Native Son to pg 381

Quote: "Could Max really save his life? In the act of thinking the thought, he thrust it from him. If he kept hope from his mind, then whatever happened would seem natural"(381).

Significance: This quote is significant because Bigger is some what starting to trust and believe in Max. He is still questioning the fact if Max could really save his life. Bigger still does not trust Max fully yet, he does not want to keep hope in his mind. Bigger does not want to hope that he will be saved, he does not want to get his hopes up to high, that is what he is doing. Bigger does not want to believe that Max can save him because if he starts to believe it and it does not happen, Bigger will me let down. Bigger does not want to be let down at a time like this even though he says he does not care what happens. I really believe that he wants to be saved, but he just does not want his hopes to be to high.

Question: Is Bigger going to live and not get sentenced to the death penalty?

Native Son to pg 363

Quote: "Why had Max asked him all those questions? He knew that Max was seeking facts to tell the judge; but in Max's asking of those questions he had felt a recognition of his life, of his feelings, of his person that he had never encountered before"(360).


Significance: This quote is significant because it shows how much Max really is helping Bigger. Bigger just does not realize it until Max leaves. Bigger is finally understanding his feelings and why he did what he did to those two women. He is seeing and understanding all the things he did when he did not see them from the start. By Bigger recognizing all of these things, he starts believing in Max and now he does care what happens to him and he does not want to die. Max is helping him realize what had happen in his life and what he did and that he should care. Max wants Bigger to stand up for his people and fight against the court. Bigger is finally understanding that.


Question: Why does Max keep trying to help Bigger if Bigger does not believe he can be helped?

Native Son to pg 340 Part 3

Quote: "For the first time in his life a white man became a human being to him; and the reality of Jan's humanity came in a stab of remorse: he had killed what this man loved and had hurt him" (289).

Significance: This quote is significant because Bigger finally is realizing that the murder he had committed did not just affect him, but also the people around him. Bigger worried about how he would be affected if he got caught for what he did and know that he has been caught he has realized he had affected other people by his actions. He had killed the one Jan loved and then tried to frame the murder upon him. Jan was really the one trying to help Bigger and he still is. It is sad because Jan was the one person, not to mention the one white person, who was trying to help him and Bigger did not learn that or understand that until now.

Question: What is going to happen it Bigger's family?

Native Son to pg 340 part 2

Quote: "Though he had killed a black girl and a white girl, he knew that it would be for the death of the white girl that he would be punished. The black girl was merely 'evidence.' And under it all he knew that the white people did not really care about Bessie's being killed. White people never searched for Negroes who killed other Negroes. He had heard it said that white people felt it was good when one Negro killed another; it meant that they had one Negro less to contend with"(331).


Significance: This quote is significant because it shows the racism that is in the book. It shows that because Bigger killed both a black girl and a white girl, but that black girl being killed does not matter only the fact that he killed a white girl makes it a big deal. I believe that it is unfair to Bigger and the other black people in this book because everyone should be treated equally and with respect. If a white kills a white they should get in trouble, and if a black kills a black they should get into the same trouble and have the same consequences as the white people. The white people not caring so much about the black people being killed shows a lack of respect towards the black race it that is not fair. The white people would not like it if a black person said they did not care about a white person dying, they would probably put that black person in jail or even possibly kill them. It just is not fair to anyone.


Question: Why is Jan still trying to help Bigger even though he tried to pin the murder on him?

Native Son to pg 340 part one

Quote: "Well, you jarred me....I see now. I was kind of blind"(287).

Significance: This quote is significant because this is what Bigger has been saying all along and someone finally has made it clear that they really were blind. Jan had no idea what Bigger was doing because he pulled the wool over his eyes. Jan now understands what was happening because before he was just blind of what was happening. Bigger thought they all would be blind of what he did forever, but obivously not if Jan told him he was blind of what was happening and now he understands.

Question: Is Max really going to help Bigger?

Native Son to pg 286

Quote: "Toward no one in the world did he feel any fear now, for he knew that fear was useless; and toward no one in the world did he feel any hate now, for he knew that hate would not help him"(273).

Significance: This quote is significant because Bigger feels nothing anymore. Before he was lying and trying to stay out of trouble and not get caught. Now that he is caught he feels no need to have different emotions toward people because he lost and got caught when he never that he would. Bigger was way to confident when he was lying and he really thought that would keep him out of trouble. What he feels now is depression because he knows he failed and should not hate anyone. The only person he should hate is himself for what he did.

Question: What was the point of the preacher?

