1984 Plot Summary

1984

In 1984 by George Orwell the main character is Winston Smith. He works in the Ministry of Truth building. His job was to correct the old newspapers and textbooks that needed to be changed because of new information. In the same building they also print magazines and newspapers.

The members of the Outer Party are only allowed to the prole stores and businesses if they are buying things such as razor blades. One time when Winston went to a store he bought a small notebook. He later decided to use the notebook as a journal. He wrote in his journal in a little nook where he thought was hidden from the view of the telescreen. He later found out that it wasn't and he was punished for the things that he wrote in the notebook.

There was a pretty girl named Julia that Winston fell in love with. She wrote him a note telling him that she loved him. They began meeting each other in secret. Once they went to a hidden clearing deep in the forest. Other times they met in a large crowd, in an abandoned church, or on the street.

Winston also paid a store clerk to rent the bedroom above his store. They thought this was a safe place because it did not appear to have a telescreen but they found out later that there was a telescreen, it was just hidden. This is where the two of them were arrested together. As it turns out the store clerk was the one that turned them in to the thought police.

They were taken to the Ministry of Love. Here Winston was beaten and starved until he was too weak to walk. He then was put through many rounds of difficult questioning. Since he did not confess all that they wanted him to they sent him to room 101 to be further punished. In that room they had a cage with two large rats. Rats are Winston's worst fear and he did not want to be eaten alive by them so he told them to let the rats eat Julia not himself. This satisfied them.

Winston was eventually let go and he carried on his life. One day he saw Julia but she was not the same. She told him that she betrayed him too and after that sometimes people do not feel the same about each other anymore. Winston had a different job; one that he liked more, and got paid more. He also drank more. Almost every evening he could be found in the Chestnut Tree Cafй drinking gin.