Winston has trouble remembering the past. He cannot seem to know for sure which events really happened or even the year that they happened in. Big Brother controls history as it appears. It erases whatever events in time it wants from the mind of others, or just more simply blurs them. Has Oceania always been at war with Eurasia or not? There are no photographs or documents any longer that one can read about the real past. This is another reason why Winston feels like his memories are continuously fading into the darkness. He even has trouble remembering his own childhood events, like the one evening long ago where they hid underground with other families in London because there was going to be a possible atomic bomb attack. He barely remembers his mother, and if his baby sister had even been born by then or not.
His dreams are very interesting. I believe they might be foreshadowing major events to come in the book. He dreams about the dark-haired lady. He seems to really like her but extremely distrust this woman at the same time, even though he doesn't even know her! I bet they will be speaking soon. He also dreams about the man, O'brien. In the dream he promises to meet Winston,
"in the place where there is no darkness".
which will be something to examine later. It's mysterious and will probably start to mean more throughout the novel.
Topics for research that come to mind while reading 1984 are mostly about the governments. Whether it be security, how much power they have, or maybe government surveillance. In this book, the people have a huge lack of personal rights, from which I could research different countries governments and the restrictions that they have put over their people. I'm not quite decided on a research topic yet.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Book 2: 1984
Winston Smith, who is the main character, appears to be in really bad health. He coughs a lot every morning, and he has an ulcer on his ankle that often bothers him. He lives in a little apartment by himself, with the big brother screen always on and watching. Everyone has one of these in their homes. People have to always be careful of the actions they take because the thought police are said to be always watching and waiting to catch people who have any possible anti-big brother thought.
Winston went to this Two minute hate where people sit in front of a little movie clip that makes people rage against the enemies of Oceania (where they are from). People started getting angry, and Winston said he couldn't stop from joining it. It must really get to people's minds. This slogan keeps coming up in the story:
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Anyways, when Winston was at home, we brought out this little, old journal that he had bought. He made it into his diary, which was illegal to have. but he did it anyway, and he decided he was going to write for the future, but he kept thinking ...how is the future going to read this if I'm dead because the thought police killed me for writing this and then probably demolished the book anyway! But he keeps on writing and realized he wrote in big letters again and again, "Down with Big Brother!" Which freaked him out a little, and me too, because how could he not notice he was doing that? but he didn't want to hide it. Even when a knock came on the door he didn't shut it because he didn't want the words to smear.
One of the neighbor woman was at his door because she needed him to fix her sink; her husband was gone. So he said yes, even though he really didn't want to. Her children are insane obnoxious. They kept yelling traitor to Winston and pretending to shoot him, which worried winston because of what he had been previously writing in his room. He thinks kids are basically brainwashed now, and they even rat their own parents out to Big Brother, because they think it's some kind of fun game.
I chose to read 1984 as my second book because it relates to Brave New World. They are both set in a futuristic world beyond the date when they were written. Both can be classified as dystopias. The government has great power over each world in both books which is probably going to be a big theme for me at the end of the year.
Winston went to this Two minute hate where people sit in front of a little movie clip that makes people rage against the enemies of Oceania (where they are from). People started getting angry, and Winston said he couldn't stop from joining it. It must really get to people's minds. This slogan keeps coming up in the story:
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
Anyways, when Winston was at home, we brought out this little, old journal that he had bought. He made it into his diary, which was illegal to have. but he did it anyway, and he decided he was going to write for the future, but he kept thinking ...how is the future going to read this if I'm dead because the thought police killed me for writing this and then probably demolished the book anyway! But he keeps on writing and realized he wrote in big letters again and again, "Down with Big Brother!" Which freaked him out a little, and me too, because how could he not notice he was doing that? but he didn't want to hide it. Even when a knock came on the door he didn't shut it because he didn't want the words to smear.
One of the neighbor woman was at his door because she needed him to fix her sink; her husband was gone. So he said yes, even though he really didn't want to. Her children are insane obnoxious. They kept yelling traitor to Winston and pretending to shoot him, which worried winston because of what he had been previously writing in his room. He thinks kids are basically brainwashed now, and they even rat their own parents out to Big Brother, because they think it's some kind of fun game.
I chose to read 1984 as my second book because it relates to Brave New World. They are both set in a futuristic world beyond the date when they were written. Both can be classified as dystopias. The government has great power over each world in both books which is probably going to be a big theme for me at the end of the year.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Brave new world!
I've really enjoyed my book. It's been fascinating to read. Some things surprised me though. The fact that Bernard was allowed to bring Linda and her son back was shocking. It was done so easily and Bernard got a lot of credit for it, even world popularity. Anyways, a main theme of this book is the control over society and how it effects the individual. Most conform to be perfect, because the belief is that if everyone plays their part in society, then the world will be perfect. In the eyes of the "Savage" on the hand, this brave, new world wasn't near perfection at all. He very much disliked the feelies (movie clips) and the soma everyone was taking and getting lost in (drugs). It goes to show how much a ruling class can have control over it's people, have all those people believe it's perfect, but in an outsider's opinion is not nearly so. I question and ponder how our society will have changed in the 50 years. We could sincerely change into this society now, those it seems too unlikey, it is a real possibility. Parts of it make complete sense, but the total control is just way too much.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Brave New World (2)
This is my second blog for the book Brave New World.