Native Son to pg 270 End of 2nd book

Quote: "Under it all some part of his mind was beginning to stand aside; he was going behind his curtain, his wall, looking out with sullen stares of contempt. He was outside of himself now, looking on"(267).

Significance: This quote shows that Bigger finally realizes he is going to be caught for his actions. Before he was ready to be captured and confident that he was not scared, but now he wants to hide from the police. He is finally realizing what he did and that he really is going to be caught. I think he might have thought that he would never be caught because he made up such believable lies, but lies always catch up to people. People can not hide forever and that is what Bigger thought he could do, but now that they have got him there is nothing he can do. He can not hide behind his lies anymore.

Question: What does Bigger's mother have to say about what Bigger had done?

Native Son to pg 209

Quote: "He could not afford to get angry now. And he had no need to be angry. Why should he be angry with a lot of fools? They were looking for the girl and the girl was ten feet from them, burning. He had killed her and they did not know it"(208).


Significance: This quote is significant because it is just telling us again how Bigger sees everyone as blind because they have not figured out what he had done.This quote is saying the same thing as every other time he called all those people blind. He believes because no one has figure out what he did then he sees them as fools and those people he should not become angry at because they do not know the true story. Eventually all of Bigger's lies will catch up to him and it will feel like a punch in the face to him because he has been so confident that no one will ever know what he did and when they do find out he won't feel so confident. He will really just look stupid for believing no one will ever find out he killed Mary and made up lies to get out of trouble.


Question: Is Bigger ever going to get caught?

Native Son to pg 186

Quote: "He was coming back into possession of himself; for the past three minutes it seemed he had been under a strange spell, possessed by a force which he hated, but which he had to obey"(172).

Significance: This quote is significant because Bigger has a lot of anger that is controlling him. He shows that by threatening and hurting people. By him saying that he must obey it makes him look like a horrible person who needs help. The more anger he builds up the more he is going to hurt people and he has already hurt Bessie whom he loves. Is he going to hurt his mother next. Also the more he lies and tries to get others caught is also going to cause him to do stupid things like hurt people and also to dig a deeper hole of trouble for himself. Bigger does not think he is going to get caught, but eventually all of his lies are going to catch up to him in the end.

Question: Are Bessie and Bigger going to get caught?

Native Son to pg 163

Quote: "He saw Mrs. Dalton lift her right hand and he knew that she meant for Mr. Dalton to stop questioning him so closely. He felt her shame"(153).

Significance: This quote is significant because this shows how much the Dalton's trust him. Mrs. Dalton is trying to protect Bigger and stop Mr. Dalton from questioning him because she thinks he did nothing wrong. Bigger does not even care that the Dalton's are protecting him. They do care about him and all he cares about is protecting himself from getting caught. The Dalton's have done nothing to hurt him so why should he be doing this to them. Bigger is changing. He believes that the white people cannot control him anymore and that he is equal to them or even one up then they are, but if he keeps lying like this he will not be anything except in jail and probably killed.

Question: What is going to happen to Jan?

Native Son Pg140

Quote: "What he had done last night had proved that. Jan was blind. Mary had been blind. Mr. Dalton was blind. And Mrs. Dalton was blind; yes, blind in more ways than one "(107).

Significance: This quote is significant because Bigger thinks that what he did will never be known. He says that all these people are blind because they have not seen the truth in what he did, but eventually the truth will be set free. Honestly, I believe because Mrs. Dalton is the only one actually blind, she will be the one to figure out the truth and catch Bigger. Bigger thinks all these people are blind, but soon they will not be so blind when they find out what he did. If Bigger thinks he will never be caught, he has another thing coming.

Question: Is Bigger going to trust Bessie and tell her what he did?

Native Son pg 77 to 94

Quote: "She was dead and he had killed her. He was a murderer, a Negro murderer, a black murderer. He had killed a white woman."(87).

Significance: This quote is significant because Bigger killed Mary, he continued to do things to Mary and dug a deeper hole for himself. He will definitely get in trouble because he killed a white woman and he is black. When people find out he will be stereotyped. He will get into a lot of trouble because he keeps hiding what he has done to Mary and he wants to make up a lie so he will not get in trouble. Something really bad is going to happen to Bigger even if he confesses just because he is black. Nobody will have sympathy for Bigger because he is black and he did a terrible thing. Bigger is crazy, but for some reason I think Bigger did not know what he was doing at first, and then he panicked and hurt Mary more.

Question: Is Bigger psycho?!?!?! What is going to happen to Bigger now?

