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1984 Chapter 7 Summary & Analysis

In Chapter 7 of George Orwell’s 1984, Winston Smith explores the possibility of rebellion through the proles, the working-class majority. He reflects on the Party's manipulation of history and the rare evidence he once held that proved their lies.

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The Potential of the Proles

Winston writes in his diary that 'If there is hope, it lies in the proles.' He observes that since the proles make up 85% of the population of Oceania, they possess the raw power necessary to overthrow the Party. However, he notes with frustration that the proles remain unaware of their own strength, focusing on petty personal grievances rather than political revolution. The Party views them as natural inferiors and leaves them largely to their own devices, provided they do not become intellectually dangerous.

A Glimpse of the True Past

Winston recalls a specific moment from his past at the Ministry of Truth when he held physical evidence of a Party lie. He had found a scrap of a newspaper showing a photograph of three former Party leaders—Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford—at a public function in New York on the same day the Party claimed they were committing treason on Eurasian soil. This concrete proof of a falsified confession was eventually destroyed, but the memory remains a cornerstone of Winston's rebellion against the Party's version of reality.

The War Against Objective Truth

The chapter highlights the psychological toll of living under a regime that claims total control over the past. Winston realizes that the Party’s ultimate goal is to force citizens to reject the evidence of their own senses. He understands that if the Party can successfully dictate that two plus two equals five, they have achieved total dominance over the human mind. This leads to his famous internal conclusion: freedom is the liberty to state that two plus two make four.

Life in the London Slums

To escape the stifling atmosphere of the Party, Winston wanders through the prole quarters. He sees a world that is gritty and impoverished, yet more 'human' than his own. While Party members live under constant surveillance and emotional repression, the proles retain basic human emotions, loyalties, and traditions. This contrast reinforces Winston's belief that the proles are the only group capable of preserving humanity against the Party's influence.

Why does Winston believe the proles are the only hope for revolution?

Winston believes the proles are the only hope because they are the only group large enough to physically overwhelm the Party and they have not been subjected to the same level of mental conditioning as Party members.

What was the significance of the photograph of Jones, Aaronson, and Rutherford?

The photograph was objective, physical proof that the Party lied about the history and actions of these men. It confirmed Winston's suspicion that the Party's 'official' history is a total fabrication.

What does the phrase 'two plus two make four' represent in this chapter?

It represents the existence of objective, external reality. Winston argues that if a person can hold onto basic truths that the government cannot change, they maintain their intellectual freedom.

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