• WINSTON

1. Who is Winston Smith? What makes him different from all the other Party members? Use examples from Part One.

2. Write about Winston Smith as a romantic idealist. Why is he dissatisfied with his life? Examples from Part One.

3. Look at Winston as an extension of George Orwell. Write about the ways in which they are similar.

4. Looking at George Orwell's life, point out the ways in which he and Winston are different, basing your discussion on Part One and The Author and His Times.

5. What is Winston's view of women, as reflected through his attitude toward Julia? Take examples from Part Two.

6. What is Winston's view of motherhood, as reflected in his memory of the refugee mother saving her child? Of the prole mother? Of his own mother?

7. Talk about Winston's guilt towards his own mother, and how this affects his outlook.

8. What is the significance of Winston's dreams?

9. Is Winston a doomed hero with a death wish? Write about how he brings about his own downfall, using his diary and his love affair as evidence.

10. How could Winston have prevented his capture and punishment? Write about ways in which you think he could have escaped.

11. Write about Winston and Julia's love affair as an act of rebellion against the Party, beginning with his first dream about her.

12. What is Winston's view of sex? Describe it, using his own thoughts about his mother, about Julia, and about his marriage.

13. Is Winston's view of sex conditioned by attitudes of the

1940s? What were these attitudes? How do they differ from Winston's?

14. Describe Winston's attitude toward O'Brien before his capture. What is the attraction? How is this demonstrated in Part Three?

15. Why does Winston still like O'Brien after he is captured?

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