As you all remember, Winston purchases a glass paperweight -- with a piece of coral in it -- from the antique shop...and sneaks it home. When he later rents the apartment to hide with Julia, he keeps it there, too. It becomes a symbol of something he is trying to understand/remember, even more than just being something beautiful.
For Winston, his glass paperweight represents a link to a 'missing history' he does not want to forget. It is also a link to an 'imaginary future' he dreams about. In some ways, it helps him keep sane when everything around him seems beyond understanding. Maybe this is what matters most to him.
Imagine this:
- Imagine you suddenly woke up to find yourself in an apartment like Winston, with a blue uniform on, listening to a telescreen in the background. In other words, you found yourself as a character in the book itself. And there is no escape.
- Imagine that you knew the 'truth' about Big Brother's world...but you also realized that you'd be a 'thought criminal' (and killed) if you told anyone what you knew. There would never be a way to change this. Again, there is no escape. Your only choice is to find some way to let your imagination continue to live.
- Imagine you could buy or find (1) object -- like Winston's glass paperweight -- that would help you remain 'sane' and maintain 'hope' for the future.
Challenge:
- Identify what the (1) object would be. Be creative. Anything is possible.
- Explain why this (1) object would help you keep sane and maintain hope.
- 7+ sentences.
My 1 object would be a sketchbook. My sketchbook would help me relieve my stress and cancel out things happening around the world. It would also keep me in touch with reality, and to never give up in your own dreams. My sketchbook is there to give me hope. My sketchbook is there to give me dreams. My sketchbook is there to keep me alive and sane. My sketchbook is what keeps me pushing, and pushing, and pushing.
ReplyDeleteRichard Heck
DeleteI am a very sentimental person, and I have this little half heart golden locket that my grandma gave me. It says big sis on it and she gave my little sister one that says lil sis, but her and her sister had it since they were young. We got them when my great aunt passed, and for the past 2 years I haven’t taken it off… ever (J)ust r(E)ce(N)tly the chai(N) broke. If I ever found myself in Winston’s world, I feel as if the necklace would be confiscated. So I would go to the junk shop and find something similar to compare to my grandma's necklace, just to remind me of her. The citizens are not allowed to wear things such as jewelry, because it would make them too unique. Originally I was going to say I’d buy a ring, but it would be too difficult to hide. Buying a necklace would be perfect, because it would give me the sentimental value that I need, while simultaneously disobeying big brother. Life is about the little things, no wearing a necklace illegally wouldn’t take down the patriarchy but just the little rebellion would help me keep my sanity.
ReplyDeleteLindsay
ReplyDeleteI would find a stuffed animal and keep that with me to feel sane and maintain hope. Stuffed animals, to me, bring out the youth in everyone and they bring me a sense of peace. Being youthful also brings a sense of nostalgia and calmness. Being stuck in a world where the government isnt fair and the world seems to be crumbling down around you, a stuffed toy will always remain soft and inviting. They bring comfort and reminds me that there is still good in the world.
In a world constructed to follow a simulation, where even thoughts can be incriminating, not many things have value. You may be lucky enough to have a coffee cup that isn’t stained or a pair of socks without holes in them, but in my case, I’m lucky to have a back scratcher. It’s nothing special to the normal eye, it's a polished wooden stick that looks like a ruler with a hand on it and has the words “#1 Dad” barely eligible on it. I’m no father, matter of fact I don’t quite remember where I got it, all I do know is I had it before this world fell to shambles and I’ll have it as I fall to shambles. I like to think I got it for my father before he was terminated. I’m not sure why it’s so important to me, maybe because it was made by someone personally and part of a ration, or maybe because I chuckle a little every time I think that something will always have my back. The real humor is that my sanity relies on a back scratcher instead of a living, breathing human beings.
ReplyDeleteShe sprouted from the ground like a blooming flower, a teal twintail stretching to the sky. Discarded by time itself, buried in soil as if the Earth could heal over the neglect she suffered. I crouched down, eyes scanning around before I dug into the dirt. There, pulled from her small soot grave, I recognized her.
ReplyDeletePromptly she went in my pocket. I turned on my heel, away from the community center and instead to my apartment. While my key slipped between my fingers like silk from their shaking, it fit easily into the lock. Smooth and unsuspicious.
In my head, it was a b-line to the bathroom. In reality, it was a slow strut as I passed the telescreen. There in the secrecy, I ran the water. I dunked the figure under the flow, the faint sound of splashing water harmonizing with whatever god awful tune emanated from the telescreen. I whisked off the dirt and scrubbed her crevices until clean. There, sitting her against the intersection of wall and sink, I stared.
