Part Two, Section 10
In the final free statement he says aloud to himself and to Julia before the Thought Police emerge and arrest him, Winston says the following: "We are the Dead."
As you know, this line appears in "In Flanders Field" which is arguably the most famous poem from World War I, and it's hard to believe Orwell (born 1903) could have been unfamilar with it. In the actual year 1984, David Bowie released an album entitled Diamond Dogs, with several songs related to the book 1984 including one entitled "We Are the Dead." Click here to listen and here to see the lyrics. In 2008, heavy metal New Zealand band Antagonist A.D. recorded their own song called "We Are the Dead."
From Flanders to Orwell to Bowie to New Zealand, what is it about this simple four word statement? What does it mean? Why does it continue to resonate throughout the twentieth century? Why does it still hold the power that it does?
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
The Power of Blackwhite
Part Two, Section 9
"The thing that impressed Winston in looking back was that the speaker had switched from one line to the other actually in mid-sentence, not only without a pause, but without even breaking the syntax... Oceania was at war Eastasia; Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia."
Truthers argue that the events on 9/11 happened with President Bush's complicity and that he is therefore a traitor. Birthers argue that President Obama was not born in the United States and that he is therefore not constitionally eligible to be President of the United States. Not surprisingly, Truthers are more likely to identify as Democrats, and Birthers are more likely to identify as Republicans. And any attempt to convince them otherwise with evidence only makes their convictions stronger.
Why do you think The Party intentionally switched the war at the apex of Hate Week from Eurasia to Eastasia? Do the speaker and all who follow him bear similarities to the Truthers or the Birthers? How so?
"The thing that impressed Winston in looking back was that the speaker had switched from one line to the other actually in mid-sentence, not only without a pause, but without even breaking the syntax... Oceania was at war Eastasia; Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia."
Truthers argue that the events on 9/11 happened with President Bush's complicity and that he is therefore a traitor. Birthers argue that President Obama was not born in the United States and that he is therefore not constitionally eligible to be President of the United States. Not surprisingly, Truthers are more likely to identify as Democrats, and Birthers are more likely to identify as Republicans. And any attempt to convince them otherwise with evidence only makes their convictions stronger.
Why do you think The Party intentionally switched the war at the apex of Hate Week from Eurasia to Eastasia? Do the speaker and all who follow him bear similarities to the Truthers or the Birthers? How so?
Lovers in Distopian Societies
Part Two, Section 2
In one of the most famous lines from 1984, Winston Smith describes the consummation of his affair with Julia as follows: "It was a blow struck against the party. It was a political act."
Listen to this interview with Barbara Demick, author of the new book Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea. She tells the story of Jun-sang and Mi-ran, their means of "courtship" over many years, and the limits of their forbidden bond.
How does this story from North Korea in the 1990's compare with Winston and Julia's relationship? In a totalitarian society is love really a political act?
In one of the most famous lines from 1984, Winston Smith describes the consummation of his affair with Julia as follows: "It was a blow struck against the party. It was a political act."
Listen to this interview with Barbara Demick, author of the new book Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea. She tells the story of Jun-sang and Mi-ran, their means of "courtship" over many years, and the limits of their forbidden bond.
How does this story from North Korea in the 1990's compare with Winston and Julia's relationship? In a totalitarian society is love really a political act?
Do You Know Your Enemy?
Part Two, Section 9
According to third chapter of Goldstein's book, "war is peace" because "it eats up the surplus of consumable goods, and it helps to preserve the special mental atmosphere that a hierarchical society needs. War is now a purely internal affair..., and the object of the war is not to make or prevent conquests of territory, but to keep the structure of society intact." (Italics are mine.)
Robespierre needed an enemy to justify his continued emergency powers, and so he had "reactionaries" sent to the guillotine. Lenin and Trotsky justified their own severe measures by speaking of the danger of "bandits" and "tsarists." In show trials, Stalin identified leaders of the Bolshevik Revolution as "counter-revolutionaries," and Mao would later do the same in China. Hitler even burned down his own capitol building to argue against the dangers of the Communists and Jews.
To what extent is war peace today? Must we have an enemy, or as Green Day might put it, do you know your enemy?
According to third chapter of Goldstein's book, "war is peace" because "it eats up the surplus of consumable goods, and it helps to preserve the special mental atmosphere that a hierarchical society needs. War is now a purely internal affair..., and the object of the war is not to make or prevent conquests of territory, but to keep the structure of society intact." (Italics are mine.)
Robespierre needed an enemy to justify his continued emergency powers, and so he had "reactionaries" sent to the guillotine. Lenin and Trotsky justified their own severe measures by speaking of the danger of "bandits" and "tsarists." In show trials, Stalin identified leaders of the Bolshevik Revolution as "counter-revolutionaries," and Mao would later do the same in China. Hitler even burned down his own capitol building to argue against the dangers of the Communists and Jews.
To what extent is war peace today? Must we have an enemy, or as Green Day might put it, do you know your enemy?
"War Is Peace"
Part Two, Section 9
In his final address to the nation in January of 1961, World War II winning general and outgoing President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower famously stated that "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." (Click here to watch the excerpt from the speech starting at 6:30 and continuing until 9:05. To follow along with the text of the speech, click here and scroll down to IV.)
Today, the United States military budget accounts for 20% of the entire $3 trillion federal budget. According to one estimate, the amount of money the US spends on defense is not only more than any other country, but it is more than the total defense spending of all the next 15 countries combined.
To what extent has Eisenhower's warning from 50 years ago proved true today? Is this an issue that should be of great, of mild, or of no concern to the American citizen? Why?
(In fact, very liberal Rep. Barney Frank and very conservative Rep. Ron Paul, who very rarely agree on anything, have teamed up over this exact issue. You can read their joint column here.)
In his final address to the nation in January of 1961, World War II winning general and outgoing President of the United States Dwight D. Eisenhower famously stated that "In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist." (Click here to watch the excerpt from the speech starting at 6:30 and continuing until 9:05. To follow along with the text of the speech, click here and scroll down to IV.)
Today, the United States military budget accounts for 20% of the entire $3 trillion federal budget. According to one estimate, the amount of money the US spends on defense is not only more than any other country, but it is more than the total defense spending of all the next 15 countries combined.
To what extent has Eisenhower's warning from 50 years ago proved true today? Is this an issue that should be of great, of mild, or of no concern to the American citizen? Why?
(In fact, very liberal Rep. Barney Frank and very conservative Rep. Ron Paul, who very rarely agree on anything, have teamed up over this exact issue. You can read their joint column here.)
"Ignorance Is Strength"
Part Two, Section 9
The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism begins with "Chapter 1: Ignorance Is Strength." In this chapter, author Goldstein describes a theory of history with great similarity to Marx's contention in The Communist Manifesto that "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle." It also sounds a lot like a game of Shapeland. In what ways do you think Chapter 1 of Goldstein's book is an accurate description of history? In what ways do you think it is not?
The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism begins with "Chapter 1: Ignorance Is Strength." In this chapter, author Goldstein describes a theory of history with great similarity to Marx's contention in The Communist Manifesto that "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle." It also sounds a lot like a game of Shapeland. In what ways do you think Chapter 1 of Goldstein's book is an accurate description of history? In what ways do you think it is not?
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