oratin$ so"e h)"-le0 rank' and'file *arty "e"-er whose life and death he held )p as an e/a"ple worthy to -e followed! .oday he sho)ld co""e"orate o"rade %$ilvy! +t was tr)e that there was no s)ch person as o"rade %$ilvy0 -)t a few lines of print and a co)ple of faked photo$raphs wo)ld soon -rin$ hi" into e/istence! 1inston tho)$ht for a "o"ent0 then p)lled the speakwrite towards hi" and -e$an dictatin$ in 3i$ 3rotherBs fa"iliar style: a style at once "ilitary and pedantic0 and0 -eca)se of a trick of askin$ <)estions and then pro"ptly answerin$ the" :F1hat lessons do we learn fro" this fact0 co"radesC .he lesson 9 which is also one of the f)nda"ental principles of +n$soc 9 that0, etc!0 etc!;0 easy to i"itate! At the a$e of three o"rade %$ilvy had ref)sed all toys e/cept a dr)"0 a s)-'"achine $)n0 and a "odel helicopter! At si/ 9 a year early0 -y a special rela/ation of the r)les 9 he had joined the Spies0 at nine he had -een a troop leader! At eleven he had deno)nced his )ncle to the .ho)$ht *olice after overhearin$ a conversation which appeared to hi" to have cri"inal tendencies! At seventeen he had -een a district or$ani=er of the 4)nior Anti'Se/ >ea$)e! At nine teen he had desi$ned a hand'$renade which had -een adopted -y the Ministry of *eace and which0 at its first trial0 had killed thirty'one &)rasian prisoners in one -)rst! At twenty'three he had perished in action! *)rs)ed -y ene"y jet planes while flyin$ over the +ndian %cean with i"portant despatches0 he had wei$hted his -ody with his "achine $)n and leapt o)t of the helicopter into deep water0 despatches and all 9 an end0 said 3i$ 3rother0 which it was i"possi-le to conte"plate witho)t feelin$s of envy! 3i$ 3rother added a few re"arks on the p)rity and sin$le'"indedness of o"rade %$ilvyBs life! 2e was a total a-stainer and a nons"oker0 had no recreations e/cept a daily ho)r in the $y"nasi)"0 and had taken a vow of celi-acy0 -elievin$ "arria$e and the care of a fa"ily to -e

inco"pati-le with a twenty'fo)r'ho)r'a'day devotion to d)ty! 2e had no s)-jects of conversation e/cept the principles of +n$soc0 and no ai" in life e/cept the defeat of the &)rasian ene"y and the h)ntin$'down of spies0 sa-ote)rs0 tho)$htcri"inals0 and traitors $enerally! 1inston de-ated with hi"self whether to award o"rade %$ilvy the %rder of onspic)o)s Merit: in the end he decided a$ainst it -eca)se of the )nnecessary cross'referencin$ that it wo)ld entail! %nce a$ain he $lanced at his rival in the opposite c)-icle! So"ethin$ see"ed to tell hi" with certainty that .illotson was -)sy on the sa"e jo- as hi"self! .here was no way of knowin$ whose jo- wo)ld finally -e adopted0 -)t he felt a profo)nd conviction that it wo)ld -e his own! o"rade %$ilvy0 )ni"a$ined an ho)r a$o0 was now a fact! +t str)ck hi" as c)rio)s that yo) co)ld create dead "en -)t not livin$ ones! o"rade %$ilvy0 who had never e/isted in the present0 now e/isted in the past0 and when once the act of for$ery was for$otten0 he wo)ld e/ist j)st as a)thentically0 and )pon the sa"e evidence0 as harle"a$ne or 4)li)s aesar! +n the low'ceilin$ed canteen0 deep )nder$ro)nd0 the l)nch <)e)e jerked slowly forward! .he roo" was already very f)ll and deafenin$ly noisy! (ro" the $rille at the co)nter the stea" of stew ca"e po)rin$ forth0 with a so)r "etallic s"ell which did not <)ite overco"e the f)"es of ?ictory #in! %n the far side of the roo" there was a s"all -ar0 a "ere hole in the wall0 where $in co)ld -e -o)$ht at ten cents the lar$e nip! F4)st the "an + was lookin$ for0, said a voice at 1instonBs -ack! 2e t)rned ro)nd! +t was his friend Sy"e0 who worked in the 7esearch Depart"ent! *erhaps Ffriend, was not e/actly the ri$ht word! @o) did not have friends nowadays0 yo) had co"rades: -)t there were so"e co"rades whose society was pleasanter than that of others! Sy"e was a philolo$ist0 a specialist in Newspeak! +ndeed0 he was one of the enor"o)s tea" of e/perts now en$a$ed in co"pilin$ the &leventh &dition of the Newspeak Dictionary! 2e was a tiny creat)re0 s"aller than 1inston0 with dark hair and lar$e0 prot)-erant eyes0 at once "o)rnf)l and derisive0 which see"ed to search yo)r face closely while he was speakin$ to yo)! F+ wanted to ask yo) whether yo)Bd $ot any ra=or -lades0, he said! FNot oneH, said 1inston with a sort of $)ilty haste! F+Bve tried all over the place! .hey donBt e/ist any lon$er!, &veryone kept askin$ yo) for ra=or -lades! Act)ally he had two )n)sed ones which he was hoardin$ )p! .here had -een a fa"ine of the" for "onths past! At any $iven "o"ent there was so"e necessary article which the *arty shops were )na-le to s)pply! So"eti"es it was -)ttons0 so"eti"es it was darnin$ wool0 so"eti"es it was shoelaces5 at present it was ra=or -lades! @o) co)ld only $et hold of the"0 if at all0 -y scro)n$in$ "ore or less f)rtively on the Ffree, "arket! F+Bve -een )sin$ the sa"e -lade for si/ weeks0, he added )ntr)thf)lly! .he <)e)e $ave another jerk forward! As they halted he t)rned and faced Sy"e a$ain! &ach of the" took a $reasy "etal tray fro" a pile at the end of the co)nter! FDid yo) $o and see the prisoners han$ed yesterdayC, said Sy"e! F+ was workin$0, said 1inston indifferently! F+ shall see it on the flicks0 + s)ppose!, FA very inade<)ate s)-stit)te0, said Sy"e! 2is "ockin$ eyes roved over 1instonBs face! F+ know yo)0, the eyes see"ed to say0 F+ see thro)$h yo)! + know very well why yo) didnBt $o to see those prisoners han$ed!, +n an intellect)al way0 Sy"e was veno"o)sly orthodo/! 2e wo)ld talk with a disa$reea-le $loatin$ satisfaction of helicopter raids on ene"y villa$es0 and trials and confessions of tho)$ht'cri"inals0 the e/ec)tions in the cellars of the Ministry of >ove! .alkin$ to hi" was lar$ely a "atter of $ettin$ hi" away fro" s)ch s)-jects and entan$lin$ hi"0 if possi-le0 in the technicalities of Newspeak0 on which he was a)thoritative and interestin$! 1inston t)rned his head a little aside to avoid the scr)tiny of the lar$e dark eyes! F+t was a $ood han$in$0, said Sy"e re"iniscently! F+ think it spoils it when they tie their feet to$ether! + like to see the" kickin$! And a-ove all0 at the end0 the ton$)e stickin$ ri$ht o)t0 and -l)e 9 a <)ite -ri$ht -l)e! .hatBs the detail that appeals to "e!, FNe/B0 pleaseH, yelled the white'aproned prole with the ladle!

1inston and Sy"e p)shed their trays -eneath the $rille! %n to each was d)"ped swiftly the re$)lation l)nch 9 a "etal pannikin of pinkish'$rey stew0 a h)nk of -read0 a c)-e of cheese0 a ")$ of "ilkless ?ictory offee0 and one saccharine ta-let! F.hereBs a ta-le over there0 )nder that telescreen0, said Sy"e! F>etBs pick )p a $in on the way!, .he $in was served o)t to the" in handleless china ")$s! .hey threaded their way across the crowded roo" and )npacked their trays on to the "etal'topped ta-le0 on one corner of which so"eone had left a pool of stew0 a filthy li<)id "ess that had the appearance of vo"it! 1inston took )p his ")$ of $in0 pa)sed for an instant to collect his nerve0 and $)lped the oily'tastin$ st)ff down! 1hen he had winked the tears o)t of his eyes he s)ddenly discovered that he was h)n$ry! 2e -e$an swallowin$ spoonf)ls of the stew0 which0 in a"on$ its $eneral sloppiness0 had c)-es of spon$y pinkish st)ff which was pro-a-ly a preparation of "eat! Neither of the" spoke a$ain till they had e"ptied their pannikins! (ro" the ta-le at 1instonBs left0 a little -ehind his -ack0 so"eone was talkin$ rapidly and contin)o)sly0 a harsh $a--le al"ost like the <)ackin$ of a d)ck0 which pierced the $eneral )proar of the roo"! F2ow is the Dictionary $ettin$ onC, said 1inston0 raisin$ his voice to overco"e the noise! FSlowly0, said Sy"e! F+B" on the adjectives! +tBs fascinatin$!, 2e had -ri$htened )p i""ediately at the "ention of Newspeak! 2e p)shed his pannikin aside0 took )p his h)nk of -read in one delicate hand and his cheese in the other0 and leaned across the ta-le so as to -e a-le to speak witho)t sho)tin$! F.he &leventh &dition is the definitive edition0, he said! F1eBre $ettin$ the lan$)a$e into its final shape 9 the shape itBs $oin$ to have when no-ody speaks anythin$ else! 1hen weBve finished with it0 people like yo) will have to learn it all over a$ain! @o) think0 + dare say0 that o)r chief jo- is inventin$ new words! 3)t not a -it of itH 1eBre destroyin$ words 9 scores of the"0 h)ndreds of the"0 every day! 1eBre c)ttin$ the lan$)a$e down to the -one! .he &leventh &dition wonBt contain a sin$le word that will -eco"e o-solete -efore the year KEGE!, 2e -it h)n$rily into his -read and swallowed a co)ple of "o)thf)ls0 then contin)ed speakin$0 with a sort of pedantBs passion! 2is thin dark face had -eco"e ani"ated0 his eyes had lost their "ockin$ e/pression and $rown al"ost drea"y! F+tBs a -ea)tif)l thin$0 the destr)ction of words! %f co)rse the $reat wasta$e is in the ver-s and adjectives0 -)t there are h)ndreds of no)ns that can -e $ot rid of as well! +t isnBt only the synony"s5 there are also the antony"s! After all0 what j)stification is there for a word which is si"ply the opposite of so"e other wordC A word contains its opposite in itself! .ake 6$ood80 for instance! +f yo) have a word like 6$ood80 what need is there for a word like 6-ad8C 6An$ood8 will do j)st as well 9 -etter0 -eca)se itBs an e/act opposite0 which the other is not! %r a$ain0 if yo) want a stron$er version of 6$ood80 what sense is there in havin$ a whole strin$ of va$)e )seless words like 6e/cellent8 and 6splendid8 and all the rest of the"C 6*l)s$ood8 covers the "eanin$0 or 6do)-lepl)s$ood8 if yo) want so"ethin$ stron$er still! %f co)rse we )se those for"s already! -)t in the final version of Newspeak thereBll -e nothin$ else! +n the end the whole notion of $oodness and -adness will -e covered -y only si/ words 9 in reality0 only one word! donBt yo) see the -ea)ty of that0 1instonC +t was 3! 3!Bs idea ori$inally0 of co)rse0, he added as an aftertho)$ht! A sort of vapid ea$erness flitted across 1instonBs face at the "ention of 3i$ 3rother! Nevertheless Sy"e i""ediately detected a certain lack of enth)sias"! F@o) havenBt a real appreciation of Newspeak0 1inston0, he said al"ost sadly! F&ven when yo) write it yo)Bre still thinkin$ in %ldspeak! +Bve read so"e of those pieces that yo) write in the Times occasionally! .heyBre $ood eno)$h0 -)t theyBre translations! +n yo)r heart yo)Bd prefer to stick to %ldspeak0 with all its va$)eness and its )seless shades of "eanin$! @o) donBt $rasp the -ea)ty of the destr)ction of words! Do yo) know that Newspeak is the only lan$)a$e in the world whose voca-)lary $ets s"aller every yearC, 1inston did know that0 of co)rse! 2e s"iled0 sy"pathetically he hoped0 not tr)stin$ hi"self to speak! Sy"e -it off another fra$"ent of the dark'colo)red -read0 chewed it -riefly0 and went on: FDonBt yo) see that the whole ai" of Newspeak is to narrow the ran$e of tho)$htC +n the end

we shall "ake tho)$htcri"e literally i"possi-le0 -eca)se there will -e no words in which to e/press it! &very concept that can ever -e needed0 will -e e/pressed -y e/actly one word0 with its "eanin$ ri$idly defined and all its s)-sidiary "eanin$s r)--ed o)t and for$otten! Already0 in the &leventh &dition0 weBre not far fro" that point! 3)t the process will still -e contin)in$ lon$ after yo) and + are dead! &very year fewer and fewer words0 and the ran$e of conscio)sness always a little s"aller! &ven now0 of co)rse0 thereBs no reason or e/c)se for co""ittin$ tho)$htcri"e! +tBs "erely a <)estion of self'discipline0 reality'control! 3)t in the end there wonBt -e any need even for that! .he 7evol)tion will -e co"plete when the lan$)a$e is perfect! Newspeak is +n$soc and +n$soc is Newspeak0, he added with a sort of "ystical satisfaction! F2as it ever occ)rred to yo)0 1inston0 that -y the year KEGE0 at the very latest0 not a sin$le h)"an -ein$ will -e alive who co)ld )nderstand s)ch a conversation as we are havin$ nowC, F&/cept9, -e$an 1inston do)-tf)lly0 and he stopped! +t had -een on the tip of his ton$)e to say F&/cept the proles0, -)t he checked hi"self0 not feelin$ f)lly certain that this re"ark was not in so"e way )northodo/! Sy"e0 however0 had divined what he was a-o)t to say! F.he proles are not h)"an -ein$s0, he said carelessly! F3y KEGE 9 earlier0 pro-a-ly 9 all real knowled$e of %ldspeak will have disappeared! .he whole literat)re of the past will have -een destroyed! ha)cer0 Shakespeare0 Milton0 3yron 9 theyBll e/ist only in Newspeak versions0 not "erely chan$ed into so"ethin$ different0 -)t act)ally chan$ed into so"ethin$ contradictory of what they )sed to -e! &ven the literat)re of the *arty will chan$e! &ven the slo$ans will chan$e! 2ow co)ld yo) have a slo$an like 6freedo" is slavery8 when the concept of freedo" has -een a-olishedC .he whole cli"ate of tho)$ht will -e different! +n fact there will be no tho)$ht0 as we )nderstand it now! %rthodo/y "eans not thinkin$ 9 not needin$ to think! %rthodo/y is )nconscio)sness!, %ne of these days0 tho)$ht 1inston with s)dden deep conviction0 Sy"e will -e vapori=ed! 2e is too intelli$ent! 2e sees too clearly and speaks too plainly! .he *arty does not like s)ch people! %ne day he will disappear! +t is written in his face! 1inston had finished his -read and cheese! 2e t)rned a little sideways in his chair to drink his ")$ of coffee! At the ta-le on his left the "an with the strident voice was still talkin$ re"orselessly away! A yo)n$ wo"an who was perhaps his secretary0 and who was sittin$ with her -ack to 1inston0 was listenin$ to hi" and see"ed to -e ea$erly a$reein$ with everythin$ that he said! (ro" ti"e to ti"e 1inston ca)$ht so"e s)ch re"ark as F+ think yo)Bre so ri$ht0 + do so a$ree with yo),0 )ttered in a yo)thf)l and rather silly fe"inine voice! 3)t the other voice never stopped for an instant0 even when the $irl was speakin$! 1inston knew the "an -y si$ht0 tho)$h he knew no "ore a-o)t hi" than that he held so"e i"portant post in the (iction Depart"ent! 2e was a "an of a-o)t thirty0 with a ")sc)lar throat and a lar$e0 "o-ile "o)th! 2is head was thrown -ack a little0 and -eca)se of the an$le at which he was sittin$0 his spectacles ca)$ht the li$ht and presented to 1inston two -lank discs instead of eyes! 1hat was sli$htly horri-le0 was that fro" the strea" of so)nd that po)red o)t of his "o)th it was al"ost i"possi-le to distin$)ish a sin$le word! 4)st once 1inston ca)$ht a phrase 9 Fco"plete and final eli"ination of #oldsteinis", 9 jerked o)t very rapidly and0 as it see"ed0 all in one piece0 like a line of type cast solid! (or the rest it was j)st a noise0 a <)ack'<)ack'<)ackin$! And yet0 tho)$h yo) co)ld not act)ally hear what the "an was sayin$0 yo) co)ld not -e in any do)-t a-o)t its $eneral nat)re! 2e "i$ht -e deno)ncin$ #oldstein and de"andin$ sterner "eas)res a$ainst tho)$ht'cri"inals and sa-ote)rs0 he "i$ht -e f)l"inatin$ a$ainst the atrocities of the &)rasian ar"y0 he "i$ht -e praisin$ 3i$ 3rother or the heroes on the Mala-ar front 9 it "ade no difference! 1hatever it was0 yo) co)ld -e certain that every word of it was p)re orthodo/y0 p)re +n$soc! As he watched the eyeless face with the jaw "ovin$ rapidly )p and down0 1inston had a c)rio)s feelin$ that this was not a real h)"an -ein$ -)t so"e kind of d)""y! +t was not the "anBs -rain that was speakin$0 it was his laryn/! .he st)ff that was co"in$ o)t of hi" consisted of words0 -)t it was not speech in the tr)e sense: it was a noise )ttered in )nconscio)sness0 like the <)ackin$ of a d)ck! Sy"e had fallen silent for a "o"ent0 and with the handle of his spoon was tracin$ patterns in the p)ddle of stew! .he voice fro" the other ta-le <)acked rapidly on0 easily a)di-le in spite of

