1984

[Rose0726]

I read the book and it is thought provoking. I am surprised that I think about it and try to analyze it as much as I do. I have a question that I am sure is so simple but for some reason I just am not sure what the answer is or what he means. "Is it possible to track "The Party's" control of information and history with respect to the lives of the main characters?

Any help would be appreciated.

[SnowQueen189]

I read this book a few months ago and found several disturbing similarities between 1984 and the way our government is run today. ok, enough of that! on to the question...

I too had similar questions about whether or not Big Brother didn't keep some sort of "master copy" of everything that was done and/or changed on the public records just so he could go back, read them, and cackel with glee (assuming there really is a big brother), yes, it's highly unlikely, but still...

Sadly though, I (and those I discussed it with) came to the conclusion that every bit of information that was not up to terms with their current view of affairs was destroyed (at one point, Winston explains that people are pretty much programmed to burn every bit of excess paper they see, so nothing could accidently survive), so in answer to your question, I would have to say no, there is no way to track the party's previous actions.

Hope that answers your question!

[Rose0726]

Thanks, see it seemed simple but I wasn't sure I missed something somewhere and if they all thought everythins was burned, but it wasn't. Thanks so much!!

[The Atheist]

I'm not sure the answer is actually as simple as dropping a piece of paper down a memory tube.

While the official and public records will never show less than the official truth, "Goldstein's Book" is clearly a document used by the Party, plus as we discussed elsewhere recently, the Appendix on Newspeak is clearly written in the future (from 1984) and contains words and usages which will no longer exist at the time of writing. Accordingly, the actual past would appear to be recorded.

Further, to control the past, there must be a "control", [in the scientific meaning] or true, past recorded somewhere, because the "official" history is of necessity, flawed and therefore unreliable.

[JAMMERXT]

It is easy to disprove the theory that the world only exists inside a persons mind. You would just say to that person: I beleive that the world exists inside my own mind and therefore you do not exist. You also beleive the same exept you beleive that I do not exist. Since we both beleive each other to not exist the opposite must be true. We cannot both not exist so we must both exist. This proves that things exist outside of one's mind. You can argue on and on about weather or not I exist but that would be an arguement that is equally supported on both sides and would never end. Tie goes to the runner.