Native Son pg 53 to 77

Quote: "The difference in his feelings toward Mrs. Dalton and his mother was that he felt that his mother wanted him to do the things she wanted him to do, and he felt that Mrs. Dalton wanted him to do the things she felt that he should have wanted to do"(61).


Significance: This quote is significant because he once told us that he hated his own mother and she wanted him to do things she wanted him to do. I think he sees Mrs. Dalton as more of a mother then his own mother because she seems like she cares more. Mrs. Dalton cares more because she wants him to succeed in life and do want he wants to do. This just shows that the rich white people really do treat the black people better then the poor white people do.


Question: Are Jan and Mary being true to Bigger?

Native Son pg 30 to 53

Quote: "Poor white people were stupid. It was the rich white people who were smart and knew how to treat people"(34).

Significance: I think this quote is significant because before Bigger did not like white people because they all had more then he had. Now he labels them as the poor and the rich white people. He thinks that the rich white people know how to treat others, but i think that something is going to happen and those rich white people are not going to treat him so nicely. I also do not think that, in this book, there is a difference from poor and rich white people because they are all going to treat the black people wrongly even if they are smarter then some other white people.

Question: Will Mary and Bigger's relationship become something it should not?

Native Son to pg 30

Quote: "They felt that it was much easier and safer to rob their own people, for they knew that white policemen never really searched diligently for Negroes who committed crimes against other Negroes"(14).

Significance: This quote is significant because it really shows how much racism Bigger lives through. Bigger sees the white people as very powerful people and robbing them would be very difficult. I believe Bigger is the way he is because he feels very threatened by the thought of white people having everything and him having nothing at all. If he robbed his own kind the police would not care because there black. It would be a different story if they robbed a white person because the white people think they are better then the black people so it is probably like breaking a law. I think Bigger is going to do something and it is not going to end to well.

Question: Who is Bessie?

1984 essay

Nicole Civitarese Civitarese, 1
English 10 Honors/ Mr. George
3/18/09
1984 Essay
Average man

Nobody is perfect, especially not in today’s world. Everyone makes mistakes, and they do not always do the right thing. In the novel, 1984 by George Orwell, the character, Winston lives in a society where the government controls everything including thoughts, so obviously it would be difficult to do the right thing if the government thinks the people are always doing something wrong. If Winston gets arrested every time the government thinks he is doing something he should not be, then how can he make a decision from right and wrong. That would usually cause someone to fail because they cannot do anything for themselves. Some who is average is just a typical or common person in everyday society. Winston may have failed, but he is an average man because he did things he knew he should not have done, he tried to fight against something that was wrong, and failed just like everyone else in his society.
Winston is an average person just like the rest of us. The government he is under is called the Party, controls every aspect of people’s lives. The one figure they center their government around is Big Brother; he is the leader of the Party. The Party uses a telescreen and the telescreen allows them to watch and hear every little thing said and done by the people. There are also people within the government who are trained to understand what people are thinking. Those people are called the Thought Police. They
Civitarese, 2

