The Dream World of Winston Smith

The Dream World of Winston Smith

George Orwell uses the dream motif as a literary device throughout 1984 for a number of readers:

·  Flashback: to fill in important information about a character’s past, history, context, background.

·  Foreshadowing: hints about what will happen next, to build suspense and add tension to the plot.

·  Characterization: to add detail, description, and psychological context to characters, especially Winston.

·  Emphasis: by highlighting Winston’s dreams, readers are made aware of the absence of certain elements of normal human life in the novel.

·  Irony: showing that the actions / reality of a situation are drastically opposite to what we’d expect can highlight the propaganda in the false world of 1984.

The Dream of O’Brien
Part One, chapter 2, page 24 / Flashback foreshadowing characterization
Emphasis irony
Summary / What does the dream reveal about Winston / 1984?
The Dream of Winston’s Mother and Sister
Part One, chapter3, p.27-8 / Flashback foreshadowing characterization
Emphasis irony
Summary / What does the dream reveal about Winston / 1984?
The Dream of the Golden Country
Part One, chapter 3, page 29 / Flashback foreshadowing characterization
Emphasis irony
Summary / What does the dream reveal about Winston / 1984?

Deep Thought Questions

1.  Is the use of dreams a particularly effective technique in 1984? Does it feel like a natural addition to Winston’s character?

2.  What does the use of dreams add to the story? (HINT: Think about the extent of psychological manipulation and thought control in the novel).

Relationships in 1984

Characters / Description
Background / Relationship with Winston / Interpretations / Opinions
Julia
Katherine
Syme
O’Brien
Parsons
Mr. Charrington

Deep Thought Questions

1.  What does the Parsons family show about family relationships in the world of 1984?

2.  Describe Winston’s relationships with women (Katherine and Julia).

3.  Why does Winston put so much faith in O’Brien and Mr. Charrington with very little suspicion?

4.  Comment on the nature of relationships in 1984 – what could Orwell be directing us to notice in terms of theme?

Character Descriptions in 1984