Third and Final Fishbowl

Third and Final Fishbowl is tomorrow, Tuesday, January 15: Think about and be prepared to address the questions below:

• What do you think of O'Brien's assertion that "The Party is not interested in the overt act: the thought is all we care about. We do not merely destroy our enemies, we change them" (265)? And later: "It is intolerable to us that an erroneous thought should exist anywhere in the world, however secret and powerless it may be" (267). Why would the Party care about powerless thoughts?
• What is O'Brien's answer to Winston's question why (re-read pages 276-282), and do you find it convincing? Logical? Compelling? What do you think of O'Brien's statement that slavery is freedom (277)? What is solipsism? Respond to the following quotation: "Progress in our world will be progress towards more pain. The old civilisations claimed that they were founded on love or justice. Ours is founded upon hatred" (279).
• Discuss Room 101.
• Why is Winston finally released? Has he been cured? Is he sane?
• Discuss the end of the novel. Specifically, Winston's meeting with Julia, his days at the Chestnut Tree Cafe, and the final paragraph of the novel.