Blog 4 Book 2 Chapter 7-10
"They could be tracked down by enquiry, they could be squeezed out of you by torture. But if the object was not to stay alive but to stay human, what difference did it ultimately make? They could not alter your feelings: for that matter you could not alter them yourself, even if you wanted to. They could lay bare in the utmost detail everything that you had done or said or thought; but the inner heart, whose workings were mysterious even to yourself, remained impregnable." (167)
I interpret this quote as explaining what its like to be human. In the quote, George Orwell said the objective is to stay human. It's possible that humanity is your feeling, something that the party that can't take away. However, I disagree with this quote because I believe that humanity isn't just emotions, it is also keeping a moral compass. Staying true to a good moral standard and being able to follow through even when times get rough. A person's moral compass is what truly distinguishes us between animals
Another idea is that the quote explains the importance of a persons spirit or beliefs. Orwell state that the party nor yourself can alter your feelings. I agree that a person's true beliefs can't be altered because a belief is often created by experience and childhood. Children are extremely impressionable and are often believe everything they are told. As we grow up we become stubborn to other people beliefs and can't be changed by anything. This can be very detrimental to a control system that the Party is trying to set up.
If the Party isn't able to change or manipulate a rooted belief then revolution is bound to happen. I admit that the children are brainwashed by the propaganda of the Party, but it seems that this propaganda isn't working. For example, Winston is part of the Party, but obviously, the party is doing a good job in preventing and rebellious ideas. If Winston and Julia are able to band together with a group the Party will have a formidable force against the Party.
I interpret this quote as explaining what its like to be human. In the quote, George Orwell said the objective is to stay human. It's possible that humanity is your feeling, something that the party that can't take away. However, I disagree with this quote because I believe that humanity isn't just emotions, it is also keeping a moral compass. Staying true to a good moral standard and being able to follow through even when times get rough. A person's moral compass is what truly distinguishes us between animals
Another idea is that the quote explains the importance of a persons spirit or beliefs. Orwell state that the party nor yourself can alter your feelings. I agree that a person's true beliefs can't be altered because a belief is often created by experience and childhood. Children are extremely impressionable and are often believe everything they are told. As we grow up we become stubborn to other people beliefs and can't be changed by anything. This can be very detrimental to a control system that the Party is trying to set up.
If the Party isn't able to change or manipulate a rooted belief then revolution is bound to happen. I admit that the children are brainwashed by the propaganda of the Party, but it seems that this propaganda isn't working. For example, Winston is part of the Party, but obviously, the party is doing a good job in preventing and rebellious ideas. If Winston and Julia are able to band together with a group the Party will have a formidable force against the Party.
I do agree that the awful regime shouldn't have the power to take away an individual's sense of humanity. I find interesting that you mention your own opinion on the quote. I think Winston is trying to stay on the path of humanity. I also think Winston has strength in his heart. He knows what his heart desire and that is to be free from the Party's idiotic regime. So he is saying that the party can't control what his heart wants. I find this quote quite revealing and passionate. I like how you used examples to connect with the text.
ReplyDeleteThe way the regime dehumanized people they take away each persons individuality. Your view on a humans interest me I share similar view as you. The one thing that I would like to challenge you on is the morality of animals.Though many animals have small moral compasses there are those who have moral codes.
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