the s)rro)ndin$ din! F.here is a word in Newspeak0, said Sy"e0 F+ donBt know whether yo) know it: duckspeak0 to <)ack like a d)ck! +t is one of those interestin$ words that have two contradictory "eanin$s! Applied to an opponent0 it is a-)se0 applied to so"eone yo) a$ree with0 it is praise!, An<)estiona-ly Sy"e will -e vapori=ed0 1inston tho)$ht a$ain! 2e tho)$ht it with a kind of sadness0 altho)$h well knowin$ that Sy"e despised hi" and sli$htly disliked hi"0 and was f)lly capa-le of deno)ncin$ hi" as a tho)$ht'cri"inal if he saw any reason for doin$ so! .here was so"ethin$ s)-tly wron$ with Sy"e! .here was so"ethin$ that he lacked: discretion0 aloofness0 a sort of savin$ st)pidity! @o) co)ld not say that he was )northodo/! 2e -elieved in the principles of +n$soc0 he venerated 3i$ 3rother0 he rejoiced over victories0 he hated heretics0 not "erely with sincerity -)t with a sort of restless =eal0 an )p'to'dateness of infor"ation0 which the ordinary *arty "e"-er did not approach! @et a faint air of disrep)ta-ility always cl)n$ to hi"! 2e said thin$s that wo)ld have -een -etter )nsaid0 he had read too "any -ooks0 he fre<)ented the hestn)t .ree afL0 ha)nt of painters and ")sicians! .here was no law0 not even an )nwritten law0 a$ainst fre<)entin$ the hestn)t .ree afL0 yet the place was so"ehow ill'o"ened! .he old0 discredited leaders of the *arty had -een )sed to $ather there -efore they were finally p)r$ed! #oldstein hi"self0 it was said0 had so"eti"es -een seen there0 years and decades a$o! Sy"eBs fate was not diffic)lt to foresee! And yet it was a fact that if Sy"e $rasped0 even for three seconds0 the nat)re of his0 1instonBs0 secret opinions0 he wo)ld -etray hi" instantly to the .ho)$ht police! So wo)ld any-ody else0 for that "atter: -)t Sy"e "ore than "ost! Meal was not eno)$h! %rthodo/y was )nconscio)sness! Sy"e looked )p! F2ere co"es *arsons0, he said! So"ethin$ in the tone of his voice see"ed to add0 Fthat -loody fool,! *arsons0 1instonBs fellow'tenant at ?ictory Mansions0 was in fact threadin$ his way across the roo" 9 a t)--y0 "iddle'si=ed "an with fair hair and a fro$like face! At thirty'five he was already p)ttin$ on rolls of fat at neck and waistline0 -)t his "ove"ents were -risk and -oyish! 2is whole appearance was that of a little -oy $rown lar$e0 so ")ch so that altho)$h he was wearin$ the re$)lation overalls0 it was al"ost i"possi-le not to think of hi" as -ein$ dressed in the -l)e shorts0 $rey shirt0 and red neckerchief of the Spies! +n vis)ali=in$ hi" one saw always a pict)re of di"pled knees and sleeves rolled -ack fro" p)d$y forear"s! *arsons did0 indeed0 invaria-ly revert to shorts when a co"")nity hike or any other physical activity $ave hi" an e/c)se for doin$ so! 2e $reeted the" -oth with a cheery F2)llo0 h)lloH, and sat down at the ta-le0 $ivin$ off an intense s"ell of sweat! 3eads of "oist)re stood o)t all over his pink face! 2is powers of sweatin$ were e/traordinary! At the o"")nity entre yo) co)ld always tell when he had -een playin$ ta-le'tennis -y the da"pness of the -at handle! Sy"e had prod)ced a strip of paper on which there was a lon$ col)"n of words0 and was st)dyin$ it with an ink'pencil -etween his fin$ers! F>ook at hi" workin$ away in the l)nch ho)r0, said *arsons0 n)d$in$ 1inston! FNeenness0 ehC 1hatBs that yo)Bve $ot there0 old -oyC So"ethin$ a -it too -rainy for "e0 + e/pect! S"ith0 old -oy0 +Bll tell yo) why +B" chasin$ yo)! +tBs that s)- yo) for$ot to $ive "e!, F1hich s)- is thatC, said 1inston0 a)to"atically feelin$ for "oney! A-o)t a <)arter of oneBs salary had to -e ear"arked for vol)ntary s)-scriptions0 which were so n)"ero)s that it was diffic)lt to keep track of the"! F(or 2ate 1eek! @o) know 9 the ho)se'-y'ho)se f)nd! +B" treas)rer for o)r -lock! 1eBre "akin$ an all'o)t effort 9 $oin$ to p)t on a tre"endo)s show! + tell yo)0 it wonBt -e "y fa)lt if old ?ictory Mansions doesnBt have the -i$$est o)tfit of fla$s in the whole street! .wo dollars yo) pro"ised "e!, 1inston fo)nd and handed over two creased and filthy notes0 which *arsons entered in a s"all note-ook0 in the neat handwritin$ of the illiterate! F3y the way0 old -oy0, he said! F+ hear that little -e$$ar of "ine let fly at yo) with his catap)lt yesterday! + $ave hi" a $ood dressin$'down for it! +n fact + told hi" +Bd take the catap)lt away if he does it a$ain!, F+ think he was a little )pset at not $oin$ to the e/ec)tion0, said 1inston! FAh0 well 9 what + "ean to say0 shows the ri$ht spirit0 doesnBt itC Mischievo)s little -e$$ars

they are0 -oth of the"0 -)t talk a-o)t keennessH All they think a-o)t is the Spies0 and the war0 of co)rse! DByo) know what that little $irl of "ine did last Sat)rday0 when her troop was on a hike o)t 3erkha"sted wayC She $ot two other $irls to $o with her0 slipped off fro" the hike0 and spent the whole afternoon followin$ a stran$e "an! .hey kept on his tail for two ho)rs0 ri$ht thro)$h the woods0 and then0 when they $ot into A"ersha"0 handed hi" over to the patrols!, F1hat did they do that forC, said 1inston0 so"ewhat taken a-ack! *arsons went on tri)"phantly: FMy kid "ade s)re he was so"e kind of ene"y a$ent 9 "i$ht have -een dropped -y parach)te0 for instance! 3)t hereBs the point0 old -oy! 1hat do yo) think p)t her on to hi" in the first placeC She spotted he was wearin$ a f)nny kind of shoes 9 said sheBd never seen anyone wearin$ shoes like that -efore! So the chances were he was a forei$ner! *retty s"art for a nipper of seven0 ehC, F1hat happened to the "anC, said 1inston! FAh0 that + co)ldnBt say0 of co)rse! 3)t + wo)ldnBt -e alto$ether s)rprised if9, *arsons "ade the "otion of ai"in$ a rifle0 and clicked his ton$)e for the e/plosion! F#ood0, said Sy"e a-stractedly0 witho)t lookin$ )p fro" his strip of paper! F%f co)rse we canBt afford to take chances0, a$reed 1inston d)tif)lly! F1hat + "ean to say0 there is a war on0, said *arsons! As tho)$h in confir"ation of this0 a tr)"pet call floated fro" the telescreen j)st a-ove their heads! 2owever0 it was not the procla"ation of a "ilitary victory this ti"e0 -)t "erely an anno)nce"ent fro" the Ministry of *lenty! F o"radesH, cried an ea$er yo)thf)l voice! FAttention0 co"radesH 1e have $lorio)s news for yo)! 1e have won the -attle for prod)ctionH 7et)rns now co"pleted of the o)tp)t of all classes of cons)"ption $oods show that the standard of livin$ has risen -y no less than KE per cent over the past year! All over %ceania this "ornin$ there were irrepressi-le spontaneo)s de"onstrations when workers "arched o)t of factories and offices and paraded thro)$h the streets with -anners voicin$ their $ratit)de to 3i$ 3rother for the new0 happy life which his wise leadership has -estowed )pon )s! 2ere are so"e of the co"pleted fi$)res! (oodst)ffs9, .he phrase Fo)r new0 happy life, rec)rred several ti"es! +t had -een a favo)rite of late with the Ministry of *lenty! *arsons0 his attention ca)$ht -y the tr)"pet call0 sat listenin$ with a sort of $apin$ sole"nity0 a sort of edified -oredo"! 2e co)ld not follow the fi$)res0 -)t he was aware that they were in so"e way a ca)se for satisfaction! 2e had l)$$ed o)t a h)$e and filthy pipe which was already half f)ll of charred to-acco! 1ith the to-acco ration at 1EE $ra""es a week it was seldo" possi-le to fill a pipe to the top! 1inston was s"okin$ a ?ictory i$arette which he held caref)lly hori=ontal! .he new ration did not start till to"orrow and he had only fo)r ci$arettes left! (or the "o"ent he had sh)t his ears to the re"oter noises and was listenin$ to the st)ff that strea"ed o)t of the telescreen! +t appeared that there had even -een de"onstrations to thank 3i$ 3rother for raisin$ the chocolate ration to twenty $ra""es a week! And only yesterday0 he reflected0 it had -een anno)nced that the ration was to -e reduced to twenty $ra""es a week! 1as it possi-le that they co)ld swallow that0 after only twenty'fo)r ho)rsC @es0 they swallowed it! *arsons swallowed it easily0 with the st)pidity of an ani"al! .he eyeless creat)re at the other ta-le swallowed it fanatically0 passionately0 with a f)rio)s desire to track down0 deno)nce0 and vapori=e anyone who sho)ld s)$$est that last week the ration had -een thirty $ra""es! Sy"e0 too 9 in so"e "ore co"ple/ way0 involvin$ do)-lethink0 Sy"e swallowed it! 1as he0 then0 alone in the possession of a "e"oryC .he fa-)lo)s statistics contin)ed to po)r o)t of the telescreen! As co"pared with last year there was "ore food0 "ore clothes0 "ore ho)ses0 "ore f)rnit)re0 "ore cookin$'pots0 "ore f)el0 "ore ships0 "ore helicopters0 "ore -ooks0 "ore -a-ies 9 "ore of everythin$ e/cept disease0 cri"e0 and insanity! @ear -y year and "in)te -y "in)te0 every-ody and everythin$ was whi==in$ rapidly )pwards! As Sy"e had done earlier 1inston had taken )p his spoon and was da--lin$ in the pale'colo)red $ravy that dri--led across the ta-le0 drawin$ a lon$ streak of it o)t into a pattern! 2e "editated resentf)lly on the physical te/t)re of life! 2ad it always -een like thisC 2ad food always

