Sciene and Horror Fiction

SCIENE AND HORROR FICTION Essay question 1984—George Orwell

You complete this essay in class during your final examination testing period. You are welcome and encouraged to take notes and or make an outline as you read. You will be permitted to use these notes during the testing period.

Directions:

Using complete sentences and ample and appropriate examples from the novel 1984, please respond to the following question:

In some works of literature, a character who appears briefly, or does not appear at all, is a significant presence. Write an essay in which you show how Big Brother functions as such a character in the novel 1984:

1. Discuss how the thought/fear of Big Brother controls characters by limiting their thoughts, actions, and speech.

2. What are they afraid to say and do and why, based on how the government conditions them to feel about Big Brother and about other citizens, including their own family members?

3. How, specifically, has the government tried to change the idea of family and emotional and physical love for others and why?

4. In addition, what is the fate of most citizens in this novel (by way of real or alleged thoughtcrime, facecrime, etc.), and how does the presence of Big Brother in the novel guarantee this outcome for the characters?

5. What happens to those who do speak out or act out against Big Brother? For this portion of your response, focus on Winston and Julia; but also characters such as Syme and Parsons, loyal Party members who still become victims of Big Brother.

6. Finally, how does the government insure that the current hierarchy will remain in place?

 How do they use up existing resources without distributing them to all people to improve everyone’s lives, leaving most people impoverished instead?

 How are the living conditions different for the Inner Party, Outer Party, and the Proles?

 Which group is actually happier and why?

Avoid plot summary, and remember to use enough details/examples to show a thorough reading and understanding of the novel.