The Chestnut Tree Café

1) At the beginning of the novel, the Chestnut Tree Café was the place were criminals spent their time. Now, after Winston has been released, the all go there. Although the Chestnut Tree Café does not seem like the ‘happiest’ environment to be in, it is in a way ironic that Winston is happy there. He has ended up loving Big Brother, having nothing else to worry about. In a way, we now see the significance and meaning of the slogan “Freedom is Slavery.” 

Winston also meets Julia there, and they find out that they both don’t love each other anymore. At one point, after they are done speaking, Winston hears lyrics from a song coming out of the telescreen stating, 

“Under the spreading chestnut tree

I sold you and you sold me--” (Orwell, 307).

What can you say about this quote and what the Chestnut Café represents and/or symbolizes? 

2) After reading through the end of the novel, I thought that it was really well written, and a good way to end the novel, but the quote below stood out to me:

“Winston, sitting in a blissful dream, paid no attention as his glass filled up. He was not running or cheering any longer. He was back in the Ministry of Love, with everything forgiven, his soul white as snow. He was in the public dock, confessing everything, implicating everybody. He was walking down the white-tiled corridor, with the feeling of walking in sunlight, and an armed guard at his back. The long-hoped-for bulled was entering his brain” (Orwell, 311).

If I can remember correctly, Winston stated previously in the novel that the Chestnut Café was the place of death, which is interesting as to how it is revealed in the end of the novel. The quote uses the simile “his soul white as snow” and the phrase “the white-tiled corridor,” both using the color “white,” which we learned often is used to represent purity. In this case, Winston is purified from his anti-Party thoughts, and is now “reborn” through the effects of physical control (torture), to be the ideal Party member.

My question is, what exactly do you think does the last part of the quote, “The long-hoped-for bulled was entering his brain” (Orwell, 311) represent?