know when someone is committing Thought Crime, which is when someone is thinking something that is going against the Party. Another way the Party controlled the people was altering the past: “Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past”(Orwell 34).This means the Party controls anything that happens. If anything that happened in the past contradicts what is happening in the present, they change it. Winston’s job is to change articles, so the article is what the Party wants it to say. He is not the only one with this job or other jobs that have to do with changing the past. Which makes Winston an average person just like the others in his society.
After living through what the Party has done, Winston started to question what they were really doing. He begins to rebel against it, which any average person would do if they did not like what was happening. Winston had a secret diary and he wrote down things that could get him put in prison if he was caught. He rebelled against Big Brother in his diary: “Down with Big Brother”(18). Winston begins to think how the Party could stop having control and has to rebel against it. He meets a woman named Julia, who he falls in love with and the government does not allow men and women to have a relationship like Julia and Winston. When they meet, they must meet in secret causing them to go against the Party. Soon after that they meet a man named O’Brien.
O’Brien is a member of the Brotherhood, which is an organization whose purpose is to defeat the Party. Winston learns that if he wants to help the future he must give a lot up: “You are prepared, the two of you, to separate and never see one another again?”(173). For any average person something like that would be hard to give up.
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Winston receives a book from O’Brien, and the book is about what the Party stands for. He is still an average man because he is doing none of this alone. Julia was always there pushing him. After Winston read how the Party controls everything, that is when a voice on the telescreen behind a picture repeats what they are saying: “You are dead”(221). Then the Thought Police burst into the room and arrest them. Winston is put into a prison place, tortured, and becomes something he does not want to become. Winston’s attempt to join the Brotherhood shows how much of an average person he is. Many people in his society probably have tried, but failed.
Winston is turned into a normal citizen which is just what the Party wants. He believes and listens to everything the Party says. When Winston is in prison, he learns that O’Brien is the one torturing him and that he was never in the Brotherhood at all. Winston betrays Julia and starts yelling Julia’s name: “Julia! Julia! Julia, my love! Julia!”(280). That is what gets him put in Room 101. Room 101 is where they put someone’s worst fear and for Winston that is rats. They have a facemask put over Winston’s face and the cage with rats were attached. As O’Brien started to click the openings of the cage Winston became fearful. Before they could let the rats out, Winston betrayed Julia, “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don’t care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!”(286). The Party was happy with this because they made him into a perfect citizen and he starts to believe what the Party says again. He loves Big Brother. Winston may look like a failure, but he really is not because anyone who was in his spot would do the same thing.
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It is very easy to say that Winston was a failure or he was a hero. Winston did not fail because he tried to fight against something he thought was wrong. He is not a hero because he did none of this alone, and he is not the only one who tried to do what he did. Many people in his society pictured the failing of the Party and many people probably have tried just like Winston. He was turned into the perfect citizen in the Party’s eyes. That just shows that Winston really is an average person because he failed, made mistakes, and gave up. People in the world today fail, make mistakes, and give up because what they are fighting against overpowers them. That is what happened to Julia and Winston, they were overpowered. They both turned back into perfect citizens and average people.

1984 end of book

Quote: "It was like swimming against a current that swept you backwards however hard you struggled, and then suddenly deciding to turn round and go with the current instead of opposing it"(278).

Significance: This quote is very significant because it just shows how much the Party have changed Winston. First, he, said he hated the Party and that someone would defeat them. Now, he wants to be a part of the Party to stay alive. He has changed so much that when he was in room 101 he even told O'Brien that he should let the rats tear up Julia's face not his and he betrayed her like he said he would never do. The sad thing is she betrayed him too. He thought now that he was superior to everyone because he was a part of the Party. This quote is great because it really does show how Winston changed. He was fighting as hard as he could against the Party and now instead of fighting it he wants to go with it.


Definitions: Capitulate(276)-verb-to surrender unconditionally or on stipulated terms.
Delirium(279)-noun-a more or less temporary disorder of the mental faculties, as in fevers, disturbances of consciousness, or intoxication, characterized by restlessness, excitement, delusions, hallucinations.

1984

Quote: "The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power"(263).

Significance: The Party is all about themselves. It's disgusting. Winston finds out why the Party has done all these things. He knew there motive, but he never understood why and know he does because the Party is selfish and just wants power. They do not care that they abuse people until their death. It's disgusting and I really hope what Winston said about Man taking over and destroying the Party actually happens. It is awful what the Party is doing and it needs to end because leaders should never just care about power and themselves and no one else. It is not okay. Winston is definitely not okay with how his question why was answered and neither am I. Power is not everything.

Definitions: Relinquishing(263)-verb-To retire from; give up or abandon.
Solipsism(266)-noun-the theory that only the self exists, or can be proved to exist.

1984 page 218-239

Quote: "It was the place with no darkness: he saw now why O'Brien had seemed to recognize the allusion"(229).

Significance: This quote is very significant because O'Brien had said this to Winston in the beginning of the book. It is like O'Brien knew the whole time what was going to happen and that they would meet again in that cell. At the end of this chapter O'Brien also says to Winston you knew they always had me. O'Brien is trying to tell Winston that, the quote a place with no darkness, was foreshadowing. Winston now knew why O'Brien had said a place with no darkness because inside the cell you could not tell whether it was night or day outside because it was always light inside the place.

Definitions: Perturbed(232)-verb-To disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious. To throw into great confusion.
Timorously(234)-adjective-full of fear; fearful: The noise made them timorous. subject to fear; timid

1984 Part 2 Ignorance is strength

Quote: "He had still, he reflected, not learned the ultimate secret. He understood how; he did not understand why."(217).


Significance: This quote is significant because Winston had once said this before. You would think after reading a book into more detail about something he did not understand he would understand why things are they way they are. I do believe he does not know why things happen like they do is because the Party changes so much of the past and have so many rules and do not explain why they do it or why they have them. The Party probably does not even have a reason to why they do it. I believe the more Winston reads and learns about what the Party is actually about, he might be able to out smart them.


