1984 Book 2, Chapter 1 Summary

  • Winston leaves his cubicle at work for the restroom. Four days have passed since we last saw Winston wandering the prole district.
  • He encounters the brunette "spy" in the corridor – she falls, hurting her arm, and passes him a scrap of paper folded into a square. The note says, "I love you."

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  • Winston suddenly feels an intense desire to live. Then he doesn’t know what to do.
  • After two more days, Winston manages to sit at the same table in the canteen as the brunette. They quickly arranged to meet each other among crowds at Victory Square at seven that evening.
  • When they do meet, the thick crowd hides their movements from the telescreens.
  • The brunette gives Winston precise directions to a place where they can be alone the next Sunday, at 3 p.m.
  • They briefly hold hands, hiding amidst the crowd.