Lecture notes
1984 Class Notes
Series of class notes on 1984. Completed by an A* student.
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Karl Marx:Marx believed that a new form of inequality – capitalism – characterised society at the time
of his writing (The Communist Manifesto 1848)
Marx saw that capitalism creates classes in society
Bourgeoise are the owners and the proletariat are the workers
Marx saw communism as a way to organise society fairly by sharing wealth
Social Conflict:
Chapter 5:
- ‘The proles are not human beings’ – capitalist(?)/class system; less value;
inequality; divide
- ‘Except the proles’ – underestimating the proles – Marx’s prediction of uprising
- Hierarchy – education – a way to empower the country is to educate the masses –
privilege – the bourgeoise
Through a Marxist lens, the ‘swarming disregarded masses’ or the proletariat have the
potential to undermine the bourgeois by coming together in a revolution. The adjective
‘swarming’ means crowding or a flock, particularly associated with insects. The use of
this adjective could imply the power and the potential to dominate of the proles, which
further links to the ideas inscribed in Karl Marx’s ‘The Communist Manifesto’ as Marx
claimed that the majority of the proletariat can overpower the ruling elite through the
means of education and personal growth. This reference could also be connected to the
statistics of the population of the Soviet Union during Stalin’s regime, as most of the
population was the proletariat living in poverty.
,[more on language analysis of swarming]
Through a Marxist lens, one might read Winston’s belief in the power of the proles as
signifying his belief in equality. Yet, one might also argue that his desire for revolution is
motivated by his own selfish desires.
Chapter 7-8:
Why won’t the proles participate in a revolt against the party?
Winston believes that the proles cannot rebel against the party until they become conscious
and they cannot become conscious until after they have rebelled.
What party lie does Winston uncover evidence of?
Winston remembers finding a photograph from eleven years ago of three men – Jones,
Aaronson and Rutherford – who were the former leaders of the Revolution who had been
exposed as traitors and were eventually vaporised. Winston remembers seeing the three
figures at the Chestnut Tree Café weeping while drinking gin. The photograph proved their
innocence and showed that their confessions had been extorted. Winston destroyed the
photograph out of fear.
Why does Winston consider suicide?
He doesn't want to be captured and tortured by the party. He hates his life. He can't face his
true feelings for the dark-haired girl.
What is the party motto?
War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.
What does Winston buy in a second-hand store?
,A glass paperweight
Parallel to the USSR:
The Moscow Trials – series of show trials at the instigation of J. Stalin against Trotskyists
and members of Right Opposition of the Communist Party of the USSR.
The Great Purge/The Great Terror was a campaign of political repression (1936-38),
involving the large-scale purge of government officials, repression of kulaks (affluent
peasants) and the Red Army leadership, widespread police surveillance, imprisonment and
show trials.
The Chestnut Tree Café = Bolsheviks would gather there in USSR to discus radical ideas
The original lines of Glen Miller’s 1939 chestnut tree song were ‘I loved you and you loved
me’
Under the spreading chestnut tree
I sold you and you sold me:
There lie they, and here lie we
Under the spreading chestnut tree.
Absence of human feelings; foreshadows Winston and Julia’s separation; complex response
to Rutherford because of his reactions (crying) since he realised he created a ‘monster’ while
perhaps having honourable intentions.
If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is
controllable what then?
- The existential crisis of Winston is revealed to the reader
- Shows intelligence of Winston – questions what it means to be human
- Growth of character
, - Dystopian society eradicates humanity
SYMBOLISM:
The Glass Paperweight
The soft, rainwatery glass was not like any glass that he had ever seen. The thing was
doubly attractive because of its apparent uselessness, though he could guess that it must
once have been intended as a paperweight. It was very heavy in his pocket, but
fortunately it did not make much of a bulge. It was a queer thing, even a compromising
thing, for a Party member to have in his possession. Anything old, and for that matter
anything beautiful, was always vaguely suspect.
- Connection to the past – ironic: paperweight is transparent versus how the Party is
trying to make
- Paperweight – purpose is to hold things in place – the Party is trying to make the
past changeable/ever-moving
- Connection to the past – burden
- Knowledge is frightening
- Coral can’t be made – past cannot be made by the Party since Party cannot control
everything – outside of industrialisation
- Puritan society – restricting yourself and devoting yourself to the Party –
capitalism to buy something ‘beautiful’ and the weight of the betrayal of the
society and his own values
- Capitalism – ownership – Winston’s desire to own the paperweight
- Beauty of coral – beauty of the past
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