How she was here dumbfounded me. Perhaps the same way that wrangled by here, a strange dream. Could plastic figures have dreams, I wondered, as if she could hear my thoughts. Plastic thoughts by a plastic toy.
There was no response yet looking at her was enough. The question of ‘why’ and ‘how’ left my brain, instead replaced with gratitude. A small gift from my time, a representation of the wonderful advancements of technology and creativity.
That’s what I missed most. I took the Miku figure in my hand, turning her around. In my time, she was deemed a virtual idol. Here, she wasn’t anything more than a strange token of mystery. I think I savored that most, that I could grip this secret firm in my palm and reflect back on the enjoyment and music sprouted from her and other voice synthesizers, a wonderful, freeing, and artistic set of tech. An exposed truth in my time now a closed secret here.
I frowned, the yearning pinching my heart like an unpleasant nightmare. I opened the medicine cabinet, placing the figure among the expired medicines and spilled bottles. I gave her one last glance and once more the resilience grabbed me. A will to live, the will to continue, a will to be creative.
-resa :)
Sarah Rosenberg
ReplyDeleteTo keep me sane in a totalitarian world like this, I think I would buy a stuffed animal duck. I have a huge love for stuffed animals and ducks, so having both in one would help me out. I always look for something, like a teddy bear, to keep with me when I’m upset or stressed. In this time, there are so many problems and strange events that could harm the mental state of citizens. When I’m stressed and need something, stuffed animals always helps me. I still have some stuffed animals from when I was a young baby, because they meant a lot to me. They still remind me about the times from my childhood, and when stress wasn't a worry. I would want to buy something that would mean lot to me, and I know will keep me comfortable. Ducks are my favorite animal, and the fact that it would a stuffed animal makes it better. If I actually had the ability to go to the store and buy something, I would pick a stuffed animal. I think others can agree because stuffed animals provide comfort and support in the worst times.
Something in the general public of 1984 that is feeling the loss of that is important to me in our present world is self articulation. By and by, the vast majority of my self articulation is depicted through the art I make, regardless of whether it be for a bit of fun or to discharge some repressed feelings, it's something that has consistently encouraged me here in one way or the other. On the off chance that I was tossed into Winston's reality one thing that I would consider as my 'paperweight', would be my sketchbook. I would pick this item in light of the fact that the individuals their general public have no chance to get of conveying everything their emotions or doing things they appreciate on the grounds that the government is so centered around having individuals work for the Party and not for their very own prosperity and self-development. Having the option to draw is something that makes me the happiest on the planet, even when my surroundings will attempt to impede my own desires.
ReplyDelete-Amira ;0)
Being apart of the world that Winston resides in, my version of his paperweight would most likely be in the form of a fuzzy stress ball. This object would hold significance towards my well-being due to sensory aspect of maintaining stress. I'd have found it secretly within a secret compartment of the apartments I would live in unknown of the other women. Wherever I go it'll rest in the deep pockets of my overalls. Whenever I find a spot hidden from the eyes of others and the eyes of cameras I would squeeze it consistently, taking in the soft strings and the thick centered hold. When I get back to my home in the little living space I rest the stress ball underneath my mattress to give me a sense of conformity even without using the fuzzy ball. Due to its nature of relieving stress, it reminds me of a time when others mental states were cared for, when people were thoughtful and considerate of us, when people were human.
ReplyDeleteWas it a dream or was I living reality? I looked around my apartment. It looked awfully different than what it was before I took a nap. In the center of the room, my small flat screen tv was suddenly replaced by what appeared to be a telescreen. I looked down at my clothes and found myself wearing a blue uniform. “Where am I ?” I ask myself panicking. I got off my sofa and looked out the window. It confirmed indeed I was in a different place. I sat back on the sofa closing my eyes, hoping it was a dream. I opened my eyes once more, “This is real” I say to myself. Within a month of being here, I realized I had set foot in a world buried with fraud and lies. I was smart. It wasn't hard to figure out the truth the party tries so hard to hide but I was left making a decision. I knew the truth behind Big brother but saying so would make me a dead woman. Seeing a society that's so corrupt bothers me but luckily I have a comfort object that keeps me sane. Its my stuff animal, a bear. I call him “Teddy”. When I think of kids, I think of toys. When I think of kids, a sense of innocence comes to mind. If only the party was just as innocent as that of a mind of a child. Everytime I seem to lose hope, in the corner away from the telescreen, I just hold the bear close to me. In that I feel like a child again, living a normal life before the party came and destroyed my life.