tasted like thisC 2e looked ro)nd the canteen! A low'ceilin$ed0 crowded roo"0 its walls $ri"y fro" the contact of inn)"era-le -odies5 -attered "etal ta-les and chairs0 placed so close to$ether that yo) sat with el-ows to)chin$5 -ent spoons0 dented trays0 coarse white ")$s5 all s)rfaces $reasy0 $ri"e in every crack5 and a so)rish0 co"posite s"ell of -ad $in and -ad coffee and "etallic stew and dirty clothes! Always in yo)r sto"ach and in yo)r skin there was a sort of protest0 a feelin$ that yo) had -een cheated of so"ethin$ that yo) had a ri$ht to! +t was tr)e that he had no "e"ories of anythin$ $reatly different! +n any ti"e that he co)ld acc)rately re"e"-er0 there had never -een <)ite eno)$h to eat0 one had never had socks or )nderclothes that were not f)ll of holes0 f)rnit)re had always -een -attered and rickety0 roo"s )nderheated0 t)-e trains crowded0 ho)ses fallin$ to pieces0 -read dark'colo)red0 tea a rarity0 coffee filthy'tastin$0 ci$arettes ins)fficient 9 nothin$ cheap and plentif)l e/cept synthetic $in! And tho)$h0 of co)rse0 it $rew worse as oneBs -ody a$ed0 was it not a si$n that this was not the nat)ral order of thin$s0 if oneBs heart sickened at the disco"fort and dirt and scarcity0 the inter"ina-le winters0 the stickiness of oneBs socks0 the lifts that never worked0 the cold water0 the $ritty soap0 the ci$arettes that ca"e to pieces0 the food with its stran$e evil tastesC 1hy sho)ld one feel it to -e intolera-le )nless one had so"e kind of ancestral "e"ory that thin$s had once -een differentC 2e looked ro)nd the canteen a$ain! Nearly everyone was )$ly0 and wo)ld still have -een )$ly even if dressed otherwise than in the )nifor" -l)e overalls! %n the far side of the roo"0 sittin$ at a ta-le alone0 a s"all0 c)rio)sly -eetle'like "an was drinkin$ a c)p of coffee0 his little eyes dartin$ s)spicio)s $lances fro" side to side! 2ow easy it was0 tho)$ht 1inston0 if yo) did not look a-o)t yo)0 to -elieve that the physical type set )p -y the *arty as an ideal'tall ")sc)lar yo)ths and deep'-oso"ed "aidens0 -lond'haired0 vital0 s)n-)rnt0 carefree 9 e/isted and even predo"inated! Act)ally0 so far as he co)ld j)d$e0 the "ajority of people in Airstrip %ne were s"all0 dark0 and ill' favo)red! +t was c)rio)s how that -eetle'like type proliferated in the Ministries: little d)"py "en0 $rowin$ sto)t very early in life0 with short le$s0 swift sc)ttlin$ "ove"ents0 and fat inscr)ta-le faces with very s"all eyes! +t was the type that see"ed to flo)rish -est )nder the do"inion of the *arty! .he anno)nce"ent fro" the Ministry of *lenty ended on another tr)"pet call and $ave way to tinny ")sic! *arsons0 stirred to va$)e enth)sias" -y the -o"-ard"ent of fi$)res0 took his pipe o)t of his "o)th! F.he Ministry of *lentyBs certainly done a $ood jo- this year0, he said with a knowin$ shake of his head! F3y the way0 S"ith old -oy0 + s)ppose yo) havenBt $ot any ra=or -lades yo) can let "e haveC, FNot one0, said 1inston! F+Bve -een )sin$ the sa"e -lade for si/ weeks "yself!, FAh0 well 9 j)st tho)$ht +Bd ask yo)0 old -oy!, FSorry0, said 1inston! .he <)ackin$ voice fro" the ne/t ta-le0 te"porarily silenced d)rin$ the MinistryBs anno)nce"ent0 had started )p a$ain0 as lo)d as ever! (or so"e reason 1inston s)ddenly fo)nd hi"self thinkin$ of Mrs! *arsons0 with her wispy hair and the d)st in the creases of her face! 1ithin two years those children wo)ld -e deno)ncin$ her to the .ho)$ht *olice! Mrs! *arsons wo)ld -e vapori=ed! Sy"e wo)ld -e vapori=ed! 1inston wo)ld -e vapori=ed! %B3rien wo)ld -e vapori=ed! *arsons0 on the other hand0 wo)ld never -e vapori=ed! .he eyeless creat)re with the <)ackin$ voice wo)ld never -e vapori=ed! .he little -eetle'like "en who sc)ttle so ni"-ly thro)$h the la-yrinthine corridors of Ministries they0 too0 wo)ld never -e vapori=ed! And the $irl with dark hair0 the $irl fro" the (iction Depart"ent 9 she wo)ld never -e vapori=ed either! +t see"ed to hi" that he knew instinctively who wo)ld s)rvive and who wo)ld perish: tho)$h j)st what it was that "ade for s)rvival0 it was not easy to say! At this "o"ent he was dra$$ed o)t of his reverie with a violent jerk! .he $irl at the ne/t ta-le had t)rned partly ro)nd and was lookin$ at hi"! +t was the $irl with dark hair! She was lookin$ at hi" in a sidelon$ way0 -)t with c)rio)s intensity! .he instant she ca)$ht his eye she looked away a$ain! .he sweat started o)t on 1instonBs -ack-one! A horri-le pan$ of terror went thro)$h hi"! +t was $one al"ost at once0 -)t it left a sort of na$$in$ )neasiness -ehind! 1hy was she watchin$

hi"C 1hy did she keep followin$ hi" a-o)tC Anfort)nately he co)ld not re"e"-er whether she had already -een at the ta-le when he arrived0 or had co"e there afterwards! 3)t yesterday0 at any rate0 d)rin$ the .wo Min)tes 2ate0 she had sat i""ediately -ehind hi" when there was no apparent need to do so! O)ite likely her real o-ject had -een to listen to hi" and "ake s)re whether he was sho)tin$ lo)dly eno)$h! 2is earlier tho)$ht ret)rned to hi": pro-a-ly she was not act)ally a "e"-er of the .ho)$ht *olice0 -)t then it was precisely the a"ate)r spy who was the $reatest dan$er of all! 2e did not know how lon$ she had -een lookin$ at hi"0 -)t perhaps for as ")ch as five "in)tes0 and it was possi-le that his feat)res had not -een perfectly )nder control! +t was terri-ly dan$ero)s to let yo)r tho)$hts wander when yo) were in any p)-lic place or within ran$e of a telescreen! .he s"allest thin$ co)ld $ive yo) away! A nervo)s tic0 an )nconscio)s look of an/iety0 a ha-it of ")tterin$ to yo)rself 9 anythin$ that carried with it the s)$$estion of a-nor"ality0 of havin$ so"ethin$ to hide! +n any case0 to wear an i"proper e/pression on yo)r face :to look incred)lo)s when a victory was anno)nced0 for e/a"ple; was itself a p)nisha-le offence! .here was even a word for it in Newspeak: facecrime0 it was called! .he $irl had t)rned her -ack on hi" a$ain! *erhaps after all she was not really followin$ hi" a-o)t0 perhaps it was coincidence that she had sat so close to hi" two days r)nnin$! 2is ci$arette had $one o)t0 and he laid it caref)lly on the ed$e of the ta-le! 2e wo)ld finish s"okin$ it after work0 if he co)ld keep the to-acco in it! O)ite likely the person at the ne/t ta-le was a spy of the .ho)$ht *olice0 and <)ite likely he wo)ld -e in the cellars of the Ministry of >ove within three days0 -)t a ci$arette end ")st not -e wasted! Sy"e had folded )p his strip of paper and stowed it away in his pocket! *arsons had -e$)n talkin$ a$ain! FDid + ever tell yo)0 old -oy0, he said0 ch)cklin$ ro)nd the ste" of his pipe0 Fa-o)t the ti"e when those two nippers of "ine set fire to the old "arket'wo"anBs skirt -eca)se they saw her wrappin$ )p sa)sa$es in a poster of 3!3!C Sneaked )p -ehind her and set fire to it with a -o/ of "atches! 3)rned her <)ite -adly0 + -elieve! >ittle -e$$ars0 ehC 3)t keen as ")stardH .hatBs a first' rate trainin$ they $ive the" in the Spies nowadays 9 -etter than in "y day0 even! 1hat d,yo) thinkBs the latest thin$ theyBve served the" o)t withC &ar tr)"pets for listenin$ thro)$h keyholesH My little $irl -ro)$ht one ho"e the other ni$ht 9 tried it o)t on o)r sittin$'roo" door0 and reckoned she co)ld hear twice as ")ch as with her ear to the hole! %f co)rse itBs only a toy0 "ind yo)! Still0 $ives ,e" the ri$ht idea0 ehC, At this "o"ent the telescreen let o)t a piercin$ whistle! +t was the si$nal to ret)rn to work! All three "en spran$ to their feet to join in the str)$$le ro)nd the lifts0 and the re"ainin$ to-acco fell o)t of 1instonBs ci$arette! 1inston was writin$ in his diary: (or the "o"ent it was too diffic)lt to $o on! 2e sh)t his eyes and pressed his fin$ers a$ainst the"0 tryin$ to s<)ee=e o)t the vision that kept rec)rrin$! 2e had an al"ost overwhel"in$ te"ptation to sho)t a strin$ of filthy words at the top of his voice! %r to -an$ his head a$ainst the wall0 to kick over the ta-le0 and h)rl the inkpot thro)$h the window 9 to do any violent or noisy or painf)l thin$ that "i$ht -lack o)t the "e"ory that was tor"entin$ hi"! @o)r worst ene"y0 he reflected0 was yo)r own nervo)s syste"! At any "o"ent the tension inside yo) was lia-le to translate itself into so"e visi-le sy"pto"! 2e tho)$ht of a "an who" he had passed in the street a few weeks -ack5 a <)ite ordinary'lookin$ "an0 a *arty "e"-er0 a$ed thirty'five to forty0 tallish and thin0 carryin$ a -rief'case! .hey were a few "etres apart when the left side of the "anBs face was s)ddenly contorted -y a sort of spas"! +t happened a$ain j)st as they were passin$ one another: it was only a twitch0 a <)iver0 rapid as the clickin$ of a ca"era sh)tter0 -)t o-vio)sly ha-it)al! 2e re"e"-ered thinkin$ at the ti"e: .hat poor devil is done for! And what was fri$htenin$ was that the action was <)ite possi-ly )nconscio)s! .he "ost deadly dan$er of all was talkin$ in yo)r sleep! .here was no way of $)ardin$ a$ainst that0 so far as he co)ld see! 2is teeth were set on ed$e! 2e wo)ld have liked to spit! Si")ltaneo)sly with the wo"an in the -ase"ent kitchen he tho)$ht of Natharine0 his wife! 1inston was "arried 9 had -een "arried0 at any rate: pro-a-ly he still was "arried0 so far as he knew his wife was not dead! 2e see"ed to

-reathe a$ain the war" st)ffy odo)r of the -ase"ent kitchen0 an odo)r co"po)nded of -)$s and dirty clothes and villaino)s cheap scent0 -)t nevertheless all)rin$0 -eca)se no wo"an of the *arty ever )sed scent0 or co)ld -e i"a$ined as doin$ so! %nly the proles )sed scent! +n his "ind the s"ell of it was ine/trica-ly "i/ed )p with fornication! 1hen he had $one with that wo"an it had -een his first lapse in two years or therea-o)ts! onsortin$ with prostit)tes was for-idden0 of co)rse0 -)t it was one of those r)les that yo) co)ld occasionally nerve yo)rself to -reak! +t was dan$ero)s0 -)t it was not a life'and'death "atter! .o -e ca)$ht with a prostit)te "i$ht "ean five years in a forced'la-o)r ca"p: not "ore0 if yo) had co""itted no other offence! And it was easy eno)$h0 provided that yo) co)ld avoid -ein$ ca)$ht in the act! .he poorer <)arters swar"ed with wo"en who were ready to sell the"selves! So"e co)ld even -e p)rchased for a -ottle of $in0 which the proles were not s)pposed to drink! .acitly the *arty was even inclined to enco)ra$e prostit)tion0 as an o)tlet for instincts which co)ld not -e alto$ether s)ppressed! Mere de-a)chery did not "atter very ")ch0 so lon$ as it was f)rtive and joyless and only involved the wo"en of a s)-"er$ed and despised class! .he )nfor$iva-le cri"e was pro"isc)ity -etween *arty "e"-ers! 3)t 9 tho)$h this was one of the cri"es that the acc)sed in the $reat p)r$es invaria-ly confessed to 9 it was diffic)lt to i"a$ine any s)ch thin$ act)ally happenin$! .he ai" of the *arty was not "erely to prevent "en and wo"en fro" for"in$ loyalties which it "i$ht not -e a-le to control! +ts real0 )ndeclared p)rpose was to re"ove all pleas)re fro" the se/)al act! Not love so ")ch as eroticis" was the ene"y0 inside "arria$e as well as o)tside it! All "arria$es -etween *arty "e"-ers had to -e approved -y a co""ittee appointed for the p)rpose0 and 9 tho)$h the principle was never clearly stated 9 per"ission was always ref)sed if the co)ple concerned $ave the i"pression of -ein$ physically attracted to one another! .he only reco$ni=ed p)rpose of "arria$e was to -e$et children for the service of the *arty! Se/)al interco)rse was to -e looked on as a sli$htly dis$)stin$ "inor operation0 like havin$ an ene"a! .his a$ain was never p)t into plain words0 -)t in an indirect way it was r)--ed into every *arty "e"-er fro" childhood onwards! .here were even or$ani=ations s)ch as the 4)nior Anti'Se/ >ea$)e0 which advocated co"plete celi-acy for -oth se/es! All children were to -e -e$otten -y artificial inse"ination :artsem0 it was called in Newspeak; and -ro)$ht )p in p)-lic instit)tions! .his0 1inston was aware0 was not "eant alto$ether serio)sly0 -)t so"ehow it fitted in with the $eneral ideolo$y of the *arty! .he *arty was tryin$ to kill the se/ instinct0 or0 if it co)ld not -e killed0 then to distort it and dirty it! 2e did not know why this was so0 -)t it see"ed nat)ral that it sho)ld -e so! And as far as the wo"en were concerned0 the *artyBs efforts were lar$ely s)ccessf)l! 2e tho)$ht a$ain of Natharine! +t ")st -e nine0 ten 9 nearly eleven years since they had parted! +t was c)rio)s how seldo" he tho)$ht of her! (or days at a ti"e he was capa-le of for$ettin$ that he had ever -een "arried! .hey had only -een to$ether for a-o)t fifteen "onths! .he *arty did not per"it divorce0 -)t it rather enco)ra$ed separation in cases where there were no children! Natharine was a tall0 fair'haired $irl0 very strai$ht0 with splendid "ove"ents! She had a -old0 a<)iline face0 a face that one "i$ht have called no-le )ntil one discovered that there was as nearly as possi-le nothin$ -ehind it! ?ery early in her "arried life he had decided 9 tho)$h perhaps it was only that he knew her "ore inti"ately than he knew "ost people 9 that she had witho)t e/ception the "ost st)pid0 v)l$ar0 e"pty "ind that he had ever enco)ntered! She had not a tho)$ht in her head that was not a slo$an0 and there was no i"-ecility0 a-sol)tely none that she was not capa-le of swallowin$ if the *arty handed it o)t to her! F.he h)"an so)nd'track, he nickna"ed her in his own "ind! @et he co)ld have end)red livin$ with her if it had not -een for j)st one thin$ 9 se/! As soon as he to)ched her she see"ed to wince and stiffen! .o e"-race her was like e"-racin$ a jointed wooden i"a$e! And what was stran$e was that even when she was claspin$ hi" a$ainst her he had the feelin$ that she was si")ltaneo)sly p)shin$ hi" away with all her stren$th! .he ri$idlty of her ")scles "ana$ed to convey that i"pression! She wo)ld lie there with sh)t eyes0 neither resistin$ nor co'operatin$ -)t submittin ! +t was e/traordinarily e"-arrassin$0 and0 after a while0 horri-le! 3)t even then he co)ld have -orne livin$ with her if it had -een a$reed

