Book Summary

Book I Summary

Chapter 1

Winston, a thirty-nine year old frail man who suffers from varicose ulcer above his right ankle, climbs the staircase up to his apartment because the elevator is always not in use. On every landing, he sees a huge picture with large text: “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.”

Winston is an insignificant official of the Party, a totalitarian political regime, and although he's a member of the ruling class, he is still not excluded from the regime's oppression. In his apartment, there is an instrument called telescreen. It is always on, spouting propaganda and is thought to be an instrument being used by the Thought Police to monitor the actions of the citizens. Winston keeps his back on the screen and from his window sees the Ministry of Truth were he works. He then remembers the other ministries that exist to reassert the government's status: the Ministry Of Peace, which is responsible for waging war; the Ministry of Plenty, the one responsible for economic shortages; and, the dreaded one, the Ministry of Love, which is the center of the Party’s detestable activities.

Keeping himself out of sight in the telescreen, he brings out his diary and writes there the films he watched, his lust and hatred for a woman, and about O'Brien, a member of the Party but whom he thinks is actually an enemy of it. He feels guilty as he writes. He starts to think that the Thought Police will seize him any moment soon. Just then, he hears a knock on the door.

Chapter 2

Winston opens the door thinking the Thought Police has arrived to arrest him. On the other side of the door, instead, is Mrs. Parsons, a neighbor in his apartment building who needs a hand in plumbing while his husband is away. While in Mrs. Parson’s apartment, Winston is being tormented by the Parsons kids who are Junior Spies. The Junior Spies is an organization of children who monitor adults, especially their own parents, for disloyalty to the Party. The Parsons children are agitated because their mother won’t let them join the Party’s activity in the park that evening. Back to his apartment, Winston remembers his dreams hearing a voice telling him, “We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.” He believes the voice belongs to O’Brien.

Chapter 3

Winston dreams of her mother who disappeared twenty years ago. For a reason he cannot comprehend, he feels responsible for her disappearance. Then he dreams of a place called The Golden County where a dark-haired girl takes off her clothes and runs towards him an in act of freedom. He wakes with the word “Shakespeare” on his mouth then he is awakened fully by a whistle sound from the telescreen, a reminder that it is already time for the Physical Jerks, a round of exercise.

As he exercises, he thinks of his childhood which he barely remembers since there were no photographs and documents. His mind also travels to the Oceania’s relationship to other countries in the world, Eurasia and Eastasia. Then it shifts to Big Brother. As far as he remembers, no one had heard of Big Brother, the leader of the Party, before 1960, but now stories on him appears in histories as far back as 1930s.

A reprimanding voice in the telescreen brings him back to the present.

Chapter 4

Winston goes to his work in the Records Section. His job is altering historical records of Oceania. He has to change the name of a former Party official who has been exiled. Comrade Withers, one of Big Brother’s former officials had a commendation for being a loyal party member. However, he was later executed as an enemy of the Party. He needs to destroy the documents related to the commendation so it will jive with the most current record. He also needs to edit any Party record to match new documents. There should be no discrepancy no matter how small because Big Brother cannot be wrong. He is never wrong. Even when the supply of food becomes less and Airstrip One has to make do with it, they are told they are receiving more than ever, and for one reason or another, they believe it.

Chapter 5

Winston has lunch with Syme who is responsible for modifying the dictionary. Syme explains his work to Winston – he has to modify the Newspeak, the official language of Oceania. Newspeak’s aim is to narrow the range of thought, erase the words related to independence, rebellious thoughts, and the likes. Syme said if there are no negative words used and seen, no one will ever be able to rebel as no one will have the capability to express such thoughts. Winston ponders Syme’s intelligence and how it will affect Syme’s future. Then there comes Mr. Parsons, their neighbor. He apologizes for what his children did to Winston when he fixed their plumbing, but he is openly beaming for his kids’ spirit.

