Monday, March 14, 2011
What is your worst fear?
Every human being has a fear more horrible than death a fear that can shatter all bonds of love and friendship. Winston asked O'Brien what was in "Room 101" early in book three. In chapter five the question is answered, "The thing that is in Room 101 is the worst thing in the world... In your case the worst thing in the world happens to be rats," O'Brien says to Winston. O'Brien and the Party use people's fears against them to break the last of their spirit and force them to obey big brother. They do this by putting the people in a situation where all bonds with other people are broken and the only bond that can save them is the one with Big Brother. Winston breaks the last of his spirit and all other bonds that were sacred when he cries out,"Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don't care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!" This breaking the bond with the one he loved was the final stage in the destruction of his spirit. Now that he has faced his fear and lost to it he let big brother win. When talking about fear one must discern the difference between pain and fear. Pain can be endured and withstood and over time expelled from the mind but fear is immediate it is irrational it controls you and it can make you bend to the will of others and forget those you love.
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It seems that room 101 could have been any dark room. All it really was was an interrogation room. The only difference was that they used every last resort to get Winston to change.
ReplyDeleteAs it turns out, like brandon said, room 101 is not defined by one horrible concept. its what is personally horrible to whoever is being brought it. In this case its Winston and in his case its rats. I think thats what makes room 101 even more horrifying that made out to be. There is no way around the room because it specifies to what the person fears most. There is no way out of that.
ReplyDeleteYes room 101, is a place for all your deepest fears to come true, however, i do not believe that Winston had finally given up all hope when he betrayed Julia. To me it appears that he has been hiding a disbelief toward the party all through his stay at the ministry. Julia appears to just be a cover for all his other ideas. almost as if Julia is all his hate toward the party combined into one person whom he loves. So when he betrays Julia is seems that all his secrets have come out with that betrayal.
ReplyDeleteif you try hard enough you could resist your worst fears and not betray your love or friendship if you truly do not want to. In my opinion, Winston is weak because throughout his whole life he was surrounded by weak individuals and groups so he could not really know better.
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