Definitions: Expropriated(206)-verb-to take possession of, esp. for public use by the right of eminent domain, thus divesting the title of the private owner
Inimical(212)-adjective-adverse in tendency or effect; unfavorable; harmful

1984 Part 2 War is Peace

Quote: "Physical facts could not be ignored. In philosophy, or religion, or ethics, or politics, two and two might make five, but when one was designing a gun or an airplane they had to make four"(197).


Significance: This quote is significant because this is bringing back the two plus two makes five. The book states that when someone makes or designs something if u had two of something with two more of something else u get four pieces. The Party says that is wrong and it equals five. What the book says makes more sense then what the Party is saying. If someone who is reading the book Winston had they would believe that it made way more sense then the Party. That would lead to everyone else believing what the book said and over rule the Party? Or would they run scared and get those people in trouble? I do not really understand what is happening at this point, but i do believe that the book makes way more sense then the Party.


Definitions: Arbitrary(185)-adjective-subject to individual will or judgment without restriction; contingent solely upon one's discretion
Preponderance(193)-noun-Superiority in weight, force, importance, or influence.

1984 Part 2 Ch. 4&5

Quote: "They simply swallowed everything, and what they swallowed did them no harm, because it left no residue behind, just as a grain of corn will pass undigested through the body of a bird"(156).

Significance: This quote is very significant because it shows how controlling the Party is. They can erase or swallow as much of the past as they would like. The people would never know because they have to believe what the Party says is right. The fact that they erase the past does not even bother them or harm them. The Party does not even leave evidence behind to prove if anything they say is true. The Party could even erase things and forget what is actually the true fact. No one really knows, including the Party, what is true and what is not because the past is erased with no evidence left behind.

Definitions: Bolster(136)-noun-a long, often cylindrical, cushion or pillow for a bed, sofa.
Deprecating(151)-verb-to express earnest disapproval of; to urge reasons against; protest against.

1984 Part 2 Ch. 3

Quote: "He wondered vaguely how many others like her might be in the younger generation-people who had grown up in the world of the Revolution, knowing nothing else, accepting the Party as something alterable, like the sky, not rebelling against its authority but simply evading it, as a rabbit dodges a dog"(131).


Significance: This quote is significant to me because I believe the younger generation will kind of get rid of the Party by breaking their laws. Winston was thinking his generation did not know anything about the Party when it began so they did not know what to expect. The younger generation has seen their parents, family, and friends have to obey things that were the most ridiculous things. They know a little more about the Party then Winston's generation did. The younger generation will rebel and break their rules to go against the Party. Maybe towards the end of the book the younger generation will break the Party and be free from them and do as they please. Or maybe it might just back fire and they will all be killed for going against the Party.



Definitions: Surname(127)-noun-the name that a person has in common with other family members, as distinguished from a Christian name or given name; family name.

Lagged(134)-verb-to fail to maintain a desired pace or to keep up; fall or stay behind.

1984 Part 2 Ch. 1

Quote: "At the sight of the words i love you the desire to stay alive had welled up in him, and the taking of minor risks suddenly seemed stupid"(109).



Significance: This quote is significant because it is a major turning point for Winston. In part one of the story, Winston had mentioned that he hated women. Now he tells us that he can not live without the woman he once wanted to smash her head into a cobblestone. Before he dreamed about her body and that's all he really wanted. He wants something more than her body now. For some reason I believe he will get into trouble if he keeps falling for this woman. Loving someone is something that makes you hope and desire. She gives him a reason to live and that is what Winston hopes and desires for is to live. Now he has a purpose too. There is something wrong with this because it is weird for someone to fall in love with someone else whom they have never gotten to know. They do not really know what the other person is like. Right? That is why I think that this quote is maybe foreshadowing Winston's death or him getting into serious trouble.



Definitions: Impenetrable(114)-adjective-inaccessible to ideas, influences, incapable of being understood; inscrutable; unfathomable

Intermittently(115)-adjective-stopping or ceasing for a time; alternately ceasing and beginning again

Notes on 1984 Ch. 7&8

Chapter 7

• "Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious"(70).
• Winston believed that in the past children had been sold to factories at the age of six.
• Their lives were pretty much planned
• Sexual Puritanism was allowed for the Party to do whenever they pleased. They would not be punished for doing so, but the people of Oceania would.
• Party's slogan: Proles and animals are free.
• Primae noctis was a law which allowed every capitalist had the right to sleep with any woman working in one of his factories.
• Winston made a discovery that Oceania was no longer at war with Eurasia
• The confessions had been rewritten and rewritten a hundred times until the original facts and dates no longer had the smallest significance.
• The past not only changed, but changed continuously.
• The immediate advantage of falsifying the past were obvious, but the ultimate motive was mysterious.
• The Party was so in control that they would, in the end, announce that two and two make five.
• The people were forced to believe this.
• The worst part about this was not that they would kill you for thinking otherwise, but that they might actually be right also. No one really knows the truth.
• "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows"(81).