Their conversation was abruptly cut when a message from the Ministry of Plenty announces a greater supply of chocolate ration to twenty grams. Winston reflects the increase is actually a reduction from the supply the day before. He notices that there is a joyful environment all around him. Then he feels someone is watching him, so he looks up and finds the dark-haired girl who he thinks is a Party agent.

Chapter 6

At home, Winston writes down his sexual encounter with a prole prostitute. He thinks of the Party’s hatred of sex and concludes that the Party’s real goal is to remove pleasure from the sexual act. Sex becomes a duty to the Party merely to produce new Party members. He remembers his wife Katherine. She never really likes sex and when they found out they cannot have any children, they separated. He really desires to have an enjoyable sexual affair, which he sees as an ultimate act of rebellion. In his diary, he writes that the prole prostitute is old and ugly but he still goes to perform the act. But writing down his fantasies does not lessen his anger, depression, or rebellion. He still longs to shout profanities.

Chapter 7

Winston writes in his diary that it is possible to overthrow the Party if only the rebellion would come from the proles since they make up eighty-five percent of the population. The problem is the proles do not believe they are being oppressed by the Party. They also lack both the energy and interest to revolt. Winston knows the Party cannot be destroyed from within.

Winston looks at the children’s history book to answer some of his questions. But as expected, all the words there came from the Party, thus reworded to be in conjunction with the Party’s idealism and claims. The Party claims to have built ideal cities but the building where Winston lives is already dilapidated. More often than not, there is no electricity and the people live in poverty and fear.

There was one occasion he cannot forget. It was in mid-1960s when the original leaders of the Revolution were arrested. One day, he saw Rutherford weeping, he is one of the Party members. A few days later, he saw a photograph of the group proving they were in New York at the time the Party said the group is in Eurasia committing treason.

Winston thinks his writings in his diary as a form of letter to O’Brien. Though he doesn’t personally know O’Brien except for his name, he believes he sees a strain of independence and silent rebellion in him, a conscious oppression similar to his own. He realizes that all Party members should deny the true functions of their eyes and ears. Then he thinks that true freedom is attained by being able to think and interpret things as they perceive it – like 2+2=4.

Chapter 8

Winston goes to prole district. There he enters a pub and talks to an old man, trying to squeeze out information if before people were really exploited by bloated capitalists as the Party claims. However, the old man's memory is too vague to answer his questions. Winston laments that the real link from the past, the prole, is too thin that it will break anytime.

Winston then goes to the secondhand store when he bought his diary. Mr. Charrington, the proprietor, takes him upstairs to a private room where there is no telescreen. There he shows him a print of St. Clement’s church with an old rhyme: “Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement’s / You owe me three farthings, say the bells of St. Martin’s.”

As he walks toward home, he notices a figure in blue Party overalls, the dark-haired girl, obviously following him. Frightened, he imagines hitting her either with a cobblestone or with the paperweight in his pocket. Then he hurries home and decides that the best thing to do is to commit suicide before the party catches him and tortures him before killing him totally. He tries to calm himself and divert his thought to his dream where O’Brien talks to him of the place where there is no darkness. Still troubled, he takes a coin out of his pocket. It bears the face of Big Brother which reminds him of the Party slogans: "'WAR IS PEACE," "FREEDOM IS SLAVERY," "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH."

Book II Summary

Chapter 1

One morning as Winston walks to the men’s room, he notices the dark-haired girl with her arm in a sling. She falls and when Winston tries to help her up, she passes him a note that reads, “I love you.” Winston tries to decipher the note’s meaning as he really believes the dark-haired girl is a political spy who monitors his behaviors. And now her note tells him she loves him. His thoughts are interrupted when Parsons arrives asking him about his preparations for the coming Hate Week.

Several days and nothing passed between Winston and the girl until one day, Winston manages to sit at the same luncheon table with her. They keep their eyes down while talking to avoid being noticed. They plan to meet at Victory Square. There, they will be able to hide from the telescreens. When they finally meet in the square, there is a convoy of Eurasian prisoners being tormented by unpleasant crowds. But still, the dark-haired girl manages to give him directions to a place where they can have their rendezvous. They manage to hold their hands briefly.