ReplyDelete- Ashanti
One object that would keep me sane when living in that crazy world would be having my silver necklace. It would keep me sane because my necklace was one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received and I’m totally grateful for it. My necklace is something that I don’t forget to wear. I make sure that all times, without a doubt that my necklace is on my neck. When wearing it, I would hold the jewel and pull it side to side along the chain slowly to pace myself and collect my thoughts. I feel worrisome without, like everything would definitely go wrong. I know with that necklace I feel nothing but good vibes and makes me focus. The object I would have to keep me sane from going insane in that crazy world would be my silver necklace.
ReplyDeleteIf I could only have one object of meaning I would choose a baby doll. The one I have in mind is my strawberry shortcake doll I’ve had since I was a baby. This would be my one item to help me keep my sanity because it would remind me of my past and help me have hope for a future. Looking at the doll would remind me of all the good times I had in my childhood and would give me good memories on my bad days (aka every day in Winston’s world.) The doll would also give me hope for the future because it would remind me that I want to push forward and have a family of my own someday even if (in this world) it’s not a “real” family. In reality the one thing I know I want to do in the future is have a big family, so thinking of this every time I hold the doll would be enough to keep me pushing forward. -Aleyna
ReplyDeleteErica
ReplyDeleteOne object I would take with me would have to be a walkman. Personally, I'm someone that likes to have something playing while I'm doing things like painting or working on projects, to be completely honest with you, just listening to music while walking helps keep things off my mind. After reading about all the stuff Winston’s gotta put up with like erasing memories for a living and not being able to even wash dishes without being watched, makes me feel like having something to listen to and keep your mind off of things would be great. Think about it, the people watching the telescreens for Big Brother must get pretty bored watching the same thing everyday. At Least with me I'd have a headset on dancing around the living room while vacuuming, feel like that be more entertaining to watch. I know I’d only have one cassette to put in the walkman which bums me out a bit. You can only have about 45 minutes worth of audio on the cassette tape so I could have a few goodies on there to keep me occupied. I’d try to have a variety of songs to fit different moods. If you’ve ever watched Guardians of the Galaxy and seen how Peter(Star-Lord) only had the one mix tape to listen to for most of his life, that’s kind of how I’d imagine it to go.
Alexa
ReplyDeleteOne object I would take with me would be my dance shoes. Since I was little I have been dancing and over the years it has become an outlet for me to express myself. I think during the times that I would feel trapped by the Party it would be an escape from what life is really like. Also I think it is something the Party wouldn't notice because the shoes would look normal and I'd never have to be punished. The shoes would also be a reminder of the past to me and how there was once freedom. They would keep me focused on the life that I would want just like Winston which would be to have the ability to do whatever I wanted. Overall, the shoes for me would give me something to look forward to each day and a way to get away from the world that the Party wants to people to live.
An item I would keep on me at all times would be my great grandmother's pearl necklace. The pearls are small and dulled from ware while others still remain with some shine. The necklaces has been passed down from grandmother to granddaughter for multiple generations. The necklace was worn throughout times of good and bad. A reminder to just keep going in life no matter what it throws at you. In away the necklace keep me tied to my family's roots without having to have a strong connection to all of them. I think a necklace is an item that could be hidden and carried on me fairly easily. In some ways it's like having family with you at all times.It gives courage almost like they are their giving support.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteOne object that I would have is something that represents me so something firefighting related, like a pin or a picture. This would keep me sane and maintain hope because you can never know what could happen. I think It would be one of these because without firefighting I don’t know what I would do so instead of being in a world without it you can dream for it. The only reason it would be something fire related is because that is what makes me the person I am, so without that I wonder what I would be like without it. It would also be something like this because I wonder if there is anything like firefighting in the book that isn’t mentioned. But it would also be kinda cool to see what the future holds if I possibly didn’t have that. -Christina N.
ReplyDeleteMy one object would have to be a journal. A journal with many blank pages to fill anything inside. I would pour my heart out onto each of those pages not only with words, but with many images too. Having a journal by my side would make me feel like I’m not alone. I’d have many pages filled top to bottom of images that I see throughout each day and document any thoughts as well. A journal would keep me sane during this time especially because I like to draw. It would also help because with most stuff, I like to keep to myself.
ReplyDeleteMy paperweight would be my locket. Winston has mentioned jewelry isn’t a thing normal people are allowed to have. However, my is significant to my life because it brings me a sense of security and a feeling of homeliness. It also reminds me of better times. My locket was given to me by one of the most supportive people in my life. Having the reminder of this person secretly with me would bring me extreme comfort. I feel like if I were in the situation as Winston, this locket would be the only thing allowing me to cling onto hope- or at least enough hope to get me through.