that they sho)ld re"ain celi-ate! 3)t c)rio)sly eno)$h it was Natharine who ref)sed this! .hey ")st0 she said0 prod)ce a child if they co)ld! So the perfor"ance contin)ed to happen0 once a week <)ite re$)lariy0 whenever it was not i"possi-le! She even )sed to re"ind hi" of it in the "ornin$0 as so"ethin$ which had to -e done that evenin$ and which ")st not -e for$otten! She had two na"es for it! %ne was F"akin$ a -a-y,0 and the other was Fo)r d)ty to the *arty, :yes0 she had act)ally )sed that phrase;! O)ite soon he $rew to have a feelin$ of positive dread when the appointed day ca"e ro)nd! 3)t l)ckily no child appeared0 and in the end she a$reed to $ive )p tryin$0 and soon afterwards they parted! 1inston si$hed ina)di-ly! 2e picked )p his pen a$ain and wrote: 2e saw hi"self standin$ there in the di" la"pli$ht0 with the s"ell of -)$s and cheap scent in his nostrils0 and in his heart a feelin$ of defeat and resent"ent which even at that "o"ent was "i/ed )p with the tho)$ht of NatharineBs white -ody0 fro=en for ever -y the hypnotic power of the *arty! 1hy did it always have to -e like thisC 1hy co)ld he not have a wo"an of his own instead of these filthy sc)ffles at intervals of yearsC 3)t a real love affair was an al"ost )nthinka-le event! .he wo"en of the *arty were all alike! hastity was as deep in$rained in the" as *arty loyalty! 3y caref)l early conditionin$0 -y $a"es and cold water0 -y the r)--ish that was dinned into the" at school and in the Spies and the @o)th >ea$)e0 -y lect)res0 parades0 son$s0 slo$ans0 and "artial ")sic0 the nat)ral feelin$ had -een driven o)t of the"! 2is reason told hi" that there ")st -e e/ceptions0 -)t his heart did not -elieve it! .hey were all i"pre$na-le0 as the *arty intended that they sho)ld -e! And what he wanted0 "ore even than to -e loved0 was to -reak down that wall of virt)e0 even if it were only once in his whole life! .he se/)al act0 s)ccessf)lly perfor"ed0 was re-ellion! Desire was tho)$htcri"e! &ven to have awakened Natharine0 if he co)ld have achieved it0 wo)ld have -een like a sed)ction0 altho)$h she was his wife! 3)t the rest of the story had $ot to -e written down! 2e wrote: After the darkness the fee-le li$ht of the paraffin la"p had see"ed very -ri$ht! (or the first ti"e he co)ld see the wo"an properly! 2e had taken a step towards her and then halted0 f)ll of l)st and terror! 2e was painf)lly conscio)s of the risk he had taken in co"in$ here! +t was perfectly possi-le that the patrols wo)ld catch hi" on the way o)t: for that "atter they "i$ht -e waitin$ o)tside the door at this "o"ent! +f he went away witho)t even doin$ what he had co"e here to do 9H +t had $ot to -e written down0 it had $ot to -e confessed! 1hat he had s)ddenly seen in the la"pli$ht was that the wo"an was old! .he paint was plastered so thick on her face that it looked as tho)$h it "i$ht crack like a card-oard "ask! .here were streaks of white in her hair5 -)t the tr)ly dreadf)l detail was that her "o)th had fallen a little open0 revealin$ nothin$ e/cept a caverno)s -lackness! She had no teeth at all! 2e pressed his fin$ers a$ainst his eyelids a$ain! 2e had written it down at last0 -)t it "ade no difference! .he therapy had not worked! .he )r$e to sho)t filthy words at the top of his voice was as stron$ as ever! !f there is hope" wrote 1inston0 it lies in the proles# +f there was hope0 it must lie in the proles0 -eca)se only there in those swar"in$ disre$arded "asses0 8G per cent of the pop)lation of %ceania0 co)ld the force to destroy the *arty ever -e $enerated! .he *arty co)ld not -e overthrown fro" within! +ts ene"ies0 if it had any ene"ies0 had no way of co"in$ to$ether or even of identifyin$ one another! &ven if the le$endary 3rotherhood e/isted0 as j)st possi-ly it "i$ht0 it was inconceiva-le that its "e"-ers co)ld ever asse"-le in lar$er n)"-ers than twos and threes! 7e-ellion "eant a look in the eyes0 an infle/ion of the voice0 at the "ost0 an occasional whispered word! 3)t the proles0 if only they co)ld so"ehow -eco"e conscio)s of their own stren$th! wo)ld have no need to conspire! .hey needed only to rise )p and shake the"selves like a horse shakin$ off flies! +f they chose they co)ld -low the *arty to pieces to"orrow "ornin$! S)rely sooner or later it ")st occ)r to the" to do itC And yet9H 2e re"e"-ered how once he had -een walkin$ down a crowded street when a tre"endo)s sho)t of h)ndreds of voices wo"enBs voices 9 had -)rst fro" a side'street a little way ahead! +t was a $reat for"ida-le cry of an$er and despair0 a deep0 lo)d F%h'o'o'o'ohH, that went h)""in$ on

like the rever-eration of a -ell! 2is heart had leapt! +tBs startedH he had tho)$ht! A riotH .he proles are -reakin$ loose at lastH 1hen he had reached the spot it was to see a "o- of two or three h)ndred wo"en crowdin$ ro)nd the stalls of a street "arket0 with faces as tra$ic as tho)$h they had -een the doo"ed passen$ers on a sinkin$ ship! 3)t at this "o"ent the $eneral despair -roke down into a ")ltit)de of individ)al <)arrels! +t appeared that one of the stalls had -een sellin$ tin sa)cepans! .hey were wretched0 fli"sy thin$s0 -)t cookin$'pots of any kind were always diffic)lt to $et! Now the s)pply had )ne/pectedly $iven o)t! .he s)ccessf)l wo"en0 -)"ped and jostled -y the rest0 were tryin$ to "ake off with their sa)cepans while do=ens of others cla"o)red ro)nd the stall0 acc)sin$ the stall'keeper of favo)ritis" and of havin$ "ore sa)cepans so"ewhere in reserve! .here was a fresh o)t-)rst of yells! .wo -loated wo"en0 one of the" with her hair co"in$ down0 had $ot hold of the sa"e sa)cepan and were tryin$ to tear it o)t of one anotherBs hands! (or a "o"ent they were -oth t)$$in$0 and then the handle ca"e off! 1inston watched the" dis$)stedly! And yet0 j)st for a "o"ent0 what al"ost fri$htenin$ power had so)nded in that cry fro" only a few h)ndred throatsH 1hy was it that they co)ld never sho)t like that a-o)t anythin$ that "atteredC .hat0 he reflected0 "i$ht al"ost have -een a transcription fro" one of the *arty te/t-ooks! .he *arty clai"ed0 of co)rse0 to have li-erated the proles fro" -onda$e! 3efore the 7evol)tion they had -een hideo)sly oppressed -y the capitalists0 they had -een starved and flo$$ed0 wo"en had -een forced to work in the coal "ines :wo"en still did work in the coal "ines0 as a "atter of fact;0 children had -een sold into the factories at the a$e of si/! 3)t si")ltaneo)sly0 tr)e to the *rinciples of do)-lethink0 the *arty ta)$ht that the proles were nat)ral inferiors who ")st -e kept in s)-jection0 like ani"als0 -y the application of a few si"ple r)les! +n reality very little was known a-o)t the proles! +t was not necessary to know ")ch! So lon$ as they contin)ed to work and -reed0 their other activities were witho)t i"portance! >eft to the"selves0 like cattle t)rned loose )pon the plains of Ar$entina0 they had reverted to a style of life that appeared to -e nat)ral to the"0 a sort of ancestral pattern! .hey were -orn0 they $rew )p in the $)tters0 they went to work at twelve0 they passed thro)$h a -rief -losso"in$'period of -ea)ty and se/)al desire0 they "arried at twenty0 they were "iddle'a$ed at thirty0 they died0 for the "ost part0 at si/ty! 2eavy physical work0 the care of ho"e and children0 petty <)arrels with nei$h-o)rs0 fil"s0 foot-all0 -eer0 and a-ove all0 $a"-lin$0 filled )p the hori=on of their "inds! .o keep the" in control was not diffic)lt! A few a$ents of the .ho)$ht *olice "oved always a"on$ the"0 spreadin$ false r)"o)rs and "arkin$ down and eli"inatin$ the few individ)als who were j)d$ed capa-le of -eco"in$ dan$ero)s5 -)t no atte"pt was "ade to indoctrinate the" with the ideolo$y of the *arty! +t was not desira-le that the proles sho)ld have stron$ political feelin$s! All that was re<)ired of the" was a pri"itive patriotis" which co)ld -e appealed to whenever it was necessary to "ake the" accept lon$er workin$'ho)rs or shorter rations! And even when they -eca"e discontented0 as they so"eti"es did0 their discontent led nowhere0 -eca)se -ein$ witho)t $eneral ideas0 they co)ld only foc)s it on petty specific $rievances! .he lar$er evils invaria-ly escaped their notice! .he $reat "ajority of proles did not even have telescreens in their ho"es! &ven the civil police interfered with the" very little! .here was a vast a"o)nt of cri"inality in >ondon0 a whole world'within'a'world of thieves0 -andits0 prostit)tes0 dr)$'peddlers0 and racketeers of every description5 -)t since it all happened a"on$ the proles the"selves0 it was of no i"portance! +n all <)estions of "orals they were allowed to follow their ancestral code! .he se/)al p)ritanis" of the *arty was not i"posed )pon the"! *ro"isc)ity went )np)nished0 divorce was per"itted! (or that "atter0 even reli$io)s worship wo)ld have -een per"itted if the proles had shown any si$n of needin$ or wantin$ it! .hey were -eneath s)spicion! As the *arty slo$an p)t it: F*roles and ani"als are free!, 1inston reached down and ca)tio)sly scratched his varicose )lcer! +t had -e$)n itchin$ a$ain! .he thin$ yo) invaria-ly ca"e -ack to was the i"possi-ility of knowin$ what life -efore the 7evol)tion had really -een like! 2e took o)t of the drawer a copy of a childrenBs history te/t-ook which he had -orrowed fro" Mrs! *arsons0 and -e$an copyin$ a passa$e into the diary: !n the old days :it ran;0 before the lorious $evolution" %ondon was not the beautiful city that we know today# !t was a dark" dirty" miserable place where hardly anybody had enou h to eat and where hundreds and thousands of poor people had no boots on their feet and not even a roof to

sleep under# &hildren no older than you had to work twelve hours a day for cruel masters who flo ed them with whips if they worked too slowly and fed them on nothin but stale breadcrusts and water# 'ut in amon all this terrible poverty there were (ust a few reat bi beautiful houses that were lived in by rich men who had as many as thirty servants to look after them# These rich men were called capitalists# They were fat" u ly men with wicked faces" like the one in the picture on the opposite pa e# )ou can see that he is dressed in a lon black coat which was called a frock coat" and a *ueer" shiny hat shaped like a stovepipe" which was called a top hat# This was the uniform of the capitalists" and no one else was allowed to wear it# The capitalists owned everythin in the world" and everyone else was their slave# They owned all the land" all the houses" all the factories" and all the money# !f anyone disobeyed them they could throw them into prison" or they could take his (ob away and starve him to death# +hen any ordinary person spoke to a capitalist he had to crin e and bow to him" and take off his cap and address him as ,-ir.# The chief of all the capitalists was called the /in " and 0 3)t he knew the rest of the catalo$)e! .here wo)ld -e "ention of the -ishops in their lawn sleeves0 the j)d$es in their er"ine ro-es0 the pillory0 the stocks0 the tread"ill0 the cat'o,'nine tails0 the >ord MayorBs 3an<)et0 and the practice of kissin$ the *opeBs toe! .here was also so"ethin$ called the (us primae noctis0 which wo)ld pro-a-ly not -e "entioned in a te/t-ook for children! +t was the law -y which every capitalist had the ri$ht to sleep with any wo"an workin$ in one of his factories! 2ow co)ld yo) tell how ")ch of it was liesC +t mi ht -e tr)e that the avera$e h)"an -ein$ was -etter off now than he had -een -efore the 7evol)tion! .he only evidence to the contrary was the ")te protest in yo)r own -ones0 the instinctive feelin$ that the conditions yo) lived in were intolera-le and that at so"e other ti"e they ")st have -een different! +t str)ck hi" that the tr)ly characteristic thin$ a-o)t "odern life was not its cr)elty and insec)rity0 -)t si"ply its -areness0 its din$iness0 its listlessness! >ife0 if yo) looked a-o)t yo)0 -ore no rese"-lance not only to the lies that strea"ed o)t of the telescreens0 -)t even to the ideals that the *arty was tryin$ to achieve! #reat areas of it0 even for a *arty "e"-er0 were ne)tral and non'political0 a "atter of slo$$in$ thro)$h dreary jo-s0 fi$htin$ for a place on the .)-e0 darnin$ a worn'o)t sock0 cad$in$ a saccharine ta-let0 savin$ a ci$arette end! .he ideal set )p -y the *arty was so"ethin$ h)$e0 terri-le0 and $litterin$ 9 a world of steel and concrete0 of "onstro)s "achines and terrifyin$ weapons 9 a nation of warriors and fanatics0 "archin$ forward in perfect )nity0 all thinkin$ the sa"e tho)$hts and sho)tin$ the sa"e slo$ans0 perpet)ally workin$0 fi$htin$0 tri)"phin$0 persec)tin$ 9 three h)ndred "illion people all with the sa"e face! .he reality was decayin$0 din$y cities where )nderfed people sh)ffled to and fro in leaky shoes0 in patched')p nineteenth'cent)ry ho)ses that s"elt always of ca--a$e and -ad lavatories! 2e see"ed to see a vision of >ondon0 vast and r)ino)s0 city of a "illion d)st-ins0 and "i/ed )p with it was a pict)re of Mrs! *arsons0 a wo"an with lined face and wispy hair0 fiddlin$ helplessly with a -locked waste'pipe! 2e reached down and scratched his ankle a$ain! Day and ni$ht the telescreens -r)ised yo)r ears with statistics provin$ that people today had "ore food0 "ore clothes0 -etter ho)ses0 -etter recreations 9 that they lived lon$er0 worked shorter ho)rs0 were -i$$er0 healthier0 stron$er0 happier0 "ore intelli$ent0 -etter ed)cated0 than the people of fifty years a$o! Not a word of it co)ld ever -e proved or disproved! .he *arty clai"ed0 for e/a"ple0 that today 4E per cent of ad)lt proles were literate: -efore the 7evol)tion0 it was said0 the n)"-er had only -een 1G per cent! .he *arty clai"ed that the infant "ortality rate was now only 1IE per tho)sand0 whereas -efore the 7evol)tion it had -een DEE 9 and so it went on! +t was like a sin$le e<)ation with two )nknowns! +t "i$ht very well -e that literally every word in the history -ooks0 even the thin$s that one accepted witho)t <)estion0 was p)re fantasy! (or all he knew there "i$ht never have -een any s)ch law as the (us primae noctis0 or any s)ch creat)re as a capitalist0 or any s)ch $ar"ent as a top hat! &verythin$ faded into "ist! .he past was erased0 the eras)re was for$otten0 the lie -eca"e tr)th! 4)st once in his life he had possessed 9 after the event: that was what co)nted 9 concrete0 )n"istaka-le evidence of an act of falsification! 2e had held it -etween his fin$ers for as lon$ as thirty seconds! +n 19JD0 it ")st have -een 9 at any rate0 it was at a-o)t the ti"e when he and