Chapter 2

Winston and the dark-haired girl meet in the country. Winston has no idea what to expect but he no longer believes that she is a spy. He worries for a hidden microphones in the bushes but later on feels calm by the girl’s obvious experience. She introduces herself as Julia then tears off her Junior Anti-Sex League sash. Then they make love in the woods as beautiful as Winston dreams it to be. Afterward, Winston asks Julia if she has done it before and Julia answers him yes, a couple of times. Thrilled by her answer, he tells her he loves her more – since it only means that more Party members are committing crimes.

Chapter 3

The next morning, Winston and Julia prepare for their return to London, to their normal lives. Over the coming weeks, they were able to arrange several brief meetings in the city. One time during their rendezvous in a ruined church, Julia tells Winston about living in a hostel and her first illicit affair. Unlike Winston, Julia is not interested in outward rebellion; she simply wants to outwit the Party. She explains that the Party forbids sex to turn people's frustration into a desire to worship Big Brother. Winston then tells Julia of an incident when he and his wife took a walk and he’s thinking of pushing her off a cliff. It never materializes. He says it wouldn’t matter anyway because it is impossible to win against the oppression he is experiencing.

Chapter 4

Winston looks around the room he is renting, the room above Mr. Charrington’s shop, foolishly he thinks, so can have his affair with Julia. Both of them have been very busy in preparation for the Hate Week, and Winston has been frustrated because they were unable to meet. The situation is aggravated that Julia has her period. Winston deeply wishes that he and Julia can lead a normal married life.

Julia comes into the room with coffee, sugar, and bread – luxuries enjoyed only by those who belong to the Inner Party. She puts on her makeup and Winston is enchanted by the beauty before his eyes. Later that evening while they rest, Julia sees a rat and Winston feels aghast. He is terribly afraid of rats more than anything else. Then Julia surveys her surroundings. She notices the paperweight and asks Winston about it. He tells her it is a link to the past. They sing a song pertaining to St. Clement’s Church. Julia says one day she will clean the old picture of the church. When Julia leaves, Winston looks at the paper weight imagining Julia and him living inside it unmoving.

Chapter 5

Syme vanishes, just like Winston had predicted. The preparations for the Hate Week continue. The Parsons kids now sing different song called “Hate Song” especially written for the event. Winston is now consumed with his passion for Julia. He constantly thinks of the room above Mr. Charrington’s shop even when he cannot go there. He fantasizes that Katherine is dead and he will marry Julia. He also contemplates of altering his identity to become a prole. Winston and Julia talk about the Brotherhood, a Party enemy. Julia says she believes the war and the Party enemies like Emmanuel Goldstein are all made up by the Party. Winston is confused by her lack of concern; he admonishes her for being a rebel only from the waist down.

Chapter 6

O’Brien contacts Winston, who has been thrilled the moment he’s waiting for has finally come. Their brief meeting in the hallway leaves Winston anxious and at the same time excited. O’Brien suggests something about Syme and he tells Winston he can see a Newspeak dictionary if he comes to his house one evening. Winston thinks his life starts to cross O’Brien’s when he had his first rebellious thought. He feels depressed as he thinks he will eventually end up in the Ministry of Love. He resigns to his fate and is thrilled to have O’Brien’s address.

Chapter 7

One day in the room above Mr. Charrington’s store, Winston wakes up crying. Julia asks him what’s wrong. He says he has dreamed of his mother and he subconsciously believes he has killed her. He suddenly remembers the past that has been itched in his memory but remains suppressed till that moment. He remembers his life after his father left them. He, his mother and his baby sister spent most of their time in underground shelters, often without food. Consumed by hunger, he stole some chocolates from them and ran away, never to come back nor see them again. He hates the Party for creating inhumanity among humans, devoid of any human feelings. He believes, though, that proles are still human.

