Part 2: Chapters 1-2
I've had this theory going for awhile, and i figured this would be the best spot to put it out their. I've been throwing around the idea since part 1 chapter 4 mainly, so here it is. I think that Big Brother is not actually real. I have the feeling that he is just someone made up by the inner party for the people to believe in. I mean so far no one has actually see the guy in public, I mean there are pictures and sometimes he's on the telascreen but it's not hard for someone to read a speech to a screen. I think that the government is made up of a group, but they just need that popular figure for the people to fear or believe in. He could just be really careful not to go out, but i find that hard to believe. It's not really a foreign concept to have one person be the front runner of a organization; it creates a stronger bond with the people than a group maybe would. It's also might be a strategic thing in that if there is rebellion the people would be blaming a person who is not real, and therefore can be easily removed and replaced. This may not make as much sense on here as it did in my head, but I still believe that he is not a real person. I really think he is made up just for the people to have a person to look to for support, hatred, love, or what ever it is they need him for.
Another thing I guess I've never really thought about it, but I find it rather weird that enjoying the little things, like a bird singing, is strange in the 1984 world. I know it's because the people in 1984 are not suppose to think of anything besides being a good party member, but it's really sad in away. On page 124 Winston asks himself why is the bird singing if their is no mate around? It's sad to think that he can't understand that the bird sings because thats what birds, well, wants to I guess. He can't think of it as the bird is just singing because it is a bird; to him there must be so reason other wise why would the bird sing. I guess that may be where the saying, "Why does the caged bird sing?" may come from. To me the songs of a bird is something little can can bring a relaxing feeling to the listener on a warm summer day. It's not something i'm going to question, but rather just listen to.
Great stuff, Michelle. Instead of telling you about BB, I am just going to let that play out for you. I will say that getting a group to consensus about something as powerful as BB would be difficult but not impossible. Hmmm... :)
ReplyDeleteThink about how important simple pleasures are in life--birds, music, great food, laughter, a compelling movie, flowers. How different life must be without ANY of that. Books and music have been eliminated. Music is produced by machines that recycle the same tune over and over. Books are written in the Ministry of Truth, so you can imagine what they are like. What would Orwell's message have been in demonstrating this loss of simple joy?