Telescreens, Churches And Rats, Oh My.

[Guernica]

The Telescreen behind the painting of St. Clement's Church above the antique shop seemed to be an important forshadowing device. As soon as Winston sees the painting he remembers part of a tune, which, then unbeknownst to him, ended with the line "Here comes the chopper to chop off your head!". This is important because it is the Telescreen, hidden behind the chop-off-your-head painting, that in due course leads the Thought Police to Winston and Julia's hide-out.

Do we have any idea of how big these Telescreens are, or how they could have not realized that one was behind the painting when they had been looking at it for so long? Also, why were Winston and Jula not captured immediately... when they had been discussing the revolt against Big Brother and doing all sorts of illegal things for such a long time? Were the Thought Police waiting to see how they would put everything together, or how they came to know everything they did?

On a different note: do we know why Winston is so afraid of rats?

[The Atheist]

The Telescreen behind the painting of St. Clement's Church above the antique shop seemed to be an important forshadowing device. As soon as Winston sees the painting he remembers part of a tune, which, then unbeknownst to him, ended with the line "Here comes the chopper to chop off your head!". This is important because it is the Telescreen, hidden behind the chop-off-your-head painting, that in due course leads the Thought Police to Winston and Julia's hide-out.

Yep, it may have been O'Brien playing with Winston.


Do we have any idea of how big these Telescreens are, or how they could have not realized that one was behind the painting when they had been looking at it for so long?

Same size as a normal tv - say 20-26 inches across the diagonal.

If a tv were placed flush with the wall, behind a painting fixed in place, you wouldn't know it unless you unscrewed the painting, which is an unlikely idea for a couple in their love-nest - they had better things to do.

;)


Also, why were Winston and Jula not captured immediately... when they had been discussing the revolt against Big Brother and doing all sorts of illegal things for such a long time? Were the Thought Police waiting to see how they would put everything together, or how they came to know everything they did?

A variety of reasons, uppermost of which was the need to find W & J's deepest fears. Along with that, there may have been an element of seeing if they had brought anyone else into their little circle.


On a different note: do we know why Winston is so afraid of rats?[/FONT]

Nope.

His fear could have been anything, but rats were convenient as the buildings in prole areas would have been infested with them, giving Orwell the chance to introduce Winston's fear into the book. Note that Julia's fear isn't stated and we've had plenty of discussion on what it was, but it was imperative for the Thought Police to know what the victim's worst fear was to enable the complete destruction of his/her character.

As they say, everyone knows what's in Room 101.

[sweetreader88]

well in the movie the telescreens are rather small and its placed behind a miror so i guess it'd have the same concept of being behind the portrait. Like a two-way miror that depicts a painting instead of a reflection.

and also in the movie (and in the beginning of the book if i remeber correctly) it says that when he was little and watching over his sister there where numerous rats in his sisters crib attacking her and he tried to get them off of her but it was no use and finally pulled her out of the crib... it's something along those lines...