Winston and Julia are worried because they know they might be seized if the Party finds out where they are and what they are doing. They know they will eventually tell the truth but promises each other they will never cease to love the other. They plan to leave the room they rented but they cannot.

Chapter 8

Winston and Julia go to O’Brien’s place, risking their lives by appearing together. When they arrive, O’Brien turns off the telescreen which shocks Winston deeply. Believing they are free from the Party’s observation, Winston boldly tells him they are against the Party and wish to join the Brotherhood. O’Brien informs them that Brotherhood is real, so is Emmanuel Goldstein, who really exists and is very much alive. O’Brien leads them to a ritual song initiating them into the order of rebellion. He then serves them wine and Winston proposes that they drink to the past. After Julia left, O’Brien promises to give Winston a copy of the Goldstein book, the manifesto of the revolution. O’Brien tells Winston there’s a possibility of another meeting in the future and Winston asks if he means in the place where there is no darkness. O’Brien says yes, repeating his words. O’Brien helps Winston complete the missing verses from the St. Clement’s Church rhyme. Winston leaves and O’Brien turns on his telescreen then goes back to work.

Chapter 9

Winston is exhausted. He spent ninety hours for the Hate Week - changes have to be made as Oceania has switched enemies and allies in the ongoing war. At one rally, the speaker has a slip of the tongue. He says the Oceania is, and always has been, at war with Eastasia (instead of Eurasia). The people blame Emmanuel Goldstein’s agents for sabotaging them.

In the rented room, Winston reads the book of Goldstein, the one given by O’Brien – The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism. He notices that the chapter titles are the same with those of the Party slogans "WAR IS PEACE" and "IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH." The topics trace the social classes of the current world – High Class, Middle Class and Low Class – the Inner Party, the Outer Party, and the Proles. The manifesto explains the beginning of Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia. It explains how the three nations keep their respective populaces to protect the interests of the High Class. Goldstein also explains that war is simply a fact of life enabling the ruling powers to keep information from the masses. They believe that the masses should be ignorant of life in other places, thus the slogan "WAR IS PEACE."

Julia arrives and flings herself in Winston’s arms. She is glad to know but remains non-committal that Winston has the book. Half an hour later, the two hears a woman outside sing. Winston reads the book to Julia. Goldstein explains how the power of control benefits the Party. Winston notices that Julia is already asleep and he then he also falls asleep.

Chapter 10

In the morning, the two is awakened by a woman singing outside. Winston looks at the prole woman through the window. He admires her fertility and thinks that the possibility of throwing out the Party is in the hands of the prole people. Both Julia and Winston look at the woman and think that the woman might hold their future. Then they say, "We are dead," and a voice answers, "You are dead." Suddenly, they realize that a telescreen is present in the room, hidden in the picture of St. Clement’s Church. A familiar voice recites the last St. Clement’s rhyme: "Here comes a candle to light you to bed, He comes a chopper to chop off your head." The house is suddenly surrounded and there are echo of stomping boots outside, the black-clad troops pour in. They smash the paperweight, kick Winston and beat Julia. Winston becomes disoriented but sober enough to realize that the voice from the telescreen is Mr. Charrinton’s. He is also a member of the Thought Police.

Book III Summary

Chapter 1

Winston is in a bright, bare cell. The lights are always on – he has arrived at the place where there is no darkness. There are four telescreens in the room, constantly monitoring his every move. He pictures himself being beaten and he worries that he cannot endure the pain he will betray Julia in the process.

Ampleforth is tossed into the cell. He is the poet who did not remove the word "God" in a Rudyard Kipling translation. He soon leaves the cell, only to be taken to Room 101, the most dreaded cell. He also shares the cell with Parsons who was turned in by his own children for committing thoughtcrime.

Winston desperately hopes the Brotherhood will send him a razorblade so he could commit suicide. His mind is consumed by Brotherhood thoughts when O’Brien enters his cell, and he exclaims, "They’ve got you too!" O’Brien replies, "They got me long ago." Winston confirms his fear that what O’Brien did in his home is just an operation. Just then a guard smashes Winston’s elbow and he is consumed by inexplicable pain.

