Chapter 7-8
Chapter 7
Info
- page: 74-86
- place: Winston's flat on the seventh floor of the tenement "Victory Mansions" (p. 3, l. 5)
- time: the next day
- people: Winston
Content
- The thought of bringing down the system has manifested itself in Winston's brain, and he writes in his diary how he could work against the regime without being caught
- The lowest stratum of the population also called "proles" (p. 74, l. 2), are the most influential because of their majority, but they do not have the intellect to overthrow the regime, according to Winston
- To educate himself, Winston reads a history book for children. Although he knows what manipulation and falsification any evidence from the past or future is subject to, he cannot prove unequivocally that all the information in the books is false
- Winston feels a kind of bond with O'Brien that he cannot explain in detail, but that is nevertheless present. He then decides to write a letter to O'Brien, which he first writes down in his diary
Chapter 8
Info
- page: 87-109
- place: Londoner Slums
- time: the next day after work
- people: Winston, an old man, Mr Charrington
Content
- After his work, Winston sets out to explore the residential area of the "proles" (p. 74, l. 2). To do so, he has to delve deep into the London slums
- When Winston stops at a pub to seek contact with the locals, he meets an old and talkative man. Unfortunately, the ageing gentleman does not manage to recall the political and historical past of the state. He merely recounts from his private past
- It frustrates Winston immensely that it seems impossible for him to find any clues to a time when the totalitarian state was not yet in power
- On his way back to his neighbourhood, Winston passes the little shop where he bought his diary a few weeks ago. Curious, he enters the shop again and buys a glass paperweight. While purchasing it, he gets into a conversation with the shopkeeper, Mr Charrington. The latter supposedly has a room that isn't monitored by the telescreens
- On his way home, Winston feels as if Julia is following him. He is sure that she is a spy. Even though the thought of killing her crosses Winston's mind, he rejects it just as quickly