1984 Power Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #4

The other person was a man named O'Brien, a member of the Inner Party and holder of some post so important and remote that Winston had only a dim idea of its nature. A momentary hush passed over the group of people round the chairs as they saw the black overalls of an Inner Party member approaching. O'Brien was a large, burly man with a thick neck and a coarse, humorous, brutal face. In spite of his formidable appearance he had a certain charm of manner. (1.1.24)

As is typical with all Party officials and operations, mystery is the key, and O’Brien is the epitome of an enigmatic authority figure.

Quote #5

The next moment a hideous, grinding speech, as of some monstrous machine running without oil, burst from the big telescreen at the end of the room. It was a noise that set one's teeth on edge and bristled the hair at the back of one's neck. The Hate had started. As usual, the face of Emmanuel Goldstein, the Enemy of the People, had flashed on to the screen. (1.1.25-26)

The Party’s modus operandi in maintaining power is to shift blame to a designated scapegoat, toward which all of its constituents’ hatred and violence may be directed. Their favorite scapegoat is up today—Emmanuel Goldstein.

Quote #6

In its second minute the Hate rose to a frenzy. People were leaping up and down in their places and shouting at the tops of their voices in an effort to drown the maddening bleating voice that came from the screen. The little sandy-haired woman had turned bright pink, and her mouth was opening and shutting like that of a landed fish. Even O'Brien's heavy face was flushed. He was sitting very straight in his chair, his powerful chest swelling and quivering as though he were standing up to the assault of a wave. The dark-haired girl behind Winston had begun crying out "Swine! Swine! Swine!" and suddenly she picked up a heavy Newspeak dictionary and flung it at the screen. (1.1.29)

The Party’s go-to tactic for maintaining power is to shift blame to a designated scapegoat, toward which all of its constituents’ hatred and violence may be directed. Here we have the citizens letting it all out during the daily Two Minutes Hate—which is of course organized and overseen by the Party.