Natharine had parted! 3)t the really relevant date was seven or ei$ht years earlier! .he story really -e$an in the "iddle si/ties0 the period of the $reat p)r$es in which the ori$inal leaders of the 7evol)tion were wiped o)t once and for all! 3y 19JE none of the" was left0 e/cept 3i$ 3rother hi"self! All the rest had -y that ti"e -een e/posed as traitors and co)nter' revol)tionaries! #oldstein had fled and was hidin$ no one knew where0 and of the others0 a few had si"ply disappeared0 while the "ajority had -een e/ec)ted after spectac)lar p)-lic trials at which they "ade confession of their cri"es! A"on$ the last s)rvivors were three "en na"ed 4ones0 Aaronson0 and 7)therford! +t ")st have -een in 19IG that these three had -een arrested! As often happened0 they had vanished for a year or "ore0 so that one did not know whether they were alive or dead0 and then had s)ddenly -een -ro)$ht forth to incri"inate the"selves in the )s)al way! .hey had confessed to intelli$ence with the ene"y :at that date0 too0 the ene"y was &)rasia;0 e"-e==le"ent of p)-lic f)nds0 the ")rder of vario)s tr)sted *arty "e"-ers0 intri$)es a$ainst the leadership of 3i$ 3rother which had started lon$ -efore the 7evol)tion happened0 and acts of sa-ota$e ca)sin$ the death of h)ndreds of tho)sands of people! After confessin$ to these thin$s they had -een pardoned0 reinstated in the *arty0 and $iven posts which were in fact sinec)res -)t which so)nded i"portant! All three had written lon$0 a-ject articles in the Times0 analysin$ the reasons for their defection and pro"isin$ to "ake a"ends! So"e ti"e after their release 1inston had act)ally seen all three of the" in the hestn)t .ree afL! 2e re"e"-ered the sort of terrified fascination with which he had watched the" o)t of the corner of his eye! .hey were "en far older than hi"self0 relics of the ancient world0 al"ost the last $reat fi$)res left over fro" the heroic days of the *arty! .he $la"o)r of the )nder$ro)nd str)$$le and the civil war still faintly cl)n$ to the"! 2e had the feelin$0 tho)$h already at that ti"e facts and dates were $rowin$ -l)rry0 that he had known their na"es years earlier than he had known that of 3i$ 3rother! 3)t also they were o)tlaws0 ene"ies0 )nto)cha-les0 doo"ed with a-sol)te certainty to e/tinction within a year or two! No one who had once fallen into the hands of the .ho)$ht *olice ever escaped in the end! .hey were corpses waitin$ to -e sent -ack to the $rave! .here was no one at any of the ta-les nearest to the"! +t was not wise even to -e seen in the nei$h-o)rhood of s)ch people! .hey were sittin$ in silence -efore $lasses of the $in flavo)red with cloves which was the speciality of the cafL! %f the three0 it was 7)therford whose appearance had "ost i"pressed 1inston! 7)therford had once -een a fa"o)s caricat)rist0 whose -r)tal cartoons had helped to infla"e pop)lar opinion -efore and d)rin$ the 7evol)tion! &ven now0 at lon$ intervals0 his cartoons were appearin$ in the Times! .hey were si"ply an i"itation of his earlier "anner0 and c)rio)sly lifeless and )nconvincin$! Always they were a rehashin$ of the ancient the"es 9 sl)" tene"ents0 starvin$ children0 street -attles0 capitalists in top hats 9 even on the -arricades the capitalists still see"ed to clin$ to their top hats an endless0 hopeless effort to $et -ack into the past! 2e was a "onstro)s "an0 with a "ane of $reasy $rey hair0 his face po)ched and sea"ed0 with thick ne$roid lips! At one ti"e he ")st have -een i""ensely stron$5 now his $reat -ody was sa$$in$0 slopin$0 -)l$in$0 fallin$ away in every direction! 2e see"ed to -e -reakin$ )p -efore oneBs eyes0 like a "o)ntain cr)"-lin$! +t was the lonely ho)r of fifteen! 1inston co)ld not now re"e"-er how he had co"e to -e in the cafL at s)ch a ti"e! .he place was al"ost e"pty! A tinny ")sic was tricklin$ fro" the telescreens! .he three "en sat in their corner al"ost "otionless0 never speakin$! Anco""anded0 the waiter -ro)$ht fresh $lasses of $in! .here was a chess-oard on the ta-le -eside the"0 with the pieces set o)t -)t no $a"e started! And then0 for perhaps half a "in)te in all0 so"ethin$ happened to the telescreens! .he t)ne that they were playin$ chan$ed0 and the tone of the ")sic chan$ed too! .here ca"e into it 9 -)t it was so"ethin$ hard to descri-e! +t was a pec)liar0 cracked0 -rayin$0 jeerin$ note: in his "ind 1inston called it a yellow note! And then a voice fro" the telescreen was sin$in$: .he three "en never stirred! 3)t when 1inston $lanced a$ain at 7)therfordBs r)ino)s face0 he saw that his eyes were f)ll of tears! And for the first ti"e he noticed0 with a kind of inward sh)dder0 and yet not knowin$ at what he sh)ddered0 that -oth Aaronson and 7)therford had -roken noses!

A little later all three were re'arrested! +t appeared that they had en$a$ed in fresh conspiracies fro" the very "o"ent of their release! At their second trial they confessed to all their old cri"es over a$ain0 with a whole strin$ of new ones! .hey were e/ec)ted0 and their fate was recorded in the *arty histories0 a warnin$ to posterity! A-o)t five years after this0 in 19JD0 1inston was )nrollin$ a wad of doc)"ents which had j)st flopped o)t of the pne)"atic t)-e on to his desk when he ca"e on a fra$"ent of paper which had evidently -een slipped in a"on$ the others and then for$otten! .he instant he had flattened it o)t he saw its si$nificance! +t was a half'pa$e torn o)t of the Times of a-o)t ten years earlier 9 the top half of the pa$e0 so that it incl)ded the date 9 and it contained a photo$raph of the dele$ates at so"e *arty f)nction in New @ork! *ro"inent in the "iddle of the $ro)p were 4ones0 Aaronson0 and 7)therford! .here was no "istakin$ the"0 in any case their na"es were in the caption at the -otto"! .he point was that at -oth trials all three "en had confessed that on that date they had -een on &)rasian soil! .hey had flown fro" a secret airfield in anada to a rende=vo)s so"ewhere in Si-eria0 and had conferred with "e"-ers of the &)rasian #eneral Staff0 to who" they had -etrayed i"portant "ilitary secrets! .he date had st)ck in 1instonBs "e"ory -eca)se it chanced to -e "ids)""er day5 -)t the whole story ")st -e on record in co)ntless other places as well! .here was only one possi-le concl)sion: the confessions were lies! %f co)rse0 this was not in itself a discovery! &ven at that ti"e 1inston had not i"a$ined that the people who were wiped o)t in the p)r$es had act)ally co""itted the cri"es that they were acc)sed of! 3)t this was concrete evidence5 it was a fra$"ent of the a-olished past0 like a fossil -one which t)rns )p in the wron$ strat)" and destroys a $eolo$ical theory! +t was eno)$h to -low the *arty to ato"s0 if in so"e way it co)ld have -een p)-lished to the world and its si$nificance "ade known! 2e had $one strai$ht on workin$! As soon as he saw what the photo$raph was0 and what it "eant0 he had covered it )p with another sheet of paper! >)ckily0 when he )nrolled it0 it had -een )pside'down fro" the point of view of the telescreen! 2e took his scri--lin$ pad on his knee and p)shed -ack his chair so as to $et as far away fro" the telescreen as possi-le! .o keep yo)r face e/pressionless was not diffic)lt0 and even yo)r -reathin$ co)ld -e controlled0 with an effort: -)t yo) co)ld not control the -eatin$ of yo)r heart0 and the telescreen was <)ite delicate eno)$h to pick it )p! 2e let what he j)d$ed to -e ten "in)tes $o -y0 tor"ented all the while -y the fear that so"e accident 9 a s)dden dra)$ht -lowin$ across his desk0 for instance 9 wo)ld -etray hi"! .hen0 witho)t )ncoverin$ it a$ain0 he dropped the photo$raph into the "e"ory hole0 alon$ with so"e other waste papers! 1ithin another "in)te0 perhaps0 it wo)ld have cr)"-led into ashes! .hat was ten 9 eleven years a$o! .oday0 pro-a-ly0 he wo)ld have kept that photo$raph! +t was c)rio)s that the fact of havin$ held it in his fin$ers see"ed to hi" to "ake a difference even now0 when the photo$raph itself0 as well as the event it recorded0 was only "e"ory! 1as the *artyBs hold )pon the past less stron$0 he wondered0 -eca)se a piece of evidence which e/isted no lon$er had once e/istedC 3)t today0 s)pposin$ that it co)ld -e so"ehow res)rrected fro" its ashes0 the photo$raph "i$ht not even -e evidence! Already0 at the ti"e when he "ade his discovery0 %ceania was no lon$er at war with &)rasia0 and it ")st have -een to the a$ents of &astasia that the three dead "en had -etrayed their co)ntry! Since then there had -een other chan$es 9 two0 three0 he co)ld not re"e"-er how "any! ?ery likely the confessions had -een rewritten and rewritten )ntil the ori$inal facts and dates no lon$er had the s"allest si$nificance! .he past not only chan$ed0 -)t chan$ed contin)o)sly! 1hat "ost afflicted hi" with the sense of ni$ht"are was that he had never clearly )nderstood why the h)$e i"post)re was )ndertaken! .he i""ediate advanta$es of falsifyin$ the past were o-vio)s0 -)t the )lti"ate "otive was "ysterio)s! 2e took )p his pen a$ain and wrote: 2e wondered0 as he had "any ti"es wondered -efore0 whether he hi"self was a l)natic! *erhaps a l)natic was si"ply a "inority of one! At one ti"e it had -een a si$n of "adness to -elieve that the earth $oes ro)nd the s)n5 today0 to -elieve that the past is inaltera-le! 2e "i$ht -e alone in holdin$ that -elief0 and if alone0 then a l)natic! 3)t the tho)$ht of -ein$ a l)natic did not $reatly

tro)-le hi": the horror was that he "i$ht also -e wron$! 2e picked )p the childrenBs history -ook and looked at the portrait of 3i$ 3rother which for"ed its frontispiece! .he hypnotic eyes $a=ed into his own! +t was as tho)$h so"e h)$e force were pressin$ down )pon yo) 9 so"ethin$ that penetrated inside yo)r sk)ll0 -atterin$ a$ainst yo)r -rain0 fri$htenin$ yo) o)t of yo)r -eliefs0 pers)adin$ yo)0 al"ost0 to deny the evidence of yo)r senses! +n the end the *arty wo)ld anno)nce that two and two "ade five0 and yo) wo)ld have to -elieve it! +t was inevita-le that they sho)ld "ake that clai" sooner or later: the lo$ic of their position de"anded it! Not "erely the validity of e/perience0 -)t the very e/istence of e/ternal reality0 was tacitly denied -y their philosophy! .he heresy of heresies was co""on sense! And what was terrifyin$ was not that they wo)ld kill yo) for thinkin$ otherwise0 -)t that they "i$ht -e ri$ht! (or0 after all0 how do we know that two and two "ake fo)rC %r that the force of $ravity worksC %r that the past is )nchan$ea-leC +f -oth the past and the e/ternal world e/ist only in the "ind0 and if the "ind itself is controlla-le what thenC 3)t noH 2is co)ra$e see"ed s)ddenly to stiffen of its own accord! .he face of %B3rien0 not called )p -y any o-vio)s association0 had floated into his "ind! 2e knew0 with "ore certainty than -efore0 that %B3rien was on his side! 2e was writin$ the diary for %B3rien 9 to %B3rien: it was like an inter"ina-le letter which no one wo)ld ever read0 -)t which was addressed to a partic)lar person and took its colo)r fro" that fact! .he *arty told yo) to reject the evidence of yo)r eyes and ears! +t was their final0 "ost essential co""and! 2is heart sank as he tho)$ht of the enor"o)s power arrayed a$ainst hi"0 the ease with which any *arty intellect)al wo)ld overthrow hi" in de-ate0 the s)-tle ar$)"ents which he wo)ld not -e a-le to )nderstand0 ")ch less answer! And yet he was in the ri$htH .hey were wron$ and he was ri$ht! .he o-vio)s0 the silly0 and the tr)e had $ot to -e defended! .r)is"s are tr)e0 hold on to thatH .he solid world e/ists0 its laws do not chan$e! Stones are hard0 water is wet0 o-jects )ns)pported fall towards the earthBs centre! 1ith the feelin$ that he was speakin$ to %B3rien0 and also that he was settin$ forth an i"portant a/io"0 he wrote: (ro" so"ewhere at the -otto" of a passa$e the s"ell of roastin$ coffee 9 real coffee0 not ?ictory offee 9 ca"e floatin$ o)t into the street! 1inston pa)sed invol)ntarily! (or perhaps two seconds he was -ack in the half'for$otten world of his childhood! .hen a door -an$ed0 see"in$ to c)t off the s"ell as a-r)ptly as tho)$h it had -een a so)nd! 2e had walked several kilo"etres over pave"ents0 and his varicose )lcer was thro--in$! .his was the second ti"e in three weeks that he had "issed an evenin$ at the o"")nity entre: a rash act0 since yo) co)ld -e certain that the n)"-er of yo)r attendances at the entre was caref)lly checked! +n principle a *arty "e"-er had no spare ti"e0 and was never alone e/cept in -ed! +t was ass)"ed that when he was not workin$0 eatin$0 or sleepin$ he wo)ld -e takin$ part in so"e kind of co"")nal recreation: to do anythin$ that s)$$ested a taste for solit)de0 even to $o for a walk -y yo)rself0 was always sli$htly dan$ero)s! .here was a word for it in Newspeak: ownlife0 it was called0 "eanin$ individ)alis" and eccentricity! 3)t this evenin$ as he ca"e o)t of the Ministry the -al"iness of the April air had te"pted hi"! .he sky was a war"er -l)e than he had seen it that year0 and s)ddenly the lon$0 noisy evenin$ at the entre0 the -orin$0 e/ha)stin$ $a"es0 the lect)res0 the creakin$ ca"araderie oiled -y $in0 had see"ed intolera-le! %n i"p)lse he had t)rned away fro" the -)s'stop and wandered off into the la-yrinth of >ondon0 first so)th0 then east0 then north a$ain0 losin$ hi"self a"on$ )nknown streets and hardly -otherin$ in which direction he was $oin$! F+f there is hope0, he had written in the diary0 Fit lies in the proles!, .he words kept co"in$ -ack to hi"0 state"ent of a "ystical tr)th and a palpa-le a-s)rdity! 2e was so"ewhere in the va$)e0 -rown'colo)red sl)"s to the north and east of what had once -een Saint *ancras Station! 2e was walkin$ )p a co--led street of little two'storey ho)ses with -attered doorways which $ave strai$ht on the pave"ent and which were so"ehow c)rio)sly s)$$estive of ratholes! .here were p)ddles of filthy water here and there a"on$ the co--les! +n and o)t of the dark doorways0 and down narrow alley'ways that -ranched off on either side0 people swar"ed in astonishin$ n)"-ers 9 $irls in f)ll -loo"0 with cr)dely lipsticked "o)ths0 and yo)ths who chased the $irls0 and swollen waddlin$ wo"en who showed yo) what the $irls wo)ld -e like in ten years8 ti"e0 and old -ent

