CHAPTER 6 - 8

Summary

In these few, short chapters, O'Brien invites Winston to his flat, under the pretext of giving him the latest edition of the Newspeak dictionary. The invitation makes Winston all the more sure that O'Brien, the inner party member, belongs to Brotherhood, the secret organization working against the Party. In this image, he sees in O'Brien a ray of hope for the future.

Julia and Winston meet regularly above Mr.Charrington's shop, which sells secondhand goods and odds and ends. It is located on a dark street in the part of the city where the proles reside. Confident that there are no telescreens here, Julia and Winston make it their permanent hiding place.

In Chapter 7, while sleeping next to Julia on the double bed above Mr.Charrington's shop, Winston wakes up with tears in his eyes. He has had another dream of his childhood where he again watches his mother and his baby sister being sucked into something dark.

In Chapter 8, both Julia and Winston meet O'Brien at his luxurious flat. He tells them about the Brotherhood and initiates them into the group. During their meeting with O'Brien, Julia and Winston promise to lie, cheat, sabotage, kill, and everything possible to weaken Ingsoc.

Julia and Winston leave O'Brien's flat separately. Before Winston leaves, O'Brien informs him that the black book containing the principles of the Brotherhood will be sent to him secretly.

Notes

Orwell's ability to use color as well as to create an ambiance is evident once again in the chapter where Winston and Julia meet O'Brien at his luxurious flat. Orwell describes the carpet, the clear white walls, the good quality cigarettes, and the wine which Julia and Winston drink. This description suggests that the Inner Party members are the privileged few in the new society; as a result, Ingsoc's claims that they have created a classless society is only a myth. The clothing also indicates the Party hierarchy. Julia and Winston wear blue, while O'Brien always wears a uniform of black overalls to show he is part of the Inner Party. His black uniform brings to mind the 'black shirts' of the party of the Italian dictator, Mussolini.

It is important to notice, once again, how casually Winston accepts O'Brien's invitation. In the past he has questioned everything and everyone, sure that the Party is trying to entrap him. Now he goes to O'Brien's house and is totally duped by this Inner Party member, who is soon to betray Winston and Julia. Because of his love for Julia, Winston has let down his guard. He also fools himself into believing that no matter what the Party does to him physically, his inner feelings can never be altered or controlled. In other ways, however, he has not changed. Winston's recurring dream about his mother shows that he remains guilt ridden; he still believes that he is somehow indirectly responsible for her death.

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