Reading comprehension

Nineteen Eighty-Four Part One: Chapters One—Two

Comprehension/Analysis Directions:​ To help you understand all aspects of the novel, answer the following questions for Chapters One—Two. Write your answers on a separate piece of paper using complete sentences.​ Please type your answers in red font. 1. Examine why Airstrip One operates on military time, as opposed to standard time, which Britain has historically used. 2. Discuss the message conveyed by the Big Brother posters hanging in apartment buildings. How would this message differ if the posters only hung in public Places? 3. Examine the Party’s three slogans: “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” At this point in the novel, what do you think they mean? 4. Analyze why Winston is not certain of the exact date and how a lack of time- keeping reinforces the Party’s manipulation of history. 5. Generalize what the film Winston watched says about the Party, how it controls the populace, and how it views its citizens. 6. Summarize Winston’s feelings about O’Brien. 7. Contrast Winston’s opinion of O’Brien with Winston’s opinion of the dark-haired girl in his office. 8. Describe the Two Minutes Hate and its purpose.

9. Show what Winston thinks he sees in O’Brien’s expression. How accurate do you think Winston’s assessment is and why? 10. Infer why Winston frightens himself when writing, “Down with Big Brother,” in his diary and how he could be guilty of thoughtcrime. Chapter Two 1. Formulate what the Party’s use of “comrade” says about its political tendencies and how this places 1984 in a historical context. 2. Assess the role of children in Airstrip One. How are children trained to support the Party? 3. Interpret the comment that O’Brien says in Winston’s dream and predict how it will reoccur in the novel. 4. Name and explain the three principles of INGSOC. 5. Explain Winston’s comment, “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death.” Literature Focus: Author’s Purpose Authors write for a variety of reasons. Some texts intend to inform the reader of specific factual information, some try to persuade the reader of a particular position, and many fictional books just seek to entertain the reader. While Orwell’s 1984 is fictional, it also acts as the author’s warning against the perils of totalitarian governments. To this end, the author employs irony and specific motifs to set the mood of a depressing, dystopian society. Irony​ creates a contrast between what is expected or appears to be and what actually occurs. To set the stage for a dystopian society, Orwell employs several examples of irony.

Part One Directions:​ For each example below, list its expected meaning or outcome, then discuss its actual meaning or outcome in the novel so far. An example has been completed for you.

Situation or Language

Expected Meaning or Outcome

Actual Meaning or Outcome

(Irony)

Ex. Ministry of Love (p. 4)

Agency that cares for citizens

Maintains law and order through

force and fear

1. Ministry of Truth (p. 4)

2. Ministry of Peace (p. 4)

Situation or Language

Expected Meaning or Outcome

Actual Meaning or Outcome

(Irony)

3. Ministry of Plenty (p. 4)

4. Film of refugees in a boat (p. 8-9)

5. Winston’s opinion of his

workplace (p. 17)

6. How do the above examples of irony disarm the reader and alert him/ her to the novel’s dystopian setting? 7. How does the setting of a dystopian society act as a warning against the totalitarian governments Orwell feared?