Chapter 2

O'Brien oversees Winston's torture session. He makes Winston accept that he's holding his five fingers when he's actually holding only four. He continues to torture him because he says Winston's current viewpoint is insane. Winston begins to accept what O'Brien tells him. He is also beginning to love O’Brien because he doesn’t inflict him much pain.

O’Brien consoles Winston with the thought the Party already perfected what the Inquisition, the Nazis, and the Soviets, had applied years ago. He assures Winston that the Party learns to convert them while posing to be non-existent in the eyes of the people. Slowly, Winston accepts O’Brien’s version of things and learn to apply the game of doublethink – refusing to believe memories he knows are real. O’Brien offers to answer any question that he has. When Winston asks him about Julia, O’Brien tells him the girl betrayed him at once. Then Winston compares his existence to Brotherhood’s and O’Brien denies his existence. When Winston asks O’Brien things about Brotherhood, O’Brien responds that Winston will never get hold of the answer. Winston asks what exists in Room 101, O’Brien answers him that everyone knows what waits in Room 101.

Chapter 3

After weeks of interrogation, O'Brien explains to Winston the Party's motives. He is being tortured and led to believe that the Party’s only goal is absolute, endless, and limitless power. When Winston tries to deny the possibility of altering the stars or the universe, O’Brien answers that the Party can do it because they control the mind.

Winston sees himself as gray and skeletal when O’Brien hands him a mirror; he begins to weep and blames him for what he has become. O’Brien replies that Winston already knows what will happen to him since the first day he had his diary entry. Then O’Brien acknowledges Winston’s strength for not betraying Julia. Winston feels grateful to O’Brien for recognizing such strength. But then O’Brien tells Winston he will soon be cured, though it won’t really matter since they will all be shot.

Chapter 4

Winston is transferred to a more comfortable room and the torture eases. He has the luxury to dream of Julia, his mother, and O’Brien. He begins to gain some weight and was given a small slate. Winston realizes he is foolish to oppose the Party alone. He makes himself believe in the Party slogans. He writes down on a slate: “FREEDOM IS SLAVERY,” “TWO AND TWO MAKE FIVE,” and “GOD IS POWER.”

One day, bursting with hatred, he suddenly screams Julia's name again and again. He realizes O’Brien will torture him again for the shouting but he just cannot help himself. He realizes that no matter how he tries to accept the Party, he just cannot. He will die hating Big Brother and by doing so he will have his own personal victory. O'Brien enters his room; he tells Winston that obeying Big Brother is not enough, he must learn to love him; O’Brien then orders the guards to bring Winston to Room 101.

Chapter 5

In Room 101, O'Brien ties up Winston and clamps his head. He reminds Winston that the room contains the worst thing in the world and reminds him of his worst nightmare. O’Brien informs him that the rats are on the other side of the wall. O’Brien brings out a cage with starving rats in it and places it near Winston. He says there is a lever that one press on it will bring the starving rats onto Winston’s face. Winston thinks that there is a possibility of O’Brien’s threats – with rats just inches away from him. Winston, screaming out, betrays Julia, asking O'Brien to torture her instead. O’Brien becomes satisfied with Winston’s betrayal that he immediately removes the cage.

Chapter 6

Winston, now free, sits in Chestnut Tree Cafe, the place where the dismissed Party members go. He now accepts what the Party says and does. On the table dust, he traces “2 + 2 = 5.” He remembers Julia and the things that happened between them though he now finds having sex with her detestable. They agreed to meet again but neither wants to continue the relationship. Winston remembers the political prisoners he saw many years back and he begins to cry. He also remembers the happy moments he had shared with his mother and sister but he cannot be sure if the memories are real. He looks up and when he saw the picture of Big Brother on the telescreen, he instantly feels happy and safe. As he listens to war news, he is sure that he already has achieved victory over himself and feels the overwhelming love for Big Brother.