1984

           Eventheoneplanthatwaspracticable,suicide,theyhadnointentionofcarryingout. Tohangonfromdaytodayandfromweektoweek,spinningoutapresentthathadnofuture,seemedanunconquerableinstinct,justasone’slungswillalwaysdrawthenextbreathsolongasthereisairavailable. 

           Sometimes,too,theytalkedofengaginginactiverebellionagainsttheParty,butwithnonotionofhowtotakethefirststep. EvenifthefabulousBrotherhoodwasareality,therestillremainedthedifficultyoffindingone’swayintoit. Hetoldherofthestrangeintimacythatexisted,orseemedtoexist,betweenhimselfandO’Brien,andoftheimpulsehesometimesfelt,simplytowalkintoO’Brien’spresence,announcethathewastheenemyoftheParty,anddemandhishelp. Curiouslyenough,thisdidnotstrikeherasanimpossiblyrashthingtodo. Shewasusedtojudgingpeoplebytheirfaces,anditseemednaturaltoherthatWinstonshouldbelieveO’Brientobetrustworthyonthestrengthofasingleflashoftheeyes. Moreovershetookitforgrantedthateveryone,ornearlyeveryone,secretlyhatedthePartyandwouldbreaktherulesifhethoughtitsafetodoso. Butsherefusedtobelievethatwidespread,organizedoppositionexistedorcouldexist. ThetalesaboutGoldsteinandhisundergroundarmy,shesaid,weresimplyalotofrubbishwhichthePartyhadinventedforitsownpurposesandwhichyouhadtopretendtobelievein. Timesbeyondnumber,atPartyralliesandspontaneousdemonstrations,shehadshoutedatthetopofhervoicefortheexecutionofpeoplewhosenamesshehadneverheardandinwhosesupposedcrimesshehadnotthefaintestbelief. WhenpublictrialswerehappeningshehadtakenherplaceinthedetachmentsfromtheYouthLeaguewhosurroundedthecourtsfrommorningtonight,chantingatintervals ‘Deathtothetraitors!’ DuringtheTwoMinutesHateshealwaysexcelledallothersinshoutinginsultsatGoldstein.