1984

           Forthemomenthehadshuthisearstotheremoternoisesandwaslisteningtothestuffthatstreamedoutofthetelescreen. ItappearedthattherehadevenbeendemonstrationstothankBigBrotherforraisingthechocolaterationtotwentygrammesaweek. Andonlyyesterday,hereflected,ithadbeenannouncedthattherationwastobeREDUCEDtotwentygrammesaweek. Wasitpossiblethattheycouldswallowthat,afteronlytwenty-fourhours? Yes,theyswallowedit. Parsonsswallowediteasily,withthestupidityofananimal. Theeyelesscreatureattheothertableswalloweditfanatically,passionately,withafuriousdesiretotrackdown,denounce,andvaporizeanyone whoshouldsuggestthatlastweektherationhadbeenthirtygrammes. Syme,too—insomemorecomplexway,involvingdoublethink,Symeswallowedit. Washe,then,ALONEinthepossessionofamemory? 

           Thefabulousstatisticscontinuedtopouroutofthetelescreen. Ascomparedwithlastyeartherewasmorefood,moreclothes,morehouses,morefurniture,morecooking-pots,morefuel,moreships,morehelicopters,morebooks,morebabies—moreofeverythingexceptdisease,crime,andinsanity. Yearbyyearandminutebyminute,everybodyandeverythingwaswhizzingrapidlyupwards. AsSymehaddoneearlierWinstonhadtakenuphisspoonandwasdabblinginthepale-colouredgravythatdribbledacrossthetable, drawingalongstreakofitoutintoapattern. Hemeditatedresentfullyonthephysicaltextureoflife. Haditalwaysbeenlikethis? Hadfoodalwaystastedlikethis? Helookedroundthecanteen. Alow-ceilinged,crowdedroom,itswallsgrimyfromthecontactofinnumerablebodies; batteredmetaltablesandchairs,placedsoclosetogetherthatyousatwithelbowstouching; bentspoons,dentedtrays,coarsewhitemugs;