Chapter 8

• Ownlife: individualism and eccentricity.
• Streamer was a nickname for which the Proles applied to rocket bombs.
• A farthing, that was a small copper coin, looked something like a cent.
• "Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clements, you owe the three farthing"(100).
• Routine of confession that had to be gone through: the groveling of the floor and screaming for mercy, the crack of broken bones, the smashed teeth, and bloody clots of hair.
• " We shall meet in a place where there is no darkness"(103).
• This is an imagined future no one can see.
• Winston goes back to the shop where he bought his diary.
• buys a piece of glass
• The store owner brings Winston to another room.
• Winston wants to rent the room that the store owner once used.
• Winston spots the woman that's been following him.
• Winston believes she was following him again.
• He thinks about if is going after her, but instead goes home to write
  in his diary.

1984 Ch.5&6

Quote: "She got two other girls to go with her, slipped off from the hike, and spent the whole afternoon following a strange man. They kept on his tail for two hours, right through the woods, and then, when they got into Amersham, handed him over to the patrols"(57).

Significance: This quote is significant because it shows how much the Party has control over the people. Even the children are turning people in. It also shows that they can not trust anyone, not even their family. The children probably know a littler more because they are younger and remember more then the adults. Nothing anyone says is safe from other people because most likely they will be turned in. I do not like how the children are being raised because of this Party. It needs to be changed.

Definitions: Disreputability(55)-adjective-having a bad reputation, dishonorable.
Alluring(64)-adjective-attractive, tempting.

1984 Ch. 4

Quote: "More commonly, people who had incurred the displeasure of the Party simply disappeared and were never heard of again. One never had the smallest clue as to what had happened to them. In some cases they might not even be dead. Perhaps thirty people personally known to Winston, not counting his parents, had disappeared at one time or another"(45).

Significance: This quote stands out to me because the Party has to much power. They can make someone leave the country or even kill them because that person thought something they should not have. The Party wipes out so much of the past and the history that nobody really knows if there friends and family whom have disappeared are even dead. Getting rid of the past confuses everyone. The people will never know if the Party is ever telling the truth. Winston could be told that someone in his family never existed, but they could be alive somewhere in another country or have died from an illness. Winston would never even know it because the Party is wiping out his past. I do not believe any of this is right and I hope that throughout the book it will change.

Definitions: Celibacy(47)-noun-abstention from sexual relations; abstention by vow from marriage; the state of being unmarried.

Saboteurs(47)-noun-someone who commits sabotage or deliberately causes wrecks.

1984 Ch. 2&3

Quote: "We shall meet in a place of darkness"(25).

Significance: This quote is significant because it tells us in the book that it foreshadowed O'Brien speaking to Winston out of the dark. I believe the darkness is represented as the totalitarian republic because they created this dark cloud so that they can choose the decisions for people and can hear every word spoken and action made inside peoples homes. I also believe that O'Brien can only speak to Winston in the darkness because they are forced to do what is told. Big brother is always watching and listening so the darkness is the only place people really can talk about anything. The people do not really have a chose about anything they do.

Definitions: Unorthodoxy(24)-adj. Breaking with convention or tradition.
Annihilated(34)-verb-to reduce to utter ruin or nonexistence; destroy utterly.

Othello Essay

Nicole Civitarese
English 10 Honors/ Mr. George
2/4/09
Othello Essay
Iago’s Motive
The play “Othello”, written by William Shakespeare, it has many twists and turns that cause changes in some characters actions due to Iago’s manipulative nature. There are points in the play where characters act sincere and trustworthy, but are the exact opposite. The character that best models this backstabbing and two-faced nature is Iago. Iago’s intentions are not fully understood by everyone because they never know if he is telling the truth or not. The motive that pushes Iago to being such a conniving person is jealousy. Iago creates a plan to manipulate people and ruin their lives because he is a jealous person. Iago’s motive of jealousy causes him to create a plan to take the lieutenant position from Cassio, and to destroy the love between Othello and Desdemona.
Iago is known, by others, as an honest man. He is actually the complete opposite of what people know him as. Iago proves that by saying, “I am not what I am” (Shakespeare 1.1.62). In the play, Iago is the most backstabbing, conniving character. Sadly, no other character can see the outcome of what Iago is trying to accomplish. Iago continues to be a trusted character throughout the play: “My life upon her faith! Honest Iago, My Desdemona I leave to thee” (1.3.288-290). Othello is trusting Iago enough to leave his wife with him because he must go and fight the Turks. He continues to trust Iago, even while Iago is backstabbing him. Iago manipulates Othello to obtain the position of Othello’s lieutenant.


