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.