Key Passages and Analysis from 1984

Point 7: Evidence and Memory

"The only evidence is inside my own mind, and I don't know with any certainty that any other human being shares my memories."

Context: Winston is explaining to Julia about how there is no history and that there is no real evidence that anything happened.

Significance: Shows how the Party keeps everything in the present. Because they are always reinventing history, it ceases to exist since the evidence is falsified.

Point 8: The Proles vs. The Party

"The proles are human beings, he said. We are not humans."

Context: Winston is talking about the proles and explaining the contrast between his people (the Outer Party) and them. He perceives the proles to be human because they are loyal only to each other and not to the Party.

Significance: Winston shows how corrupt the people who follow the Party are and that they have lost their humanity because of it.

Point 9: Confession and Betrayal

"Confession is not betrayal. What you say or do doesn't matter; only feelings matter. If they could make me stop loving you—that would be betrayal."

Context: Winston is confessing his love to Julia after they had sex and is talking about their relationship and what the Party would do about it if they found out.

Significance: It shows the power the Party has over relationships and that even if a rebellion did occur, it results in death. There is only one result.

Point 10: Living Without Hope

"You will have to get used to living without results and without hope. You will work for a while, you will be caught, you will confess, and then you will die."

Context: O'Brien is explaining to Winston and Julia about the Party and that being in the Brotherhood, if you get caught, there is only one outcome.

Significance: This highlights that there is no solution to what the Party is doing, and they have complete control over everyone.

Point 11: Shifting Alliances

He unrolled and read it without pausing in his speech. Nothing altered in his voice or manner, or in the content of what he was saying, but suddenly the names were different. Without words said, a wave of understanding rippled through the crowd. Oceania was at war with Eastasia.

Context: [Context missing in original text]

Significance: [Significance missing in original text]

Point 12: The Future Belongs to the Proles

"The future belonged to the proles."

Context: Winston is explaining how his people (the Outer Party) have been overpowered by greed and that the proles' strength comes from their connection to each other.

Significance: It shows that the Outer Party and Inner Party really have no power and that they will not inherit anything because of their greed.