The Two Minutes Hate

Part One, Section I

In describing the Two Minutes Hate, Winston Smith makes the following observation:

"The horrible thing about the Two Minutes Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining in."

While the Two Minutes Hate is clearly an extreme example, what is a "comparable" scenario in today's society where the emotion of the masses overwhelms the individual's conscience? Are there effective safeguards in today's society to prevent this type of reaction? Make sure to defend your answer.

Can the Past Be Controlled?

Part One, Section III

"Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past."

From the perspective of the world historian you are, do you agree or disagree with this statement? Explain.

"Little Eichmanns"

Part One, Section IV

On September 12, 2001, just one day after the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a University of Colorado professor named Ward Churchill published a controversial article stating that years of American foreign policy had actually provoked the attacks. Most notably, he referred to the people who worked in the World Trade Center as "little Eichmanns." This was an allusion to Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi bureaucrat who was instrumental during World War II in designing and managing the mass deportations of Jews to death camps in Eastern Europe. When asked at his trial in Jerusalem if he was guilty of a great sin, Eichmann responded that he was not a murderer himself--he was merely following orders.

Despite Winston Smith's hatred of the Party, he admittedly takes great pride in his work at the Ministry of Truth. Does this make Winston Smith a "little Eichmann"?

Before comment on this discussion, please go here to learn a little bit more about the Ward Churchill 9/11 controversy.

The Diary: Power and Freedom

Part One, Section VII

At the end of Part One, the two profound thoughts that Winston Smith writes in his diary are these:

"I understand HOW: I do not understand WHY."

"Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows."

Share your thoughts on both of these quotes.

Open Forum

Have a question about 1984? Big or small, everything is on the table. Pose your question here to get a response from one or more classmates.