I am still really enjoying this novel. This world society that I’m reading about still comes as a shock as I find out further information about it. It was interesting when the director brought up the word “parents” and everyone was very uncomfortable with it. A world without parents or family is very difficult for us to imagine. It’s first thing we get in this world, a family. None of the human beings in this society know what that’s like. They are all raised in mass production basically. They are almost grossed out by the idea of only two parents. But what grosses our society out is the fact that this society sanctions promiscuity where intimate behaviors are encouraged with multiple members of society. Monogamous relationships are very much frowned upon. It’s hard to put myself into this storyline while reading it; I ask myself too many questions.
Like I predicted, a character has been presented whose beliefs are started to waiver. His name is Bernard, and he doesn’t like the idea of Lenina (a female character in the novel) being referred to as a “piece of meat”. His differing opinion from the other male characters in the book is a very important piece of this novel. He will be the first to rebel. This sounds odd to us because his beliefs are closer to the society of today, but no, he will be considered the rebel, the outcast, and the bad guy.
I’m really questioning what the real intent of Lenina’s decisions is. She seems to like being with Bernard and she hasn’t really got around much lately as she is supposed to. I predict that she will eventually “rebel” as well, but I am not so sure. I also wonder what happens to those who do go against society. Will they be killed? Why not? It seems as if they are only a number.
For class, I have to write an essay soon about a real influential scene that really aids to the meaning of the book and such. I don’t know what scene I will choose. I believe I need to read a little farther, but the scene with Bernard starting to have shifting views might be a good pick. I also need to think of good questions to ask throughout my novels selections for my senior study book as a whole. I really like the whole idea of this dystopia theme. I just have to find a way to connect them all together with some good questions.
I’m excited to read further into this novel, and as I read I will decide which scene is most important and questions that I should be asking and answering myself.
Until next blog…
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Brave New World!
This is my first blog for my first novel titled Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.
I was very unsure of what novel to choose to start off my senior study. This book was then recommended to me and soon after reading the first few chapters, my interest for it increased tremendously! The story jumps right into setting of a futuristic world inside the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre. The director is giving a tour to a group of students in a factory that produces human beings. Humans are now being born in large sets of identical twins out of the womb. It all seems fascinating at first, when we get this glimpse into our future where scientists have discovered more of the answers that have made our society incredibly, scientifically advanced, but this isn't a utopia; it's a severe dystopia.
Eggs from an ovary get branched to form multiple identical twins, multiple meaning hundreds, even thousands. The later fetuses travel on conveyors belts in jars for 200 some days while they mature. The machines are designed to act like the womb. Different fetuses are matured in different ways depending on which caste they will enter. Yes, the world people are now divided into five, strict castes: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon.
My imagination goes wild while reading this book. What if our world was really like this? Human brains are actually being dumbed down so that they will fit into an appropriate caste. They don't want everyone to learn. People are now born, not just without the opportunity to learn, but without the ability and there is no choice. How very unfortunate of a life. Though this is a society we could one day become. Science is advancing every single minute. Anything is possible. We could easily slip into this world where humans are created all alike and exactly the way they should to form a perfect functioning society. Wouldn't life be easier if everyone was created to do exactly what they were going to do? It's a bit scary, this future.
Everything is predestined. I feel like this will play a major part of the book. One is created so exactly the same as all the others in a caste where he or she will stay forever, performing a job that's predestined, living a whole life that's predestined. I'm very curious to find out what the higher castes, the more intellectual individuals, have to say about all of this. I am sure that soon enough someone in the story will be against this entire inhumane process.
As you can see I'm very eager to continue the novel. "What if" questions constantly run through my mind and this novel triggers many more of them. If I were put into this society, I hope I would be created as one of the elites, or maybe as one of the engineers, so I would at least have the opportunity to question, to create, and to learn. I'm very excited to see where the author takes this novel, it may soon become one of my favorites!
Until next blog....
I was very unsure of what novel to choose to start off my senior study. This book was then recommended to me and soon after reading the first few chapters, my interest for it increased tremendously! The story jumps right into setting of a futuristic world inside the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre. The director is giving a tour to a group of students in a factory that produces human beings. Humans are now being born in large sets of identical twins out of the womb. It all seems fascinating at first, when we get this glimpse into our future where scientists have discovered more of the answers that have made our society incredibly, scientifically advanced, but this isn't a utopia; it's a severe dystopia.
Eggs from an ovary get branched to form multiple identical twins, multiple meaning hundreds, even thousands. The later fetuses travel on conveyors belts in jars for 200 some days while they mature. The machines are designed to act like the womb. Different fetuses are matured in different ways depending on which caste they will enter. Yes, the world people are now divided into five, strict castes: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon.
My imagination goes wild while reading this book. What if our world was really like this? Human brains are actually being dumbed down so that they will fit into an appropriate caste. They don't want everyone to learn. People are now born, not just without the opportunity to learn, but without the ability and there is no choice. How very unfortunate of a life. Though this is a society we could one day become. Science is advancing every single minute. Anything is possible. We could easily slip into this world where humans are created all alike and exactly the way they should to form a perfect functioning society. Wouldn't life be easier if everyone was created to do exactly what they were going to do? It's a bit scary, this future.
Everything is predestined. I feel like this will play a major part of the book. One is created so exactly the same as all the others in a caste where he or she will stay forever, performing a job that's predestined, living a whole life that's predestined. I'm very curious to find out what the higher castes, the more intellectual individuals, have to say about all of this. I am sure that soon enough someone in the story will be against this entire inhumane process.
As you can see I'm very eager to continue the novel. "What if" questions constantly run through my mind and this novel triggers many more of them. If I were put into this society, I hope I would be created as one of the elites, or maybe as one of the engineers, so I would at least have the opportunity to question, to create, and to learn. I'm very excited to see where the author takes this novel, it may soon become one of my favorites!
Until next blog....
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