Proles and the bombs?
Why is it that the proles know seconds before anyone else does that a bomb is about to strike their city? Who are doing the bombings? Why are they doing the bombings and do the Proles know when they are about to be striked because they have been targeted far more times than the other social classes?
i know these might not be excellent questions but i am very confused.
Oceania is constantly at war with either East Asia or Eurasia, since "war is peace", therefore whichever country Oceania is at war with is probably the country bombing them. The proles most likely know when they are about to be bombed because it has happened to them so many times before. They know the signs to look for that mean a bomb is coming. At least, this is my my speculation.
I agree with this b/c it reflects one of the mottos of big brother that "War is Peace", and that is why the area is in a constant threat of being bombed.Originally Posted by jellolover07
I agree here, they have been bombed so many times that they can almost "sense" when one is coming. They hear the noise and immediately know. Later in the book, Winston wakes to think that maybe it isn't Eurasia, he thinks that the bombings may be from the Party in order to keep them afraid and undercontrol. Perhaps there isn't a war, maybe this is all a fabrication so they can give them a common thing or person to hate. This helps the Party greatly and if the war is fabricated, it would be ingenious.
I don't see what your saying. What is why the area is in constant threat of being bombed, because "War is Peace"? Or are you referring to what Jello was talking about? Please clarify. Thanks
Rocket bombs are silent, travelling at above the speed of sound. I think orwell was trying to credit the proles with some kind of "animal cunning" enabling them to detect an approach early.
Who was doing the actual bombing is still a moot point. Given the world structure Orwell has gone with, it seems highly unlikely that both potential enemies would target prole-inhabited areas of London. I've always thought that the rocket attacks were instituted by the Party to keep the war myth alive.
Orwell made it clear that attacks were only frequent enough to let the proles know there was a war on. He doesn't make any comment as to ruined buildings other than that one occasion, which fits with the lack of frequency.
Go to work, get married, have some kids, pay your taxes, pay your bills, watch your tv, follow fashion, act normal, obey the law and repeat after me: "I am free."
Anon
Agreed, it seems as if Orwell wanted to attribute the Proles with some sort of sixth sense to which they can know just when one is coming. Did Orwell know during his time that they can travel above the speed of sound?
I would imagine so - he was interested in the subject and would have found out technical details, I expect. Supersonic aircraft predate the end of WWII, so he should have been aware of the phenomenon.
Go to work, get married, have some kids, pay your taxes, pay your bills, watch your tv, follow fashion, act normal, obey the law and repeat after me: "I am free."
Anon
Thanks, I'm not clear on Orwell's entire life and what he went through other than what I can pull from his books so these things help.
War is peace
The proles know seconds before the bombs come, because it happens so often.
It isn't necessarily another country bombing them either, i think it might be Oceania itself. Oceania could be bombing them, to create the idea that war is going on because, "WAR IS PEACE".
Big Brother is playing the fear card here. I beleive Big Brother is doing this to help raise nationalism and to keep the proles believeing that Big Brother is the best. The proles always seem to know when a bomb is coming I think because it has happend so many times before. Thats just my take on it.
Agreed.
The wish to acquire more is admittedly a very natural and common thing; and when men succeed in this they are always praised rather than condemned. But when they lack the ability to do so and yet want to acquire more at all costs, they deserve condemnation for their mistakes.
-Machiavelli
It is actually pretty simple about how the Proles can tell when a bomb is dropped. When the bomb is flying towards a certain area, the Proles can see a stream of steam being left behind due to the heat coming from the bomb just like what a lot of planes do. so when they see a stream of steam coming towards them, they can guess that it is most likely a bomb.
Is the reason that the Proles are primarily targeted because they are a larger sized social class? Is Orwell trying to show a government that is trying to keep a rebellion from occurring? This would make complete sense to me seeing how it is generally the lower classes in society that eventually rebel against government.
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