creat)res sh)fflin$ alon$ on splayed feet0 and ra$$ed -arefooted children who played in the p)ddles and then scattered at an$ry yells fro" their "others! *erhaps a <)arter of the windows in the street were -roken and -oarded )p! Most of the people paid no attention to 1inston5 a few eyed hi" with a sort of $)arded c)riosity! .wo "onstro)s wo"en with -rick'red forear"s folded across thelr aprons were talkin$ o)tside a doorway! 1inston ca)$ht scraps of conversation as he approached! F6@es08 + says to Ber0 6thatBs all very well08 + says! 63)t if yo)Bd of -een in "y place yo)Bd of done the sa"e as what + done! +tBs easy to critici=e08 + says0 6-)t yo) ainBt $ot the sa"e pro-le"s as what + $ot!8, FAh0, said the other0 FthatBs jest it! .hatBs jest where it is!, .he strident voices stopped a-r)ptly! .he wo"en st)died hi" in hostile silence as he went past! 3)t it was not hostility0 e/actly5 "erely a kind of wariness0 a "o"entary stiffenin$0 as at the passin$ of so"e )nfa"iliar ani"al! .he -l)e overalls of the *arty co)ld not -e a co""on si$ht in a street like this! +ndeed0 it was )nwise to -e seen in s)ch places0 )nless yo) had definite -)siness there! .he patrols "i$ht stop yo) if yo) happened to r)n into the"! FMay + see yo)r papers0 co"radeC 1hat are yo) doin$ hereC 1hat ti"e did yo) leave workC +s this yo)r )s)al way ho"eC, 9 and so on and so forth! Not that there was any r)le a$ainst walkin$ ho"e -y an )n)s)al ro)te: -)t it was eno)$h to draw attention to yo) if the .ho)$ht *olice heard a-o)t it! S)ddenly the whole street was in co""otion! .here were yells of warnin$ fro" all sides! *eople were shootin$ into the doorways like ra--its! A yo)n$ wo"an leapt o)t of a doorway a little ahead of 1inston0 $ra--ed )p a tiny child playin$ in a p)ddle0 whipped her apron ro)nd it0 and leapt -ack a$ain0 all in one "ove"ent! At the sa"e instant a "an in a concertina'like -lack s)it0 who had e"er$ed fro" a side alley0 ran towards 1inston0 pointin$ e/citedly to the sky! FStea"erH, he yelled! F>ook o)t0 $)vBnorH 3an$ overBeadH >ay down <)ickH, FStea"er, was a nickna"e which0 for so"e reason0 the proles applied to rocket -o"-s! 1inston pro"ptly fl)n$ hi"self on his face! .he proles were nearly always ri$ht when they $ave yo) a warnin$ of this kind! .hey see"ed to possess so"e kind of instinct which told the" several seconds in advance when a rocket was co"in$0 altho)$h the rockets s)pposedly travelled faster than so)nd! 1inston clasped his forear"s a-ove his head! .here was a roar that see"ed to "ake the pave"ent heave5 a shower of li$ht o-jects pattered on to his -ack! 1hen he stood )p he fo)nd that he was covered with fra$"ents of $lass fro" the nearest window! 2e walked on! .he -o"- had de"olished a $ro)p of ho)ses KEE "etres )p the street! A -lack pl)"e of s"oke h)n$ in the sky0 and -elow it a clo)d of plaster d)st in which a crowd was already for"in$ aro)nd the r)ins! .here was a little pile of plaster lyin$ on the pave"ent ahead of hi"0 and in the "iddle of it he co)ld see a -ri$ht red streak! 1hen he $ot )p to it he saw that it was a h)"an hand severed at the wrist! Apart fro" the -loody st)"p0 the hand was so co"pletely whitened as to rese"-le a plaster cast! 2e kicked the thin$ into the $)tter0 and then0 to avoid the crowd0 t)rned down a side'street to the ri$ht! 1ithin three or fo)r "in)tes he was o)t of the area which the -o"- had affected0 and the sordid swar"in$ life of the streets was $oin$ on as tho)$h nothin$ had happened! +t was nearly twenty ho)rs0 and the drinkin$'shops which the proles fre<)ented :Fp)-s,0 they called the"; were choked with c)sto"ers! (ro" their $ri"y swin$ doors0 endlessly openin$ and sh)ttin$0 there ca"e forth a s"ell of )rine0 sawd)st0 and so)r -eer! +n an an$le for"ed -y a projectin$ ho)se'front three "en were standin$ very close to$ether0 the "iddle one of the" holdin$ a folded')p newspaper which the other two were st)dyin$ over his sho)lder! &ven -efore he was near eno)$h to "ake o)t the e/pression on their faces0 1inston co)ld see a-sorption in every line of their -odies! +t was o-vio)sly so"e serio)s piece of news that they were readin$! 2e was a few paces away fro" the" when s)ddenly the $ro)p -roke )p and two of the "en were in violent altercation! (or a "o"ent they see"ed al"ost on the point of -lows! F anBt yo) -leedin$ well listen to what + sayC + tell yo) no n)"-er endin$ in seven ainBt won for over fo)rteen "onthsH, F@es0 it Bas0 thenH, FNo0 it Bas notH 3ack Bo"e + $ot the Bole lot of Be" for over two years wrote down on a piece

of paper! + takes Be" down re$Blar as the clock! An8 + tell yo)0 no n)"-er endin$ in seven9, F@es0 a seven Bas wonH + co)ld pretty near tell yo) the -leedin$ n)"-er! (o)r oh seven0 it ended in! +t were in (e-r)ary 9 second week in (e-r)ary!, F(e-r)ary yo)r $rand"otherH + $ot it all down in -lack and white! An8 + tell yo)0 no n)"-er 9, F%h0 pack it inH, said the third "an! .hey were talkin$ a-o)t the >ottery! 1inston looked -ack when he had $one thirty "etres! .hey were still ar$)in$0 with vivid0 passionate faces! .he >ottery0 with its weekly pay'o)t of enor"o)s pri=es0 was the one p)-lic event to which the proles paid serio)s attention! +t was pro-a-le that there were so"e "illions of proles for who" the >ottery was the principal if not the only reason for re"ainin$ alive! +t was their deli$ht0 their folly0 their anodyne0 their intellect)al sti")lant! 1here the >ottery was concerned0 even people who co)ld -arely read and write see"ed capa-le of intricate calc)lations and sta$$erin$ feats of "e"ory! .here was a whole tri-e of "en who "ade a livin$ si"ply -y sellin$ syste"s0 forecasts0 and l)cky a")lets! 1inston had nothin$ to do with the r)nnin$ of the >ottery0 which was "ana$ed -y the Ministry of *lenty0 -)t he was aware :indeed everyone in the party was aware; that the pri=es were lar$ely i"a$inary! %nly s"all s)"s were act)ally paid o)t0 the winners of the -i$ pri=es -ein$ non'e/istent persons! +n the a-sence of any real interco"")nication -etween one part of %ceania and another0 this was not diffic)lt to arran$e! 3)t if there was hope0 it lay in the proles! @o) had to clin$ on to that! 1hen yo) p)t it in words it so)nded reasona-le: it was when yo) looked at the h)"an -ein$s passin$ yo) on the pave"ent that it -eca"e an act of faith! .he street into which he had t)rned ran downhill! 2e had a feelin$ that he had -een in this nei$h-o)rhood -efore0 and that there was a "ain thoro)$hfare not far away! (ro" so"ewhere ahead there ca"e a din of sho)tin$ voices! .he street took a sharp t)rn and then ended in a fli$ht of steps which led down into a s)nken alley where a few stall'keepers were sellin$ tired'lookin$ ve$eta-les! At this "o"ent 1inston re"e"-ered where he was! .he alley led o)t into the "ain street0 and down the ne/t t)rnin$0 not five "in)tes away0 was the j)nk' shop where he had -o)$ht the -lank -ook which was now his diary! And in a s"all stationerBs shop not far away he had -o)$ht his penholder and his -ottle of ink! 2e pa)sed for a "o"ent at the top of the steps! %n the opposite side of the alley there was a din$y little p)- whose windows appeared to -e frosted over -)t in reality were "erely coated with d)st! A very old "an0 -ent -)t active0 with white "o)staches that -ristled forward like those of a prawn0 p)shed open the swin$ door and went in! As 1inston stood watchin$0 it occ)rred to hi" that the old "an0 who ")st -e ei$hty at the least0 had already -een "iddle'a$ed when the 7evol)tion happened! 2e and a few others like hi" were the last links that now e/isted with the vanished world of capitalis"! +n the *arty itself there were not "any people left whose ideas had -een for"ed -efore the 7evol)tion! .he older $eneration had "ostly -een wiped o)t in the $reat p)r$es of the fifties and si/ties0 and the few who s)rvived had lon$ a$o -een terrified into co"plete intellect)al s)rrender! +f there was any one still alive who co)ld $ive yo) a tr)thf)l acco)nt of conditions in the early part of the cent)ry0 it co)ld only -e a prole! S)ddenly the passa$e fro" the history -ook that he had copied into his diary ca"e -ack into 1instonBs "ind0 and a l)natic i"p)lse took hold of hi"! 2e wo)ld $o into the p)-0 he wo)ld scrape ac<)aintance with that old "an and <)estion hi"! 2e wo)ld say to hi": F.ell "e a-o)t yo)r life when yo) were a -oy! 1hat was it like in those daysC 1ere thin$s -etter than they are now0 or were they worseC, 2)rriedly0 lest he sho)ld have ti"e to -eco"e fri$htened0 he descended the steps and crossed the narrow street! +t was "adness of co)rse! As )s)al0 there was no definite r)le a$ainst talkin$ to proles and fre<)entin$ their p)-s0 -)t it was far too )n)s)al an action to pass )nnoticed! +f the patrols appeared he "i$ht plead an attack of faintness0 -)t it was not likely that they wo)ld -elieve hi"! 2e p)shed open the door0 and a hideo)s cheesy s"ell of so)r -eer hit hi" in the face! As he entered the din of voices dropped to a-o)t half its vol)"e! 3ehind his -ack he co)ld feel everyone eyein$ his -l)e overalls! A $a"e of darts which was $oin$ on at the other end of the roo" interr)pted itself for perhaps as ")ch as thirty seconds! .he old "an who" he had followed was

standin$ at the -ar0 havin$ so"e kind of altercation with the -ar"an0 a lar$e0 sto)t0 hook'nosed yo)n$ "an with enor"o)s forear"s! A knot of others0 standin$ ro)nd with $lasses in their hands0 were watchin$ the scene! F+ arst yo) civil eno)$h0 didnBt +C, said the old "an0 strai$htenin$ his sho)lders p)$nacio)sly! F@o) tellin$ "e yo) ainBt $ot a pint ")$ in the Bole -leedin$ -oo=erC, FAnd what in hellBs na"e is a pintC, said the -ar"an0 leanin$ forward with the tips of his fin$ers on the co)nter! FArk at Bi"H alls Bisself a -ar"an and donBt know what a pint isH 1hy0 a pintBs the Balf of a <)art0 and thereBs fo)r <)arts to the $allon! BAve to teach yo) the A0 30 ne/t!, FNever heard of Be"0, said the -ar"an shortly! F>itre and half litre 9 thatBs all we serve! .hereBs the $lasses on the shelf in front of yo)!, F+ likes a pint0, persisted the old "an! F@o) co)ld Ba drawed "e off a pint easy eno)$h! 1e didnBt Bave these -leedin$ litres when + was a yo)n$ "an!, F1hen yo) were a yo)n$ "an we were all livin$ in the treetops0, said the -ar"an0 with a $lance at the other c)sto"ers! .here was a sho)t of la)$hter0 and the )neasiness ca)sed -y 1instonBs entry see"ed to disappear! .he old "anBs whitest)--led face had fl)shed pink! 2e t)rned away0 ")tterin$ to hi"self0 and -)"ped into 1inston! 1inston ca)$ht hi" $ently -y the ar"! FMay + offer yo) a drinkC, he said! F@o)Bre a $ent0, said the other0 strai$htenin$ his sho)lders a$ain! 2e appeared not to have noticed 1instonBs -l)e overalls! F*intH, he added a$$ressively to the -ar"an! F*int of wallop!, .he -ar"an swished two half'litres of dark'-rown -eer into thick $lasses which he had rinsed in a -)cket )nder the co)nter! 3eer was the only drink yo) co)ld $et in prole p)-s! .he proles were s)pposed not to drink $in0 tho)$h in practice they co)ld $et hold of it easily eno)$h! .he $a"e of darts was in f)ll swin$ a$ain0 and the knot of "en at the -ar had -e$)n talkin$ a-o)t lottery tickets! 1instonBs presence was for$otten for a "o"ent! .here was a deal ta-le )nder the window where he and the old "an co)ld talk witho)t fear of -ein$ overheard! +t was horri-ly dan$ero)s0 -)t at any rate there was no telescreen in the roo"0 a point he had "ade s)re of as soon as he ca"e in! FB& co)ld Ba drawed "e off a pint0, $r)"-led the old "an as he settled down -ehind a $lass! FA Balf litre ainBt eno)$h! +t donBt satisfy! And a Bole litreBs too ")ch! +t starts "y -ladder r)nnin$! >et alone the price!, F@o) ")st have seen $reat chan$es since yo) were a yo)n$ "an0, said 1inston tentatively! .he old "anBs pale -l)e eyes "oved fro" the darts -oard to the -ar0 and fro" the -ar to the door of the #ents0 as tho)$h it were in the -ar'roo" that he e/pected the chan$es to have occ)rred! F.he -eer was -etter0, he said finally! FAnd cheaperH 1hen + was a yo)n$ "an0 "ild -eer 9 wallop we )sed to call it 9 was fo)rpence a pint! .hat was -efore the war0 of co)rse!, F1hich war was thatC, said 1inston! F+tBs all wars0, said the old "an va$)ely! 2e took )p his $lass0 and his sho)lders strai$htened a$ain! FB&reBs wishin$ yo) the very -est of BealthH, +n his lean throat the sharp'pointed Ada"Bs apple "ade a s)rprisin$ly rapid )p'and'down "ove"ent0 and the -eer vanished! 1inston went to the -ar and ca"e -ack with two "ore half'litres! .he old "an appeared to have for$otten his prej)dice a$ainst drinkin$ a f)ll litre! F@o) are very ")ch older than + a"0, said 1inston! F@o) ")st have -een a $rown "an -efore + was -orn! @o) can re"e"-er what it was like in the old days0 -efore the 7evol)tion! *eople of "y a$e donBt really know anythin$ a-o)t those ti"es! 1e can only read a-o)t the" in -ooks0 and what it says in the -ooks "ay not -e tr)e! + sho)ld like yo)r opinion on that! .he history -ooks say that life -efore the 7evol)tion was co"pletely different fro" what it is now! .here was the "ost terri-le oppression0 inj)stice0 poverty worse than anythin$ we can i"a$ine! 2ere in >ondon0 the $reat "ass of the people never had eno)$h to eat fro" -irth to death! 2alf of the" hadnBt even -oots on their feet! .hey worked twelve ho)rs a day0 they left school at nine0 they slept ten in a roo"! And at the sa"e ti"e there were a very few people0 only a few tho)sands 9 the capitalists0 they were

