Newspeak

In George Orwell's 1984, the idea of Newspeak is really interesting and to me. The whole idea that a language should be reduced into a few words seems like a recipe for disaster. Without the readily available descriptive words, such things as poems and songs will cease to exist or just be very repetitive. Everyday we use a variety of different nouns, verbs, and synonyms to help others fully understand what we think and how we feel. Words are the basis of our communication. The lack of words makes it harder to communicate with others and if the language is reduced enough, it can lead to a reduction of reality and thought. Sure, it could make writing alot easier, but only in general terms. Simple converstions would be quicker and words found easier, but critical thinking would be nearly impossible. Our language helps us to think for ourselves.When we lose words we lack the ability to put our ideas forth to others, and to ourselves. New ideas will be uncommon because they could never be explained in any understandable way, and intense emotions would be hard to describe. We rely on our complicated and complex language to fully comunicate with each others and ourselves. Our society couldn't exist with a simplifyfied language like Newspeak.

Julia

There are not very many main characters within 1984, and one of the few is Julia. Julia works in the same building as Winstin, the Ministry on Truth, in the novel department. When Winstin sees her he is at the two minutes hate, and he manages to transfers his hate onto her. He is filled up with the desire to bet her to death and to rape her. He also realizes that he is feeling these emotions because he want's her but can't have her because she's young, beautiful and a member of the junior anti-sex league. Later on the in novel Winstin is walking down a street when he sees Julia fall. When he stops to help her up she transfers a note into her hand saying i love you. This confuses Winstin, but also fills him up with hope. He confronts Julia about the note and she tells him about a place where they can talk without being overheard. Whe he meets her there they begin their love affair. While talking with Julia, Winstin discovers many things about her. Julia hides withen crowds and volunteer groups, pretending to be the perfect 'drone'. She rebels with "secret disobediance and isolated acts of violence" but yearns to do something great to bring the Party down. She admits the she's not suscepitable to the Party's propaganda, and has to hold herself back from laughing during the two minutes hate. Yet although she hates the Party, she takes no interest in it.

To me, Julia seems a little shallow. She is stubbon and had a narrow idea. Her one goal besides being with Winstin is to bring down the Party, but she also wants to be the one who does it. She is not content with being a small part of the destruction, she want the pleasure of commiting the task, and is prepared to do anything to achieve her goal. This kind of reminds me of a hitman. Taking down something you have no interest in and having no regerets afterwards.

The First Impression

I read the first paragraph of George Orwell's 1984 and instantly wondered about the man on the poster. At first i thought that he was a dictator because of his appearance and his ominous discription. As i read on and learnt he was called Big Brother (BB) it seemed quite odd. I instantly relate a caring and trustworthy figure when i hear the name big brother, but this charactor doesn't seem to be that at all. I suppose he does control the country in a way that some are comfortable living with, but being from a different type of government i view the government as corrupt and undesiarable. It seems that everybody follows blindly or are terrified to disobey, because if they do, thay will 'disappear' courtesy of the thought police. That thought really distirbed me, 'thought police'. Could a civilization need to be controlled so much as to discourage free thought? Well i suppose it works, but according to my conscience that is SO wrong. And the telescreens. Not knowing if 'they' are watching or listening or if they're going to make you disappear too. wow.