ReplyDeleteWaking up with a burst of energy from the circular leather patch against my fingertips, Avis gets out of bed. Honestly, she didn't know if the sudden feeling of alertness was from the patch or the exercise lady yelling at her on the telescreen.
ReplyDelete“Come on, Ogden. I’ve seen fifty-year-olds get up faster than that!”
Avis quickly placed the Converse emblem in her overall pocket before the instructor could see it. The shriveled piece of leather was once a part of Avis’ favorite pair of shoes.
“Alright. Let’s start with thirty jumping jacks, everyone.”
While partaking in the exercise, Avis couldn’t help but think of the dream she’d been awoken from; the squeaks of the floor as multiple pairs of Converse pressed on the floor all at once, the music blaring as the teacher counted out the steps to the class, the sweaty scent that Avis loved in the dream but currently hated.
“Avis! Stop jumping. We’re stretching now.”
-Avis
Aarin Neilson
ReplyDeleteOne thing that would keep me sane would be a bible. The Bible has so many worthy sayings that makes me think deeper or twice about certain situations. It will help me maintain hope because the author of the book is hope himself. When I am at my lowest, the bible is something I turn to for comfort. It provides great lessons that help me understand different ways to handle my issues. Reading the bible just shows me that not everything will be good all the time but with hope and trust things will get better. Just sticking with God adds calmness into my life. In the Bible there are many stories of different people who are put in unbelievable situations that are impossible to get out of. However with the trust of God, he provided what they needed. Reading in itself will keep me busy and distracted from my secrets, but the bible will also be a guide. What I need is strength and guidance and that would keep me sane.
Saameer Green
ReplyDeleteThe thing i would keep with me is a dove because there loyal to you till you let them go and leave. You can cage a dove but when they get the opening to leave they leave and become free. I feel like i connect to that because i would hide who i was when i was little but now growing up i became who i wanted to be. And now I’m not scared to be me it’s like someone really set me free. I regret not being me from the beginning but I’m happy god gave me that opening
An object that would keep me sane would be my rubber ducky. My rubber ducky is small, yellow and can take in water. I would take my rubber ducky in the bath all the time and let it float in the water. It would keep me busy from not being bored while taking a bath. My rubber ducky brings me hope to play with all the time. If I did not have my rubber ducky on me, I would most likely start to feel anxious and slowly lose control of myself. My rubber ducky is an important object in my life to comfort me by my side always.
ReplyDelete-jonathan
When I came to this world, the first thing that I always wanted to have is a coin. its not just a plain old coin, it was something more than a coin. There’s a meaning behind this coin, this coin have to represent family, love and trust. The reason why, because the coin shows a reason why people keep these objects “when they have been found or given to them”. Family- I said family, because we care about others that needs our help, especially things that's got to do with paying. Love- the next word I put was love, because not only you show that you care for others, your also showing love and respect. Trust- I also said trust, because the people that you know who’s gonna back you up on anything, making sure that you good. You should think about given them the coin to help you with the things that your struggling with.
ReplyDeleteIf I were a character in the book, a pair of headphones would keep me sane. I know that music is a way of an escape to and imaginary world. If I ever found myself struggling and stressed out I would hold my headphones with hope that some day I could be as free as the lyrics to the music. I would hold on to the little things and worry less about the society around me. Headphones and the thought of music would be my mind's escape. The rhythms in my head would give me hope for a better life. I believe that music is a very beautiful art and just the thought of it should give anyone a peace of mind.
ReplyDeleteAlanis Santiago
DeleteBRI
ReplyDeleteThe general argument made by Victor Tangermann in their work, “Smart Doorbells That Call The Police Are Going to Endanger Some Innocent People” is that smart doorbells can cause minorities to have the cops wrongfully called on them. More specifically, Tangermann argues that the apps that they are connected to are cesspools for racial discrimination and many people have been ignorantly flagged as “sketchy”. They write, “ Escalating normal neighborhood goings-on in to involve law enforcement becomes a whole lot dangerous when everyone is sitting around with their finger on the panic button.” In this passage, Tangermann is suggesting that people are more likely to get innocently arrested when people watch their homes 24/7 and have instant access to the police. In conclusion, Tangermann’s belief is that smart doorbells allow ignorant people to instantly cause trouble for minorities and that this technology is not ready to be used in a diverse setting.
Victor Tangermann's theory of these smart doorbells being a danger to minorities is extremely useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem of discrimination and criminal injustice.