Chapters 11- 12

1. Is there any kind of hope for a better future in 1984? Describe.
2. What's power? What makes a person powerful?
3. Winston means "from a friendly country" and Smith is a common last name. Can you find any irony in his name?
4. Who was Winston Churchill? What similarities can you see between Winston Smith and Winston Churchill?

Chapters 9- 10

1. Describe Miniluv in your own words. What does it look like? What can you hear? What can you smell?
2. Write a short poem that you think the Thought Police wouldn't like.

Chapters 7- 8

1. Write a slogan against Emmanuel Goldstein.
2. Double think is the ability to hold two contradictory thoughts at the same time. Do you think that people today also do this? Give examples.

Chapters 5- 6

1. In your own words explain how Winston's feelings towards Julia change in chapter 5.
2. Julia says they can make you say anything ... but they can't make you believe it. Can anyone or anything make you change your feelings and beliefs? Why?

Chapters 3- 4

1. The Ministry of Truth uses the media to control people's ideas. How does it do this?
2. Winston thinks about some of the women he has known at the beginning of this chapter. How does he feel about them? Does he love any of them?

Discussion questions

Chapters 1-2

1. It's dangerous for Winston Smith to write a diary in 1984. In what situations do you think that writing a diary can be dangerous today?
2. During the Two Minutes Hate, people scream at the picture of Emmanuel Goldstein. Who do you think could be hated as much today? Why?

Reading a classic: 1984