Keyword Guide · chapter-summary
Chapter 4 of George Orwell’s 1984 provides an inside look at Winston Smith’s professional life. In this section, readers see exactly how the Party manipulates the past to maintain absolute control over the present.
Winston arrives at his cubicle in the Ministry of Truth, where his primary task is to 'rectify' historical records. He receives instructions via pneumatic tubes, detailing which archived news articles from The Times need to be altered. These changes ensure that the Party's past predictions and promises always align perfectly with current reality, portraying Big Brother as an infallible leader who is never wrong.
The chapter details the mechanical nature of rewriting history. Winston uses a speakwrite to dictate changes and then disposes of the original documents in the 'memory hole.' This furnace incinerates the evidence of the true past. By destroying the original records, the Party ensures that there is no objective truth left for citizens to reference, leaving only the version of history that serves the current political agenda.
One of Winston’s specific assignments involves rewriting a speech about an official who has become an 'unperson'—someone the Party has executed and erased from history. To fill the void, Winston invents a fictional hero named Comrade Ogilvy. This character is a model citizen who lived a life of total devotion to the Party. The ease with which Winston creates a person from nothing highlights the fragile nature of identity in Oceania.
When preparing for class, focus on the theme of 'the mutability of the past.' Consider how Winston’s job makes him a direct accomplice in the Party’s lies. For essay prompts, look at the irony of the Ministry's name versus its function. Winston’s work proves that if you control the records, you control the collective memory of society, making resistance nearly impossible for the average citizen.
Winston works in the Records Department, where he rewrites old newspaper articles and historical documents so they match the Party's current propaganda and narrative.
A memory hole is a small chute leading to a large furnace. It is used to destroy any documents or evidence that contradict the Party's current version of the truth.
Comrade Ogilvy is a fictional character Winston creates to replace a disgraced official in the historical records. He represents the 'ideal' Party member who exists only on paper.
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