Cary G Dean.
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WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
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George Orwell-1949
Mrs Parsons’ eyes flitted nervously from Winston to the children, and back again.
In the better light of the living-room he noticed with interest that there actually was dust in the creases of her face.
’They do get so noisy,’ she said. ’They’re disappointed because they couldn’t go to see the hanging, that’s what it is.
I’m too busy to take them. and Tom won’t be back from work in time.’
I’m too busy to take them. and Tom won’t be back from work in time.’
’Why can’t we go and see the hanging?’ roared the boy in his huge voice.
’Want to see the hanging! Want to see the hanging!’ chanted the little girl, still capering around.
’Want to see the hanging! Want to see the hanging!’ chanted the little girl, still capering around.
Some Eurasian prisoners, guilty of war crimes, were to be hanged in the Park that evening, Winston remembered.
This happened about once a month, and was a popular spectacle.
Children always clamoured to be taken to see it.
This happened about once a month, and was a popular spectacle.
Children always clamoured to be taken to see it.
He took his leave of Mrs Parsons and made for the door.
But he had not gone six steps down the passage when something hit the back of his neck an agonizingly painful blow.
It was as though a red-hot wire had been jabbed into him.
But he had not gone six steps down the passage when something hit the back of his neck an agonizingly painful blow.
It was as though a red-hot wire had been jabbed into him.
He spun round just in time to see Mrs Parsons dragging her son back into the doorway while the boy pocketed a catapult.
’Goldstein!’!!!
Bellowed the boy as the door closed on him.
’Goldstein!’!!!
Bellowed the boy as the door closed on him.
But what most struck Winston was the look of helpless fright on the woman’s greyish face.
Back in the flat he stepped quickly past the telescreen and sat down at the table again, still rubbing his neck.
The music from the telescreen had stopped.
The music from the telescreen had stopped.
Instead, a clipped military voice was reading out, with a sort of brutal relish, a description of the armaments of the new Floating Fortress which had just been anchored between lceland and the Faroe lslands.
With those children, he thought, that wretched woman must lead a life of terror.
Another year, two years, and they would be watching her night and day for symptoms of unorthodoxy.
Nearly all children nowadays were horrible.
Nearly all children nowadays were horrible.
What was worst of all was that by means of such organizations as the Spies they were systematically turned into ungovernable little savages, and yet this produced in them no tendency whatever to rebel against the discipline of the Party.
On the contrary, they adored the Party and everything connected with it.
The songs, the processions, the banners, the hiking, the drilling with dummy rifles, the yelling of slogans, the worship of Big Brother it was all a sort of glorious game to them.
All their ferocity was turned outwards, against the enemies of the State, against foreigners, traitors, saboteurs, thought-criminals.
It was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children.
And with good reason, for hardly a week passed in which The Times did not carry a paragraph describing how some eavesdropping little sneak,
’Child Hero’
Was the phrase generally used had overheard some compromising remark and denounced its parents to the Thought Police.
’Child Hero’
Was the phrase generally used had overheard some compromising remark and denounced its parents to the Thought Police.
The sting of the catapult bullet had worn off.
He picked up his pen halfheartedly, wondering whether he could find something more to write in the diary.
He picked up his pen halfheartedly, wondering whether he could find something more to write in the diary.
Suddenly he began thinking of O’Brien again.
Years ago how long was it? Seven years it must be he had dreamed that he was walking through a pitch-dark room.
And someone sitting to one side of him had said as he passed:
’We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.’
It was said very quietly, almost casually a statement, not a command.
’We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.’
It was said very quietly, almost casually a statement, not a command.
He had walked on without pausing.
What was curious was that at the time, in the dream, the words had not made much impression on him.
What was curious was that at the time, in the dream, the words had not made much impression on him.
It was only later and by degrees that they had seemed to take on significance.
He could not now remember whether it was before or after having the dream that he had seen O’Brien for the first time, nor could he remember when he had first identified the voice as O’Brien’s.
But at any rate the identification existed.
It was O’Brien who had spoken to him out of the dark.
Winston had never been able to feel sure even after this morning’s flash of the eyes it was still impossible to be sure whether O’Brien was a friend or an enemy.
Nor did it even seem to matter greatly.
There was a link of understanding between them, more important than affection or partisanship.
’We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness,’
Winston did not know what it meant, only that in some way or another it would come true.
Winston did not know what it meant, only that in some way or another it would come true.
The voice from the telescreen paused.
A trumpet call, clear and beautiful, floated into the stagnant air.
A trumpet call, clear and beautiful, floated into the stagnant air.
The voice continued raspingly:
’Attention! Your attention, please!
A newsflash has this moment arrived from the Malabar front.
Our forces in South India have won a glorious victory.
I am authorized to say that the action we are now reporting may well bring the war within measurable distance of its end.
Here is the newsflash -’
Bad news coming, thought Winston.
And sure enough, following on a gory description of the annihilation of a Eurasian army, with stupendous figures of killed and prisoners, came the announcement that, as from next week, the chocolate ration would be reduced from thirty grammes to twenty.
Winston belched again.
The gin was wearing off, leaving a deflated feeling.
The telescreen perhaps to celebrate the victory, perhaps to drown the memory of the lost chocolate crashed into
’Oceania, ’tis for thee’.
’Oceania, ’tis for thee’.
You were supposed to stand to attention.
However, in his present position he was invisible.
’Oceania, ’tis for thee’ gave way to lighter music.
Winston walked over to the window, keeping his back to the telescreen.
The day was still cold and clear.
Somewhere far away a rocket bomb exploded with a dull, reverberating roar.
About twenty or thirty of them a week were falling on London at present.
Down in the street the wind flapped the torn poster to and fro, and the word
"INGSOC"!!
Fitfully appeared and vanished.
"INGSOC"!!
Fitfully appeared and vanished.
"Ingsoc".
The sacred principles of Ingsoc.
Newspeak, doublethink, the mutability of the past.
He felt as though he were wandering in the forests of the sea bottom, lost in a monstrous world where he himself was the monster.
He was alone.
The past was dead, the future was unimaginable.
What certainty had he that a single human creature now living was on his side?
And what way of knowing that the dominion of the Party would not endure for ever?
Like an answer, the three slogans on the white face of the Ministry of Truth came back to him:
Like an answer, the three slogans on the white face of the Ministry of Truth came back to him:
"WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
About the Author:
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"During times of universal deceit,
telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."
George Orwell
telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act."
George Orwell
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