"Do anything to me!" he yelled. "You've been starving me for weeks. Finish it off and let me die. Shoot me. Hang me. Sentence me to twenty-five years. Is there somebody else you want me to give away? Just say who it is and I’ll tell you anything you want. I don't care who it is or what you do to them. I've got a wife and three children. The biggest of them isn't six years old. You can take the whole lot of them and cut their throats in front of my eyes, and I'll stand by and watch it. But not Room 101!" (195)
In this quote, a prisoner is screaming for mercy from entering Room 101. Room 101 is used to force prisoners to give up information and to make them return their loyalty to the Party. They make people love big Brother by portraying him as the biggest, most powerful entity there is.
This quote definitely shows how much power they have over the people. Room 101 is so scary, people are willing to do anything else to avoid going inside. He was even willing to sacrifice his wife and kids, and even his own life. He'd rather watch them be killed than go into this room. After making it this far without breaking, this is the point that brings him super close to that point of breaking.
I am not very surprised that the prisoner offers up his family to be killed just to avoid Room 101. As O'Brien himself explains, the Party has purposely removed relationships from family because the only love is supposed to be for Big Brother. I am not even surprised that he is willing to just ask to be killed. If he lives in constant pain and fear in the Ministry of Love and sees no clear end to it, it is understandable that we would rather just be shot. Even if he were released, he would just go back to a meaningless life (because like O'Brien says, one simply does not matter or exist as an individual in their world).
ReplyDeleteWhat is really the most surprising is that he would accept 25 years in a forced labor camp. It just feels very contradictory that he would ask for death then say that 25 grueling years would also work too. I understand that at that moment he likely just wanted anything but Room 101 and was panicked, but really, his statements just show that he isn't broken yet like the Party wants him to be while he is here. He hasn't transcended his weakness and accepted himself as just a cog in the machine, he is still concerned with himself, and as far as the Party is concerned, that means he isn't ready.
The poor man has probably bought himself months worth of torture since he still thinks telling them whatever they want to hear is still the goal. It makes me wonder if everyone is given the same efforts to try and mold their mind, or if some are just killed.
While I was reading this passage it gave me chills because it amazes me at how scared the prisoner is of Room 101. The fact that he even offers the guard to kill his family exemplifies how in the people of Oceania only look out for themselves and not for anyone else, not even their family. I do agree with you that Room 101 also shows how powerful the Party is because in there everyone spills all of the information that the Party wants to hear.
ReplyDeleteHonestly this aspect of the story shows the harsh reality of Wnston's world. I can see why no one wants to rebel against the Party. They perfom inhumane and horrific acts, so they can gain control. The situation you describe has happened in the past and this story reflects on it.
ReplyDeleteRight!
DeleteThat's a good quote you chose, I actually chose the same one. I agree that this quote really shows Big Brother power over the people. It's truly insane the horrific acts that the use against its people for power. People will do anything to avoid going into room 101, they would give up anything and anyone, including their family, which this man does. Great Job
ReplyDeleteGreat quote and explanation. I also chose this quote because it was sad reading about how a father would even think that. It makes me think how much the Party has power to influence someone to think that way. How cruel is the Party to make them think that way. I to would be scared to go into the Room 101 but I would never say something like killing a family member. Great job.
ReplyDeleteI like the quotes you used, but the explanation that you used for your first quote stood out to me. The quote definitely depicts how powerful Big Brother is and the fear that people have this entity. I also liked the pictures that you used. Overall, it was a great blog.
ReplyDeletewow, a lot of people have commented on yours, but I agree with your explanation of the quote that the Party has so much power over the people with using Room 101. I think it's important that Orwell included that quote because it does show how terrible room 101 was but also how vulnerable the Party has made the people be.
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