called 9 who were rich and powerf)l! .hey owned everythin$ that there was to own! .hey lived in $reat $or$eo)s ho)ses with thirty servants0 they rode a-o)t in "otor'cars and fo)r'horse carria$es0 they drank cha"pa$ne0 they wore top hats9, .he old "an -ri$htened s)ddenly! F.op BatsH, he said! F()nny yo) sho)ld "ention Be"! .he sa"e thin$ co"e into "y Bead only yesterday0 + dono why! + was jest thinkin$0 + ainBt seen a top Bat in years! #orn ri$ht o)t0 they Bave! .he last ti"e + wore one was at "y sister'in'lawBs f)neral! And that was 9 well0 + co)ldnBt $ive yo) the date0 -)t it ")stBa -een fifty years a$o! %f co)rse it was only Bired for the occasion0 yo) )nderstand!, F+t isnBt very i"portant a-o)t the top hats0, said 1inston patiently! F.he point is0 these capitalists 9 they and a few lawyers and priests and so forth who lived on the" 9 were the lords of the earth! &verythin$ e/isted for their -enefit! @o) 9 the ordinary people0 the workers 9 were their slaves! .hey co)ld do what they liked with yo)! .hey co)ld ship yo) off to anada like cattle! .hey co)ld sleep with yo)r da)$hters if they chose! .hey co)ld order yo) to -e flo$$ed with so"ethin$ called a cat'oB'nine tails! @o) had to take yo)r cap off when yo) passed the"! &very capitalist went a-o)t with a $an$ of lackeys who9, .he old "an -ri$htened a$ain! F>ackeysH, he said! FNow thereBs a word + ainBt Beard since ever so lon$! >ackeysH .hat re$Blar takes "e -ack0 that does! + recollect oh0 donkeyBs years a$o 9 + )sed to so"eti"es $o to B@de *ark of a S)nday afternoon to Bear the -lokes "akin$ speeches! Salvation Ar"y0 7o"an atholics0 4ews0 +ndians 9 all sorts there was! And there was one -loke 9 well0 + co)ldnBt $ive yo) Bis na"e0 -)t a real powerf)l speaker Be was! B& didnBt Balf $ive it Be"H 6>ackeysH8 Be says0 6lackeys of the -o)r$eoisieH (l)nkies of the r)lin$ classH8 *arasites 9 that was another of the"! And Byenas 9 Be definitely called Be" Byenas! %f co)rse Be was referrin$ to the >a-o)r *arty0 yo) )nderstand!, 1inston had the feelin$ that they were talkin$ at cross'p)rposes! F1hat + really wanted to know was this0, he said! FDo yo) feel that yo) have "ore freedo" now than yo) had in those daysC Are yo) treated "ore like a h)"an -ein$C +n the old days0 the rich people0 the people at the top9, F.he B%)se of >ords0, p)t in the old "an re"iniscently! F.he 2o)se of >ords0 if yo) like! 1hat + a" askin$ is0 were these people a-le to treat yo) as an inferior0 si"ply -eca)se they were rich and yo) were poorC +s it a fact0 for instance0 that yo) had to call the" 6Sir8 and take off yo)r cap when yo) passed the"C, .he old "an appeared to think deeply! 2e drank off a-o)t a <)arter of his -eer -efore answerin$! F@es0, he said! F.hey liked yo) to to)ch yo)r cap to Be"! +t showed respect0 like! + didnBt a$ree with it0 "yself0 -)t + done it often eno)$h! 2ad to0 as yo) "i$ht say!, FAnd was it )s)al 9 +B" only <)otin$ what +Bve read in history -ooks 9 was it )s)al for these people and their servants to p)sh yo) off the pave"ent into the $)tterC, F%ne of Be" p)shed "e once0, said the old "an! F+ recollect it as if it was yesterday! +t was 3oat 7ace ni$ht 9 terri-ly rowdy they )sed to $et on 3oat 7ace ni$ht 9 and + -)"ps into a yo)n$ -loke on Shaftes-)ry Aven)e! O)ite a $ent0 Be was 9 dress shirt0 top Bat0 -lack overcoat! B& was kind of =i$'=a$$in$ across the pave"ent0 and + -)"ps into Bi" accidental'like! B& says0 61hy canBt yo) look where yo)Bre $oin$C8 Be says! + say0 64) think yo)Bve -o)$ht the -leedin$ pave"entC8 B& says0 6+Bll twist yo)r -loody Bead off if yo) $et fresh with "e!8 + says0 6@o)Bre dr)nk! +Bll $ive yo) in char$e in Balf a "in)te08 + says! AnB if yo)Bll -elieve "e0 Be p)ts Bis Band on "y chest and $ives "e a shove as pretty near sent "e )nder the wheels of a -)s! 1ell0 + was yo)n$ in the" days0 and + was $oin$ to Bave fetched Bi" one0 only9, A sense of helplessness took hold of 1inston! .he old "anBs "e"ory was nothin$ -)t a r)--ish'heap of details! %ne co)ld <)estion hi" all day witho)t $ettin$ any real infor"ation! .he party histories "i$ht still -e tr)e0 after a fashion: they "i$ht even -e co"pletely tr)e! 2e "ade a last atte"pt! F*erhaps + have not "ade "yself clear0, he said! F1hat +B" tryin$ to say is this! @o) have

-een alive a very lon$ ti"e5 yo) lived half yo)r life -efore the 7evol)tion! +n 19KG0 for instance0 yo) were already $rown )p! 1o)ld yo) say fro" what yo) can re"e"-er0 that life in 19KG was -etter than it is now0 or worseC +f yo) co)ld choose0 wo)ld yo) prefer to live then or nowC, .he old "an looked "editatively at the darts -oard! 2e finished )p his -eer0 "ore slowly than -efore! 1hen he spoke it was with a tolerant philosophical air0 as tho)$h the -eer had "ellowed hi"! F+ know what yo) e/pect "e to say0, he said! F@o) e/pect "e to say as +Bd sooner -e yo)n$ a$ain! Most peopleBd say theyBd sooner -e yo)n$0 if yo) arst8 ,e"! @o) $ot yo)r ,ealth and stren$th when yo)Bre yo)n$! 1hen yo) $et to "y ti"e of life yo) ainBt never well! + s)ffer so"ethin$ wicked fro" "y feet0 and "y -ladderBs jest terri-le! Si/ and seven ti"es a ni$ht it ,as "e o)t of -ed! %n the other ,and0 thereBs $reat advanta$es in -ein$ a old "an! @o) ainBt $ot the sa"e worries! No tr)ck with wo"en0 and thatBs a $reat thin$! + ainBt ,ad a wo"an for near on thirty year0 if yo)Bd credit it! Nor wanted to0 whatBs "ore!, 1inston sat -ack a$ainst the window'sill! +t was no )se $oin$ on! 2e was a-o)t to -)y so"e "ore -eer when the old "an s)ddenly $ot )p and sh)ffled rapidly into the stinkin$ )rinal at the side of the roo"! .he e/tra half'litre was already workin$ on hi"! 1inston sat for a "in)te or two $a=in$ at his e"pty $lass0 and hardly noticed when his feet carried hi" o)t into the street a$ain! 1ithin twenty years at the "ost0 he reflected0 the h)$e and si"ple <)estion0 F1as life -etter -efore the 7evol)tion than it is nowC, wo)ld have ceased once and for all to -e answera-le! 3)t in effect it was )nanswera-le even now0 since the few scattered s)rvivors fro" the ancient world were incapa-le of co"parin$ one a$e with another! .hey re"e"-ered a "illion )seless thin$s0 a <)arrel with a work"ate0 a h)nt for a lost -icycle p)"p0 the e/pression on a lon$'dead sisterBs face0 the swirls of d)st on a windy "ornin$ seventy years a$o: -)t all the relevant facts were o)tside the ran$e of their vision! .hey were like the ant0 which can see s"all o-jects -)t not lar$e ones! And when "e"ory failed and written records were falsified 9 when that happened0 the clai" of the *arty to have i"proved the conditions of h)"an life had $ot to -e accepted0 -eca)se there did not e/ist0 and never a$ain co)ld e/ist0 any standard a$ainst which it co)ld -e tested! At this "o"ent his train of tho)$ht stopped a-r)ptly! 2e halted and looked )p! 2e was in a narrow street0 with a few dark little shops0 interspersed a"on$ dwellin$'ho)ses! +""ediately a-ove his head there h)n$ three discolo)red "etal -alls which looked as if they had once -een $ilded! 2e see"ed to know the place! %f co)rseH 2e was standin$ o)tside the j)nk'shop where he had -o)$ht the diary! A twin$e of fear went thro)$h hi"! +t had -een a s)fficiently rash act to -)y the -ook in the -e$innin$0 and he had sworn never to co"e near the place a$ain! And yet the instant that he allowed his tho)$hts to wander0 his feet had -ro)$ht hi" -ack here of their own accord! +t was precisely a$ainst s)icidal i"p)lses of this kind that he had hoped to $)ard hi"self -y openin$ the diary! At the sa"e ti"e he noticed that altho)$h it was nearly twenty'one ho)rs the shop was still open! 1ith the feelin$ that he wo)ld -e less conspic)o)s inside than han$in$ a-o)t on the pave"ent0 he stepped thro)$h the doorway! +f <)estioned0 he co)ld pla)si-ly say that he was tryin$ to -)y ra=or -lades! .he proprietor had j)st li$hted a han$in$ oil la"p which $ave off an )nclean -)t friendly s"ell! 2e was a "an of perhaps si/ty0 frail and -owed0 with a lon$0 -enevolent nose0 and "ild eyes distorted -y thick spectacles! 2is hair was al"ost white0 -)t his eye-rows were -)shy and still -lack! 2is spectacles0 his $entle0 f)ssy "ove"ents0 and the fact that he was wearin$ an a$ed jacket of -lack velvet0 $ave hi" a va$)e air of intellect)ality0 as tho)$h he had -een so"e kind of literary "an0 or perhaps a ")sician! 2is voice was soft0 as tho)$h faded0 and his accent less de-ased than that of the "ajority of proles! F+ reco$ni=ed yo) on the pave"ent0, he said i""ediately! F@o)Bre the $entle"an that -o)$ht the yo)n$ ladyBs keepsake al-)"! .hat was a -ea)tif)l -it of paper0 that was! rea"'laid0 it )sed to -e called! .hereBs -een no paper like that "ade for 9 oh0 + dare say fifty years!, 2e peered at 1inston over the top of his spectacles! F+s there anythin$ special + can do for yo)C %r did yo) j)st want to look ro)ndC,

F+ was passin$0, said 1inston va$)ely! F+ j)st looked in! + donBt want anythin$ in partic)lar!, F+tBs j)st as well0, said the other0 F-eca)se + donBt s)ppose + co)ld have satisfied yo)!, 2e "ade an apolo$etic $est)re with his softpal"ed hand! F@o) see how it is5 an e"pty shop0 yo) "i$ht say! 3etween yo) and "e0 the anti<)e tradeBs j)st a-o)t finished! No de"and any lon$er0 and no stock either! ()rnit)re0 china0 $lass itBs all -een -roken )p -y de$rees! And of co)rse the "etal st)ffBs "ostly -een "elted down! + havenBt seen a -rass candlestick in years!, .he tiny interior of the shop was in fact )nco"forta-ly f)ll0 -)t there was al"ost nothin$ in it of the sli$htest val)e! .he floorspace was very restricted0 -eca)se all ro)nd the walls were stacked inn)"era-le d)sty pict)re'fra"es! +n the window there were trays of n)ts and -olts0 worn'o)t chisels0 penknives with -roken -lades0 tarnished watches that did not even pretend to -e in $oin$ order0 and other "iscellaneo)s r)--ish! %nly on a s"all ta-le in the corner was there a litter of odds and ends 9 lac<)ered sn)ff-o/es0 a$ate -rooches0 and the like 9 which looked as tho)$h they "i$ht incl)de so"ethin$ interestin$! As 1inston wandered towards the ta-le his eye was ca)$ht -y a ro)nd0 s"ooth thin$ that $lea"ed softly in the la"pli$ht0 and he picked it )p! +t was a heavy l)"p of $lass0 c)rved on one side0 flat on the other0 "akin$ al"ost a he"isphere! .here was a pec)liar softness0 as of rainwater0 in -oth the colo)r and the te/t)re of the $lass! At the heart of it0 "a$nified -y the c)rved s)rface0 there was a stran$e0 pink0 convol)ted o-ject that recalled a rose or a sea ane"one! F1hat is itC, said 1inston0 fascinated! F.hatBs coral0 that is0, said the old "an! F+t ")st have co"e fro" the +ndian %cean! .hey )sed to kind of e"-ed it in the $lass! .hat wasnBt "ade less than a h)ndred years a$o! More0 -y the look of it!, F+tBs a -ea)tif)l thin$0, said 1inston! F+t is a -ea)tif)l thin$0, said the other appreciatively! F3)t thereBs not "any thatBd say so nowadays!, 2e co)$hed! FNow0 if it so happened that yo) wanted to -)y it0 thatBd cost yo) fo)r dollars! + can re"e"-er when a thin$ like that wo)ld have fetched ei$ht po)nds0 and ei$ht po)nds was 9 well0 + canBt work it o)t0 -)t it was a lot of "oney! 3)t who cares a-o)t $en)ine anti<)es nowadays even the few thatBs leftC, 1inston i""ediately paid over the fo)r dollars and slid the coveted thin$ into his pocket! 1hat appealed to hi" a-o)t it was not so ")ch its -ea)ty as the air it see"ed to possess of -elon$in$ to an a$e <)ite different fro" the present one! .he soft0 rainwatery $lass was not like any $lass that he had ever seen! .he thin$ was do)-ly attractive -eca)se of its apparent )selessness0 tho)$h he co)ld $)ess that it ")st once have -een intended as a paperwei$ht! +t was very heavy in his pocket0 -)t fort)nately it did not "ake ")ch of a -)l$e! +t was a <)eer thin$0 even a co"pro"isin$ thin$0 for a *arty "e"-er to have in his possession! Anythin$ old0 and for that "atter anythin$ -ea)tif)l0 was always va$)ely s)spect! .he old "an had $rown noticea-ly "ore cheerf)l after receivin$ the fo)r dollars! 1inston reali=ed that he wo)ld have accepted three or even two! F.hereBs another roo" )pstairs that yo) "i$ht care to take a look at0, he said! F.hereBs not ")ch in it! 4)st a few pieces! 1eBll do with a li$ht if weBre $oin$ )pstairs!, 2e lit another la"p0 and0 with -owed -ack0 led the way slowly )p the steep and worn stairs and alon$ a tiny passa$e0 into a roo" which did not $ive on the street -)t looked o)t on a co--led yard and a forest of chi"ney'pots! 1inston noticed that the f)rnit)re was still arran$ed as tho)$h the roo" were "eant to -e lived in! .here was a strip of carpet on the floor0 a pict)re or two on the walls0 and a deep0 slatternly ar"'chair drawn )p to the fireplace! An old'fashioned $lass clock with a twelve'ho)r face was tickin$ away on the "antelpiece! Ander the window0 and occ)pyin$ nearly a <)arter of the roo"0 was an enor"o)s -ed with the "attress still on it! F1e lived here till "y wife died0, said the old "an half apolo$etically! F+B" sellin$ the f)rnit)re off -y little and little! Now thatBs a -ea)tif)l "aho$any -ed0 or at least it wo)ld -e if yo) co)ld $et the -)$s o)t of it! 3)t + dare say yo)Bd find it a little -it c)"-erso"e!, 2e was holdln$ the la"p hi$h )p0 so as to ill)"inate the whole roo"0 and in the war" di" li$ht the place looked c)rio)sly invitin$! .he tho)$ht flitted thro)$h 1instonBs "ind that it wo)ld pro-a-ly -e <)ite easy to rent the roo" for a few dollars a week0 if he dared to take the risk! +t was a

