1984: pg 179-224

In these chapters, Winston finally receives the book from O'Brien, supposedly written by Emmanuel Goldstein. Chapter 1 is titled "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH" and Chapter 3 is called "WAR IS PEACE," two out of the three mottos of the Party. (Doesn't Winston suspect any deceit at all from O'Brien giving him this book?) The chapters shown mostly just put Winston's thoughts about the Party's corruption into words and doesn't really state how to take it down, rather, it pushes the idea that it is impossible to overthrow the Party. Actually, the book sounds more like an instruction manual for the Inner Party members on how to stay in power. It was really a letdown that--after reading all of "Emmanuel's" bland government words in Winston's book--readers never find the reason why the government wants this power.

The book refered to the proles as slaves, which gives readers somewhat of a greater understanding of the Party's attitude toward them. So if the proles are like slaves or servants, then the Inner Party/Big Brother is like the cruel slave-owners. In fact, the Party is almost exactly like a slave owner. It believes that the proles are below itself, and doesn't even consider them human. Proletarian can be defined in the dictionary as "the lowest or poorest class of the people" and can sometimes be called "vile" or "vulgar", which basically describes the view the Party casts upon them.

Another thing that the book stated was that people who could master the trick of doublethink were "intelligent as well as orthodox." Doesn't it occur to Winston that this oh-so-sacred book seems slightly biased. It almost seems as if the book is praising being an imbicile and a robot.

Well, after Winston finally puts the book down, he fell alseep. After awaking, the stout woman is again singing outside of the appartment window. Perhaps the fact that the song the woman was singing--even though it was probably composed by Party members--had outlived the "Hate Song" symbolized that they will outlive and overcome this time of hatred and tyranny.

As Winston is watching the woman, he sees her aged, wide, but strong body and understands that she has been through struggles and has overcome them. He sees how she sings, even in struggles, and just as the bird in the woods gave him a strange sensation, so did the woman. Winston utters that she is beautiful; Julia doesn't understand and basically says that she is fat, but Winston sees her inner beauty and strength, and his hope is somewhat renewed that proles will save humanity.

What happened to the woman when Winston and Julia were captured? What will happen to them next? Will they ever see each other again? Why did the Thought Police wait so long to arrest them? There are so many unanswered questions. Hopefully they will be answered in the chapters ahead.