1984 - Disturbing Moments (P3)

Question 1

Dehumanising of prisoners

Answer 1

• referring to people as numbers, including W.
• categorisation of people

“Smith… 6079 Smith W!’

Question 2

Disorientation

Answer 2

• no way to tell the time, how long imprisoned for

“No clocks and no daylight it was hard to gauge the time. “
- repetition of no help enforces the disorientation of W and unnatural atmosphere

Question 3

Difference in the Party and prole prisoners is frightening

Answer 3

• party prisoners subjugated by the Party

“Silent and terrified”

“The dirty jobs were done by the politicals.”
- W reduced to a category of prisoners: “dirty” suggesting the daily horrors he is subject to.

Other prisoners:
“Fought back fiercely”
(Echoing “hope lies in the proles”)
- added sympathy for W’s contrasting powerlessness

Question 4

The resignation of the prisoners to their fate

Answer 4

Describing is not that bad.

Acceptance of conditions in prison, defeat. Powerlessness.

Question 5

Corruption

Answer 5

Trust given to murderers - and distortion of society’s moral code.

Question 6

Drunken woman

Answer 6

Treatment for her is animalistic

“Enormous wreck of a woman”
- run down, abandoned - hopelessness of the image.

“Thick coils”

• serpentine?
• unattractive image
• sympathy?

“Dumped across W’s lap”

• reduced to object (“dumped”)
• lack of space - poor conditions