George Orwell: 1984 Chapter Summaries

Make sure you are getting the most out of 1984 with your chapter-by-chapter reviews for books 1, 2, and 3.
Use this 1984 Study Guide to review Orwell's classic. Find more novel study guides at Brighthub.com.
Chapter One: The novel's first chapter introduces people to the novel's protagonist, Winston Smith of Airstrip One, Oceania. Winston is an unimportant member of Ingsoc, the controlling party of Oceania. As he labors the stairs to his apartment, he passes several posters of Big Brother, the embodiment of party leadership, who the truth is represents oppression, but to citizens represents everything is good. Winston commits



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thoughtcrime by writing DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER as part of his diary, the possessing which constitutes thoughtcrime.
Chapter Two: Winston hears a knock on the door and fears it does not take thought police. It's actually his neighbor whose sink he unplugs and whose kids are junior spies to the party.




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Chapter Three: Winston hopes for his mother, of the naked girl running toward him, as well as Shakespeare, the three of which represent thoughtcrime. He awakens for the telescreen's shrill cry of exercise time.
Chapter Four: Winston goes to work at The Ministry of Truth. His job is usually to falsify past records include them as conform to current reality.
Chapter Five: Winston eats lunch with Syme, a professional on Newspeak, the official language with the party, whose purpose would be to reduce the variety of words and render thoughtcrime impossible.
Chapter Six: Winston records his latest sex act in his diary, a disgusting affair with a Prole prostitute without having teeth. He longs for a meaningful love affair, what he considers the best rebellion from the party.
Chapter Seven: Winston writes in the diary the only hope is in the Proles, the working class. He longs for the sense with the past, picks up a children's history book, and realizes any record from the past is controlled from the party and has been falsified.
Chapter Eight: Winston wanders into the Prole district and buys a paperweight at the same store he bought the diary. He notices a woman from the Ministry of Truth and fears he is being followed. He contemplates smashing her face in using a cobblestone.
Analysis: The party controls its citizens through media manipulation, language manipulation, psychological trickery, the dissolving of family ties, and torture. The party has produced illegal all things that make life enjoyable: family ties, sex, romantic love, the freedom to believe, great literature, and anything which involves introspection. Although Oceania doesn't have any specific laws prohibiting any one Winston's actions, his actions are outward signs that he has committed the ultimate crime, thoughtcrime.
Book One introduces your reader to the novel's other two significant characters, Julia, your ex in the blue overalls, and whatsapp numbers usa O'Brien, the inner party member who Winston believes can be a fellow conspirator.
Chapter One: The girl who earlier Winston wished to strike within the face having a cobblestone passes him an email that says "I thank you." It takes several attempts, nevertheless the two can easily converse and schedule a meeting at Victory Square. Winston feels he has a reason to call home.
Chapter Two: The two meet within the country and take part in romantic love acts.
Chapter Three: The two go back to normal party lives and have the ability to meet only for short intervals. They rendezvous at an abandoned church. Winston realizes that Julia isn't interested in a large rebellion. She is only enthusiastic about outsmarting the party all night . intercourse.
Chapter Four: Winston rents a space above Mr Charrington's shop, where he purchased the diary and the paper weight. He realizes it's actually a huge risk but he feels it's worth every penny.
Chapter Five: Syme disappears (as WInston predicted earlier). Winston constantly considers the room above Charrington's shop, considering what continues on there, I think we understand.
Chapter Six: O'Brien stops Winston in the hall and provides him his address. Winston is not sure if it is a sign from the underground or if he's a pace closer to his doom.
Chapter Seven: Winston and Julia visit their rented room frequently. They know they'll eventually be captured and tortured which renting the room is stupid. They always rent it anyhow and promise each other they will remain loyal.
Chapter Eight: Winston and Julia visit O'Brien and discuss the underground with him. He promises Winston he will deliver a book containing the secrets of the underground.
Chapter Nine: Oceania is not really at war with East Asia. It's at war with Eurasia. This forces Winston and his Ministry of Truth coworkers to log 96 hours through the next few weeks. Finally, Winston can escape to his rented room where he reads the novel given him by O'Brien. The book explains the importance and specification of War is Peace, Ignorance is Strength, and Freedom is Slavery.
Chapter 10: As it turns out, Mr. Charrington is a an affiliate the Thought Police as there are a telescreen behind the picture inside room above his shop. Winston and Julia are arrested.
Analysis: The moment WInston, Julia, and your reader have all been waiting for finally occurs on the end of chapter 10. The only question remaining is if Winston and Julia betray each other. Don't you hate it when you buy illegal items from an undercover thought policeman? I imagine Winston feels pretty stupid. That whole "Here comes a chopper to slice off your face poem" has haunted me since part one and will have been a clue to Winston that both Charrington and O'Brien just weren't to be trusted.




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Chapter One: Winston awaits his punishment inside a cell with prisoners, victims of starvation and beatings. His coworker Ampleforth continues to be arrested, as has his neighbor Parsons. O'Brien enters and reveals himself as an agent with the Ministry of Truth. A security guard smashes Winston's elbow using a club. It hurts. Bad.
Chapter Two: O'Brien efforts to "cure" Winston's "insanity" with torture. Winston agrees to anything O'Brien tells him and actually starts to love O'Brien while he can stop this. O'Brien explains how the party has perfected a method that will keep them in power forever. They do not kill any prisoners until they are "cured."
Chapter Three: O'Brien tortures Winston more. He tells Winston the party's true aim is always to remain in power forever by controlling as much as possible. Winston argues how the party cannot control external events. O'Brien thinks otherwise, explaining that as long as the party controls mental performance, anything is achievable. O'Brien admits that Winston has yet to betray Julia, but doesn't appear too upset by it, if you know eventually most people are cured.
Chapter Four: Winston is come to a more comfortable room, is fed regularly, and is no longer tortured. He still hates Big Brother and wants to die hating Big Brother as a last act of rebellion. He wakes up from a dream and shouts Julia's name many times. O'Brien arrives and orders Winston to room 101.
Chapter Five: Winston's face is strapped to a cage made up of starving rats. Just before O'Brien pulls the lever to release them, Winston asks that Julia take his place. With the final betrayal complete, the torture stops.
Chapter Six: Winston sits at the Chestnut Tree Cafe drinking Victory Gin and accepting everything Big Brother says. He has met with Julia once since hitting theaters but neither had any curiosity about continuing their relationship. After news of the great war victory, Winston acknowledges he loves Big Brother.
Analysis: Evil wins. All it took was weeks of torture, a cage packed with rats, and enough gin to paralyze a rhinoceros. I love Big Brother.