wild0 i"possi-le notion0 to -e a-andoned as soon as tho)$ht of5 -)t the roo" had awakened in hi" a sort of nostal$ia0 a sort of ancestral "e"ory! +t see"ed to hi" that he knew e/actly what it felt like to sit in a roo" like this0 in an ar"'chair -eside an open fire with yo)r feet in the fender and a kettle on the ho-5 )tterly alone0 )tterly sec)re0 with no-ody watchin$ yo)0 no voice p)rs)in$ yo)0 no so)nd e/cept the sin$in$ of the kettle and the friendly tickin$ of the clock! F.hereBs no telescreenH, he co)ld not help ")r")rin$! FAh0, said the old "an0 F+ never had one of those thin$s! .oo e/pensive! And + never see"ed to feel the need of it0 so"ehow! Now thatBs a nice $atele$ ta-le in the corner there! .ho)$h of co)rse yo)Bd have to p)t new hin$es on it if yo) wanted to )se the flaps!, .here was a s"all -ookcase in the other corner0 and 1inston had already $ravitated towards it! +t contained nothin$ -)t r)--ish! .he h)ntin$'down and destr)ction of -ooks had -een done with the sa"e thoro)$hness in the prole <)arters as everywhere else! +t was very )nlikely that there e/isted anywhere in %ceania a copy of a -ook printed earlier than 19IE! .he old "an0 still carryin$ the la"p0 was standin$ in front of a pict)re in a rosewood fra"e which h)n$ on the other side of the fireplace0 opposite the -ed! FNow0 if yo) happen to -e interested in old prints at all9, he -e$an delicately! 1inston ca"e across to e/a"ine the pict)re! +t was a steel en$ravin$ of an oval -)ildin$ with rectan$)lar windows0 and a s"all tower in front! .here was a railin$ r)nnin$ ro)nd the -)ildin$0 and at the rear end there was what appeared to -e a stat)e! 1inston $a=ed at it for so"e "o"ents! +t see"ed va$)ely fa"iliar0 tho)$h he did not re"e"-er the stat)e! F.he fra"eBs fi/ed to the wall0, said the old "an0 F-)t + co)ld )nscrew it for yo)0 + dare say!, F+ know that -)ildin$0, said 1inston finally! F+tBs a r)in now! +tBs in the "iddle of the street o)tside the *alace of 4)stice!, F.hatBs ri$ht! %)tside the >aw o)rts! +t was -o"-ed in 9 oh0 "any years a$o! +t was a ch)rch at one ti"e0 St! le"entBs Danes0 its na"e was!, 2e s"iled apolo$etically0 as tho)$h conscio)s of sayin$ so"ethin$ sli$htly ridic)lo)s0 and added: F6%ran$es and le"ons08 say the -ells of St! le"entBsH, F1hatBs thatC, said 1inston! F%h 9 6F%ran$es and le"ons0, say the -ells of St! le"entBs!8 .hat was a rhy"e we had when + was a little -oy! 2ow it $oes on + donBt re"e"-er0 -)t + do know it ended )p0 62ere co"es a candle to li$ht yo) to -ed0 2ere co"es a chopper to chop off yo)r head!8 +t was a kind of a dance! .hey held o)t their ar"s for yo) to pass )nder0 and when they ca"e to 62ere co"es a chopper to chop off yo)r head8 they -ro)$ht their ar"s down and ca)$ht yo)! +t was j)st na"es of ch)rches! All the >ondon ch)rches were in it 9 all the principal ones0 that is!, 1inston wondered va$)ely to what cent)ry the ch)rch -elon$ed! +t was always diffic)lt to deter"ine the a$e of a >ondon -)ildin$! Anythin$ lar$e and i"pressive0 if it was reasona-ly new in appearance0 was a)to"atically clai"ed as havin$ -een -)ilt since the 7evol)tion0 while anythin$ that was o-vio)sly of earlier date was ascri-ed to so"e di" period called the Middle A$es! .he cent)ries of capitalis" were held to have prod)ced nothin$ of any val)e! %ne co)ld not learn history fro" architect)re any "ore than one co)ld learn it fro" -ooks! Stat)es0 inscriptions0 "e"orial stones0 the na"es of streets 9 anythin$ that "i$ht throw li$ht )pon the past had -een syste"atically altered! F+ never knew it had -een a ch)rch0, he said! F.hereBs a lot of the" left0 really0, said the old "an0 Ftho)$h theyBve -een p)t to other )ses! Now0 how did that rhy"e $oC AhH +Bve $ot itH there0 now0 thatBs as far as + can $et! A farthin$0 that was a s"all copper coin0 looked so"ethin$ like a cent!, F1here was St! MartinBsC, said 1inston! FSt! MartinBsC .hatBs still standin$! +tBs in ?ictory S<)are0 alon$side the pict)re $allery! A -)ildin$ with a kind of a trian$)lar porch and pillars in front0 and a -i$ fli$ht of steps!, 1inston knew the place well! +t was a ")se)" )sed for propa$anda displays of vario)s kinds 9 scale "odels of rocket -o"-s and (loatin$ (ortresses0 wa/work ta-lea)/ ill)stratin$

ene"y atrocities0 and the like! FSt! MartinBs'in'the'(ields it )sed to -e called0, s)pple"ented the old "an0 Ftho)$h + donBt recollect any fields anywhere in those parts!, 1inston did not -)y the pict)re! +t wo)ld have -een an even "ore incon$r)o)s possession than the $lass paperwei$ht0 and i"possi-le to carry ho"e0 )nless it were taken o)t of its fra"e! 3)t he lin$ered for so"e "in)tes "ore0 talkin$ to the old "an0 whose na"e0 he discovered0 was not 1eeks 9 as one "i$ht have $athered fro" the inscription over the shop'front 9 -)t harrin$ton! Mr! harrin$ton0 it see"ed0 was a widower a$ed si/ty'three and had inha-ited this shop for thirty years! .hro)$ho)t that ti"e he had -een intendin$ to alter the na"e over the window0 -)t had never <)ite $ot to the point of doin$ it! All the while that they were talkin$ the half're"e"-ered rhy"e kept r)nnin$ thro)$h 1instonBs head! %ran$es and le"ons say the -ells of St! le"entBs0 @o) owe "e three farthin$s0 say the -ells of St! MartinBsH +t was c)rio)s0 -)t when yo) said it to yo)rself yo) had the ill)sion of act)ally hearin$ -ells0 the -ells of a lost >ondon that still e/isted so"ewhere or other0 dis$)ised and for$otten! (ro" one $hostly steeple after another he see"ed to hear the" pealin$ forth! @et so far as he co)ld re"e"-er he had never in real life heard ch)rch -ells rin$in$! 2e $ot away fro" Mr! harrin$ton and went down the stairs alone0 so as not to let the old "an see hi" reconnoitrin$ the street -efore steppin$ o)t of the door! 2e had already "ade )p his "ind that after a s)ita-le interval 9 a "onth0 say 9 he wo)ld take the risk of visitin$ the shop a$ain! +t was perhaps not "ore dan$ero)s than shirkin$ an evenin$ at the entre! .he serio)s piece of folly had -een to co"e -ack here in the first place0 after -)yin$ the diary and witho)t knowin$ whether the proprietor of the shop co)ld -e tr)sted! 2owever9H @es0 he tho)$ht a$ain0 he wo)ld co"e -ack! 2e wo)ld -)y f)rther scraps of -ea)tif)l r)--ish! 2e wo)ld -)y the en$ravin$ of St! le"entBs Danes0 take it o)t of its fra"e0 and carry it ho"e concealed )nder the jacket of his overalls! 2e wo)ld dra$ the rest of that poe" o)t of Mr! harrin$tonBs "e"ory! &ven the l)natic project of rentin$ the roo" )pstairs flashed "o"entarily thro)$h his "ind a$ain! (or perhaps five seconds e/altation "ade hi" careless0 and he stepped o)t on to the pave"ent witho)t so ")ch as a preli"inary $lance thro)$h the window! 2e had even started h)""in$ to an i"provised t)ne 9 S)ddenly his heart see"ed to t)rn to ice and his -owels to water! A fi$)re in -l)e overalls was co"in$ down the pave"ent0 not ten "etres away! +t was the $irl fro" the (iction Depart"ent0 the $irl with dark hair! .he li$ht was failin$0 -)t there was no diffic)lty in reco$ni=in$ her! She looked hi" strai$ht in the face0 then walked <)ickly on as tho)$h she had not seen hi"! (or a few seconds 1inston was too paralysed to "ove! .hen he t)rned to the ri$ht and walked heavily away0 not noticin$ for the "o"ent that he was $oin$ in the wron$ direction! At any rate0 one <)estion was settled! .here was no do)-tin$ any lon$er that the $irl was spyin$ on hi"! She ")st have followed hi" here0 -eca)se it was not credi-le that -y p)re chance she sho)ld have happened to -e walkin$ on the sa"e evenin$ )p the sa"e o-sc)re -ackstreet0 kilo"etres distant fro" any <)arter where *arty "e"-ers lived! +t was too $reat a coincidence! 1hether she was really an a$ent of the .ho)$ht *olice0 or si"ply an a"ate)r spy act)ated -y officio)sness0 hardly "attered! +t was eno)$h that she was watchin$ hi"! *ro-a-ly she had seen hi" $o into the p)- as well! +t was an effort to walk! .he l)"p of $lass in his pocket -an$ed a$ainst his thi$h at each step0 and he was half "inded to take it o)t and throw it away! .he worst thin$ was the pain in his -elly! (or a co)ple of "in)tes he had the feelin$ that he wo)ld die if he did not reach a lavatory soon! 3)t there wo)ld -e no p)-lic lavatories in a <)arter like this! .hen the spas" passed0 leavin$ a d)ll ache -ehind! .he street was a -lind alley! 1inston halted0 stood for several seconds wonderin$ va$)ely what to do0 then t)rned ro)nd and -e$an to retrace his steps! As he t)rned it occ)rred to hi" that the $irl had only passed hi" three "in)tes a$o and that -y r)nnin$ he co)ld pro-a-ly catch )p with her! 2e co)ld keep on her track till they were in so"e <)iet place0 and then s"ash her sk)ll in with a co--lestone! .he piece of $lass in his pocket wo)ld -e heavy eno)$h for the jo-! 3)t he a-andoned the idea i""ediately0 -eca)se even the tho)$ht of "akin$ any physical effort was )n-eara-le! 2e

co)ld not r)n0 he co)ld not strike a -low! 3esides0 she was yo)n$ and l)sty and wo)ld defend herself! 2e tho)$ht also of h)rryin$ to the o"")nity entre and stayin$ there till the place closed0 so as to esta-lish a partial ali-i for the evenin$! 3)t that too was i"possi-le! A deadly lassit)de had taken hold of hi"! All he wanted was to $et ho"e <)ickly and then sit down and -e <)iet! +t was after twenty'two ho)rs when he $ot -ack to the flat! .he li$hts wo)ld -e switched off at the "ain at twenty'three thirty! 2e went into the kitchen and swallowed nearly a teac)pf)l of ?ictory #in! .hen he went to the ta-le in the alcove0 sat down0 and took the diary o)t of the drawer! 3)t he did not open it at once! (ro" the telescreen a -rassy fe"ale voice was s<)allin$ a patriotic son$! 2e sat starin$ at the "ar-led cover of the -ook0 tryin$ witho)t s)ccess to sh)t the voice o)t of his conscio)sness! +t was at ni$ht that they ca"e for yo)0 always at ni$ht! .he proper thin$ was to kill yo)rself -efore they $ot yo)! Ando)-tedly so"e people did so! Many of the disappearances were act)ally s)icides! 3)t it needed desperate co)ra$e to kill yo)rself in a world where firear"s0 or any <)ick and certain poison0 were co"pletely )nproc)ra-le! 2e tho)$ht with a kind of astonish"ent of the -iolo$ical )selessness of pain and fear0 the treachery of the h)"an -ody which always free=es into inertia at e/actly the "o"ent when a special effort is needed! 2e "i$ht have silenced the dark' haired $irl if only he had acted <)ickly eno)$h: -)t precisely -eca)se of the e/tre"ity of his dan$er he had lost the power to act! +t str)ck hi" that in "o"ents of crisis one is never fi$htin$ a$ainst an e/ternal ene"y0 -)t always a$ainst oneBs own -ody! &ven now0 in spite of the $in0 the d)ll ache in his -elly "ade consec)tive tho)$ht i"possi-le! And it is the sa"e0 he perceived0 in all see"in$ly heroic or tra$ic sit)ations! %n the -attlefield0 in the tort)re cha"-er0 on a sinkin$ ship0 the iss)es that yo) are fi$htin$ for are always for$otten0 -eca)se the -ody swells )p )ntil it fills the )niverse0 and even when yo) are not paralysed -y fri$ht or screa"in$ with pain0 life is a "o"ent'to'"o"ent str)$$le a$ainst h)n$er or cold or sleeplessness0 a$ainst a so)r sto"ach or an achin$ tooth! 2e opened the diary! +t was i"portant to write so"ethin$ down! .he wo"an on the telescreen had started a new son$! 2er voice see"ed to stick into his -rain like ja$$ed splinters of $lass! 2e tried to think of %B3rien0 for who"0 or to who"0 the diary was written0 -)t instead he -e$an thinkin$ of the thin$s that wo)ld happen to hi" after the .ho)$ht *olice took hi" away! +t wo)ld not "atter if they killed yo) at once! .o -e killed was what yo) e/pected! 3)t -efore death :no-ody spoke of s)ch thin$s0 yet every-ody knew of the"; there was the ro)tine of confession that had to -e $one thro)$h: the $rovellin$ on the floor and screa"in$ for "ercy0 the crack of -roken -ones0 the s"ashed teeth0 and -loody clots of hair! 1hy did yo) have to end)re it0 since the end was always the sa"eC 1hy was it not possi-le to c)t a few days or weeks o)t of yo)r lifeC No-ody ever escaped detection0 and no-ody ever failed to confess! 1hen once yo) had s)cc)"-ed to tho)$htcri"e it was certain that -y a $iven date yo) wo)ld -e dead! 1hy then did that horror0 which altered nothin$0 have to lie e"-edded in f)t)re ti"eC 2e tried with a little "ore s)ccess than -efore to s)""on )p the i"a$e of %B3rien! F1e shall "eet in the place where there is no darkness0, %B3rien had said to hi"! 2e knew what it "eant0 or tho)$ht he knew! .he place where there is no darkness was the i"a$ined f)t)re0 which one wo)ld never see0 -)t which0 -y foreknowled$e0 one co)ld "ystically share in! 3)t with the voice fro" the telescreen na$$in$ at his ears he co)ld not follow the train of tho)$ht f)rther! 2e p)t a ci$arette in his "o)th! 2alf the to-acco pro"ptly fell o)t on to his ton$)e0 a -itter d)st which was diffic)lt to spit o)t a$ain! .he face of 3i$ 3rother swa" into his "ind0 displacin$ that of %B3rien! 4)st as he had done a few days earlier0 he slid a coin o)t of his pocket and looked at it! .he face $a=ed )p at hi"0 heavy0 cal"0 protectin$: -)t what kind of s"ile was hidden -eneath the dark "o)stacheC >ike a leaden knell the words ca"e -ack at hi": orwell!r)

Dystopias: Definition an, Characteristics ( DefinitionCharacteristics-p,f

readwritethink!or$ Dystopias: Definition and haracteristics Atopia:A place0 state0 or condition that is ideally perfect in respect of politics0 laws0 c)sto"s0 and conditions! Dystopia: A f)t)ristic0 i"a$ined )niverse in which oppressive societal control and the ill)sion of a perfect society are "aintained thro)$h corporate0 -)rea)cratic0 technolo$ical0 "oral0 or totalitarian control! Dystopias0 thro)$h an e/a$$eratedworst'case scenario0 "ake a criticis" a-o)t a c)rrent trend0 societal nor"0 or political syste"! haracteristics of a Dystopian Society*ropa$anda is )sed to control the citi=ens of society!+nfor"ation0 independent tho)$ht0 and freedo" are restricted! A fi$)rehead or concept is worshipped -y the citi=ens of the society! iti=ens are perceived to -e )nder constant s)rveillance! iti=ens have a fear of the o)tside world! iti=ens live in a deh)"ani=ed state! .he nat)ral world is -anished and distr)sted! iti=ensconfor" to )nifor" e/pectations!+ndivid)ality and dissent are -ad! .he society is an ill)sion of a perfect )topian world!.ypes of Dystopian ontrols Most dystopian works present a world in which oppressive societal control and theill)sion of a perfect society are "aintained thro)$h one or "ore of the followin$types ofcontrols: orporate control: %ne or "ore lar$e corporationscontrol society thro)$hprod)cts0 advertisin$0andPorthe "edia! &/a"ples incl)deMinority 7eportand 7)nnin$ Man! 3)rea)cratic control: Societyis controlled -y a"indless-)rea)cracy thro)$h a tan$le of red tape0 relentless re$)lations0 and inco"petent $overn"ent officials! &/a"ples in fil" incl)de 3ra=il! .echnolo$ical control: Society is controlled -y technolo$y9thro)$h co"p)ters0 ro-ots0 andPor scientific "eans! &/a"ples incl)de .he Matri/0 .he .er"inator0 and +0 7o-ot! *hilosophicalPreli$io)s control: Society is controlled -y philosophical orreli$io)s ideolo$y often enforced thro)$h a dictatorship or theocratic$overn"ent! .he Dystopian *rota$onist often feels trapped and is str)$$lin$ to escape! <)estions the e/istin$ social and political syste"s! -elieves or feels thatso"ethin$ is terri-lywron$ with the society in which he or she lives! helps the a)dience reco$ni=es the ne$ative aspects of the dystopian world thro)$h his or her perspective! readwritethink!or$ Q Archive All Download Newest