*sigh… 1984 is a fucking awesome book. I first read it when I was 9 and I thought it was the shit even then.
Technically we aren’t supposed to explicitly answer homework questions here. It’s against the rules to directly ask for answers In that case, I’m going to kind of guide you in the right direction.
You say you’ve read the book, even though you think it’s boring, right? So that means you at least have some understanding of the plot, setting, and characters, am I correct?
Okay then, think about details of the setting and certain things that are mentioned over and over again, like the telescreens. It seems as though the Party likes to keep a close eye on everyone? I wonder why that is? Do you think it may have something to do with control of the populous? This culture of surveillance serves both an active and passive purpose in the society of Airstrip One. For one, it generates a culture of fear… the fear of constantly being scrutinized by the ubiquitous telescreens a fear that is reinforced through propaganda and the ever watchful eyes of Big Brother. This is the passive effect, but the telescreens are also used as a tool to round up potential dissenters… This reinforces the passive effects of generating fear a fearful society is unlikely to rebel.
Think about the manipulation of language. Why do you think the Party is so interested in simplifying the English language? What do you think that has to do with maintaining control (i.e. power) over people? Do you think everything I am telling you right now would have the same impact if I wrote it in Newspeak? Would it have the same meaning? Think about that for a minute and apply it to the context of the story, as well as to the fact that the Party is also interested in re-writing the history books in Newspeak. Why do you think this is?
I’m not going to wax poetic about the characters’ reactions to this, because that’s the easy part.
Plagiarize anything I have said and I will burn down your village and relish in the lamentations of your women.