Cassio had the position of Othello’s lieutenant and Iago wanted it. Iago only wanted it because he was jealous of Cassio and thought he deserved it more than him: “He, in good time, must his lieutenant be, and I God bless the mark! - his Moorship’s ancient” (1.1.28-30). Iago is jealous and angry. Iago states that he has served longer then Cassio, but Othello still chose Cassio. Iago feels very jealous because he wants that position. Iago hates Cassio and Othello because of this. Iago seeks revenge on the two of them because of his jealousy, and he wants to figure out a way to ruin their lives. Iago frames Cassio and makes him drink to get drunk: “Come lieutenant, I have a stoup of wine, and here without a brace of Cyprus gallants that would fain have a measure to heath of black Othello” (2.3.27-30). Iago wants Cassio to get in trouble with Othello to get his position taken away. When Othello finds out he takes the position of lieutenant away from Cassio. Iago continues his plan to convince Othello that Desdemona is cheating on him with Cassio. He creates this plan to get the position of lieutenant, but when he does receive the position, he does not stop there.
Iago’s jealousy made him destroy Othello and Desdemona’s relationship. Iago tells Othello that Desdemona and Cassio are having an affair. Othello starts to become jealous and angry so Iago tells Othello, “O, beware, my lord of jealousy! It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on” (3.3.165-166). He tells Othello jealousy is bad and it only bothers people who let the jealousy get to them. Othello is buying into Iago’s sneaky plan and believing everything he says. Now that Iago has become lieutenant, he knows he must continue to complete the rest of his plan or people will know he was lying. Iago’s desire for better things, like destroying a loving relationship, also made him continue his evil plan; instead of, being pleased with what he got.

Iago now wants revenge on Othello. Iago keeps saying little things about Cassio and Desdemona to Othello to trigger his patience and anger. Othello keeps buying into the nonsense and believes Desdemona is cheating on him. Desdemona has been faithful the whole time and Othello believes the opposite because of Iago. Iago gives Cassio a handkerchief, the first gift Othello gave Desdemona, which makes Othello angrier. Othello is so convinced that Desdemona is cheating, he wants Cassio and Desdemona dead. Before Othello could realize the truth he kills Desdemona. When she is dead he finally realizes Iago is pure evil and was lying the entire time. “Are there no stones in heaven/ But what serve for the thunder? Precious villain!”(5.2.231-232). Othello furious at Iago, calls him a villain and wishes death upon him. Othello realizing Iago was lying the whole time opened up his eyes to what Iago had done. In the end, everyone realized what Iago really was all along.
Iago was untrustworthy and conniving, and his true motive of jealousy was revealed. Iago’s revenge was complete, but he never actually said, out loud, what he did. Iago only said he told Othello what he thought was happening between Cassio and Desdemona: “I told him what I thought, and told him no more than what he found himself was apt and true” (5.2.273-274). Iago told Othello what he thought and Othello just believed it; instead of, finding out for himself. Othello killed Desdemona and then himself because he assumed everything Iago said was true. Jealousy is just an over powering emotion, that causes trouble and pain.
Jealousy is an evil emotion that drives people to do evil things. Iago was definitely mistaken for an honest man. He proofs this by manipulating others and ruining their lives. He also destroys the love between Othello and Desdemona because of his jealousy and striving for revenge. Jealousy is what drove Iago and Othello to their actions. It is something they both have

and they both let it get the best of them. Iago let the jealousy destroy others lives and Othello let someone else help his jealousy. Jealousy is an evil emotion that causes everyone to change how they act. People just need to know how to grow out of it and just be happy with what they have. Both Iago and Othello did not seem to want to grow out of it causing them to change their actions and do evil things.

Othello Act 5 Scene 2,3

Quote: "I told him what I thought, and told no more
Than what he found himself was apt and true."(5.2.173-174)

Significance: This quote is significant because everyone just found out what Iago was doing the whole time. Now he is trying to sound like he did not really say Desdemona was cheating on Othello, but said he thought she was. He keeps lying even after all this people have been murder. Iago has no heart. He is only thinking about himself and how he can keep himself out of trouble. This quote definitely shows that he is only thinking about himself. Only if he was murdered at the end it would have completed the play.

