Friday, January 30, 2015

What does the opening sentence suggest about the book?

There are two things I think are interesting about this opening sentence.  One is that it is April, and this reminds me of the opening of "The Wasteland":  "April is the cruelest month, breeding/Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing/Memory and desire, stirring/Dull roots with spring rain."  I have no way of knowing if Orwell had this in mind, but the lines provide and excellent introduction to Winston, who has the "stirring" of rebellion in him, who lives in the "dead land."


The other thing the opening sentence reminds me of is military time.  Again, I don't know if that method of referring to the afternoon is, but this clearly tells me that things are not normal, and suggest that some military or state power is running the show.


It all suggest that things are not going well ...

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