Shannon's chapter summary

Section 3 Part 2
In this chapter Winston is seen to be in the Ministry of Love where he is continuously beaten up by 5 or 6 men in black, and subjected to a ‘routine interrogation to which nearly all prisoners were subjected to’. As the beatings continued, resulting in unconciousness, also with short recovery time in betwee, Winston lost track of time (how long he was there and how long the sessions of beatings were). He was forced to confess even to things he never committed to please his interrogators. He also admitted to every crime possible in order to avoid being beaten up (crimes such as; ‘murdered his wife although he knew, and his questioners must have known, that she was still alive’ and ‘personally in touch with Goldstein’). O’Brien personally questioned Winston. He said that Winstons is insane and that he would make Winston succumb to The Party and learn to love Big Brother so much that he would beg to be shot for the guilt would overwhelm him. Winston was flat on his back and strapped down by ‘every inch’of his body and was electricuted everytime he ‘lied’or ‘fall below usual level of intellegence’. Winston had some of his memory erased for a short period and had O’Brien ‘piece together ’ the missing facts to him of which were the ‘truth’as of the present. Winston also refered to O’Brien as ‘a person he could talk to’- it did not matter if he was a friend or enemy. He was also allowed to ask some questions by O’Brien only to be replied by statements which did not answer his queries but raise more doubt.
Relevant techniques/example/effect:
• The quote: “You would not make the act of submission which is the price of sanity” highlights that disrimination is based highly on people conformation levels. Through not confroming he was considered crazy. It also highlights the inability to have individuality on this society.
• “Whatever the Party holds to be truth, is truth”- exemplifies the control, dictatorship, in this society. The power the Party holds and its ability to manipulate for own benefit. The italics of ís’emphasises the finality in that statement- that there is no way to overcome/fight against this power-the party.
• “we do not merely destroy our enemies, we change them”. Here “we”signifies the Party ans its followers which seeks to have all conform to them even if the object of talk is to be eliminated. It highlights the total absence of one’s identity to be able to prevail.
• “All the confessions that were made here. We make them true.” This quote emphasises the manipulation though the usage of ‘make’. It also brings the reader to see that no matter what the originally is, its would be made to how the Party sees fit though brainwashing.
Concerns:
• Loss of one’s identity/individuality
• Dictatorship
• Manipulation
Contextual links:
There are links to to “the German Nazis and the Russian Communists”. It outlines the ways of persecution and how The Party has learnt the mistakes of the procedures taken in the past in convicting the criminal. –as seen on page 266 and 267.