1984 Pages 161 - END!

I finally feel like, in this last section, we were told why the Party puts so much time and energy into torturing their victims. Because of Winston's agreement to the "brotherhood", the Party knew that he would be one to revolt, and therefore, must stop that from happening by brainwashing him, which they did exceptionally well. I once again felt bad for Winston, because as hard as he tried, whatever answer he gave, it was always going to be the wrong answer. There has never been more of a "lose lose" sitiuation than that of Wintson in the Ministry of Love.

The odd thing was that O'brien was quite honest with Winston. At one point he even admitted that "We are not interested in the goods of others, we are interested in the good of ourselves [the Party]. Finally, the truth!

On page 263 Orwell makes mention to the Nazi and Russian Communists and their faults as supreme rulers. This not only goes along with the story in the book, but also the whole point of the book in that if those parties would have gotten it right, this is what could very well have happened. Ironically, we all find this book so strange and unreal, yet 6 million jews were killed in real life labor camps. Thus posing the question, is this book really that unbelievable??

On page 265 there was a surprising and abrupt change in Winston. He started talking back to O'brien, disagreeing, and even telling him that the party would ultimately fail. The even stranger thing was that O'brien didn't become upset. I also found it ironic when O'brien stated that "there will be no need of science." Science is one of the main reasons the Party is where they are today. From the machines to the brainwashing, it's all a form of science.

When Winston had that dream, and he was calling for Julia, he finally enjoyed a Victory over the Party. He felt it as a Victory, because all though he was punished for it, they hadn't completely taken over him, they had not got his emotions. This was perhaps the only uplifting moment in this week's reading.

As far as the rats, that was a brilliant plan. Placing someone in a situation with his or her biggest fear is perhaps the most ideal way to break them down. It surely worked on Winston, for he gave up Julia, thus his emotions, and completely surrendered to the Party. Finally, as Winston was was talking about how long it would be before he was shot, the comment was made that "They would blow a hole in their own perfection." Exactly, so why do it?? They finally made Winston the "perfect" brainwashed citizen, so why would they want to eventually shoot him??

As the chapters went on, I found there to be two abrupt changes in Winston without any warning or explanation. First, when he was all the sudden put into a nicer cell and allowed to gain his strength back, and second, when he was released he was suddenly extremely loyal to the Party. I just felt it a bit odd, almost rushed, that we didn't have any reasonings or weren't able to know what he was thinking. I felt, when he was back to normal life, that I was an outsider looking into a character that I barely knew.

Although the ending may not have been a real dazzler, it clearly makes the point the story was intending. If communism prevails, this is what could happen, even the most anti-party people can be unknowingly brainwashed, or tortured, into loyal party members.