By Steve Matusic

Winston in this chapter is an entirely refurbished man. Love for the Party has been instilled into him to the point where adrenaline and anxiety rush through his body in anticipation of news about the frontline. His intelligence has been reduced (evident due to lack of focus and inability to stop his thoughts from wandering) and his rebellious nature is gone.

Julia is ashamed of her betrayal of Winston so much that she struggles to even speak to Winston. As Winston recalled in the memory, Julia finally mustered up the courage to come clean to Winston about her betrayal and as Winston confesses to the same act, she attempts to excuse the act by claiming that human nature of self-preservation took over.

Sinecure-an office or position requiring little or no work, esp. one yielding profitable returns.

He even had a job, a sinecure, more highly paid than his old job had been.

Nostalgic-a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.

He had a nostalgic vision of his corner table, with the newspaper and the chessboard and the ever-flowing gin.

Equivocation- a wistful desire to return in thought or in fact to a former time in one's life, to one's home or homeland, or to one's family and friends; a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time.

He thought how ten minutes ago-yes, only ten minutes-there had still been equivocation in his heart as he wondered whether the news from the front would be of victory or defeat.

“There was no telescreen, but there must be hidden microphones; besides, they could be seen. It did not matter, nothing mattered. They could have laid down on the ground and done that if they had wanted to.”

“And then suddenly the life would go out of them and they would sit round the table looking at one another with extinct eyes, like ghosts fading at cock-crow.”

“His features had thickened, the skin on his nose and cheekbones was coarsely red, even the bald scalp was too a deep pink.”

Why does Winston become an alcoholic? Winston becomes an alcoholic because he is alone in the world. This is evident because he

sits in the corner table away from everyone else and tears run down his cheeks as he reminisces about his relationship with Julia as the telescreen blurts out “Under the spreading chestnut tree I sold you and you sold me.”

What does Winston’s act of calling his childhood memory a “false memory” symbolize? It symbolizes the Party’s efforts to convince the people that certain memories pertaining to

love or family are false to destroy any bonds that could be stronger than the person’s loyalty to the party.

Why do Julia and Winston become unattracted to each other? Their love was built on the foundation of different sorts of rebellion against the party, and

when the party broke them and made them betray each other, the bond holding them together had been broken and all purpose in the relationship had been lost.

What is the significance of the battle with Eurasia? The victory over Eurasia is the spark that ignites the lightbulb in Winston’s head where he

finally loves Big Brother and all rebellious thoughts are gone to never return. More than just a victory to him, it gave birth to an undying love of Big Brother and thankfulness that all of his crimes had been forgiven.

What does Winston think about his soon approaching death? He embraces it. He has finally won the struggle with himself and his soul is white as snow.

He imagines himself confessing his crimes at the public dock and the long awaited bullet entering his brain as he has finally reached a euphoria because he loves Big Brother.

Winston has been newly refurbished at the Ministry of Love and inserted back into the streets of Airstrip 1. We learn about his new life as he has one of his regular drinking and thinking sessions in his newfound sanctuary The Chestnut Tree Café. As he anxiously awaits news about the war with Eurasia, he bounces between thoughts of his boring and routine new life and memories of his childhood and his last coincidental meeting with Julia. As he hears the news of the triumphant victory exactly the way he had imagined it, he finally comes to terms with himself and comes to love Big Brother. He realizes that the Party’s work on him has been completed and his soul is cleansed, all that is left is his execution which he awaits with open arms as if it will complete the process of him finally being at peace.