O’Brien says that the proles will never revolt, yet Winston sees the proles as the only hope for change. Which man is right, and why? What does the Party do to discourage rebellion among the proles, and why are these techniques successful? Do you see any parallels between the lives of the proles and our own lives?
Much of the book focuses on Newspeak and the limiting of language. Why do you think this is such an important tool for the Party? Why is language important in our society?
In the final analysis, how accurate was Orwell in his vision of the future? In what ways does our contemporary society compare to his idea of society in 1984? Are there examples in which he was correct? What is most opposite? Do you see a potential for aspects of Orwell’s “vision” to come true?