Definitions: Alabaster(5.2.5)-noun-a finely granular variety of gypsum, often white and translucent, used for ornamental objects or work, such as lamp bases, figurines
Belie(5.2.132)-verb-to show to be false; contradict

Othello Act 4 Scene 2,3

Quote: "No, as I am a Christian.
If to preserve this vessel for my lord
From any other foul unlawful touch
Be not to be a strumpet, I am none"(4.2.86-89).

Significance: Desdemona is trying to tell her husband, Othello that she has been faithful the whole time. Othello has been brainwashed by Iago to believe the opposite and it is unfair. Desdemona is being very faithful and honest, but Iago is so believing when he lies, Othello does not believe Desdemona. I can not wait to see what happens when everyone finds out that it was all Iago and his plan. I think it will also be to late. Desdemona will be dead before Othello knows the truth and then he is going to kill Iago when he finds out.

Definitions: Strumpet(4.2.83)-noun-a prostitute; harlot
Scurvy(4.2.139)-adjective-contemptible; despicable

Othello Act 4 Scene 1

Quote: "Oh, devil, devil!
If that the earth could teem with woman's tears,
Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile.
Out of my sight!" (4.1.193-195)

Significance: This quote is significant because it is showing how furious Othello is a Desdemona for no reason, but he does not know that. Iago is the one who is creating all of this chaos. Soon or a later Iago is going to get caught up in all his lies and is going to be killed by Othello. (Well that's what I think). Iago needs to stop what he is doing. He is just causing drama for the people and making everyone mad. It's making me mad! He is so two-faced and backstabbing it is so annoying!

Definitions: Doth(4.1.21)-verb-to perform.
Beguile(4.1.99)-verb-to influence by trickery, flattery, etc.; mislead; delude.

Othello Act 3 Scene 4

Quote: "Why, so I can, sir, but I will not now.
This is a trick to put me from my suit.
Pray you, let Cassio be received again."(3.4.78-80)

Significance: This quote is significant because it makes Iago look like he is telling the truth about Desdemona cheating on Othello. She tries to hide that she lost the handkerchief and starts talking about Cassio again, but she does not know that Iago put it in Cassio's room to frame him. Now Othello thinks Desdemona is cheating on him, but she's not at all. Everything that is happening is just making Iago's plan better and more believable. It is driving me crazy that they have not figured this plan out yet. I wanna just go in the book and tell them straight up that he's a backstabbing liar! Ugh.

Definitions: Catechize(3.4.16)-verb-to instruct orally by means of questions and answers.
Sibyl(3.4.70)–noun-any of certain women of antiquity reputed to possess powers of prophecy or divination.

Othello Act 3 Scene 1, 2,3

Quote: "Thou dost conspire against thy friend, Iago,
If thou but think'st him wronged and mak'st his ear
A stranger to thy thoughts."(3.3.147-149)

Significance: Iago has never been a good friend and everyone is seeing him as this trustworthy and honest man when he certainly is neither. Everyone is falling for his sneaky plan and it's pissing me off, I do not like Iago. He is creating this sneaky plan that is going to ruin every one's life at this point and they do not even know it. I think that Othello is going to kill Desdemona in the future for doing nothing because Iago is a LIAR. Then everyone will realize that Iago was not a trustworthy or honest friend.

Definitions: Wench(3.3.312)-noun-a country lass or working girl
Vengeance(3.3.444)-noun- infliction of injury, harm, humiliation, or the like, on a person by another who has been harmed by that person; violent revenge

Othello Act 2 Scene 2,3

Quote: "I think it freely, and betimes in the morning I will beseech the virtuous Desdemona to undertake for me. I am desperate of my fortunes if they check me."(2.3.236-238)

Significance: This quote is significant because everyone keeps falling for Iago's plan. When Cassio says that he believe in what Iago says completely he does not know what he is getting himself into. Iago is being very sneaky and I have a feeling someone is going to over hear something or catch onto his plan. Then there is going to be some real fights not just ones from drunken men. Eventually it is all going to back fire into Iago's face and he is not going to like it. Everything Iago is doing and saying is foreshadowing a lot.

Definitions: Peevish(2.3.184)- adjective-cross, querulous, or fretful, as from vexation or discontent
Clamor(2.3.230)- noun-a loud uproar, as from a crowd of people