Spring Reading Group (*1984 Repeat event*)
Details
**This is a repeat event for the original scheduled in April. Anyone on that waiting list is welcome to be added here instead if you can make it.
The 2026 Spring reading group at Lake Ontario Park begins in late April, we will be reading through George Orwell's classic dystopian novel 1984 in a few repeated sessions, to accommodate demand.
If you sign up for this original posted meetup (limited to 8 people) and are placed on the wait list, look for updates closer to April when I will aid a few repeat events so that everyone who wishes to meetup to chat about the book will have the opportunity to attend one of the repeated sessions in May.
A BBC video review of the book is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFvuzu8vtY8
Hope to see some of you there!
Cheers,
Colin
PS- please be sure to bring lawn chairs, we will be sitting by a tree past the sheltered area where the bathrooms are located.
**UPDATE COMMENTARY**
Main Characters in the book include:
Winston Smith: the novel’s protagonist.
Julia: Winston’s co-worker and love interest and confederate in rebelling against Big Brother.
O'Brien: member of the Inner Party, betrays/sets up Winston.
Emmanuel Goldstein: alleged leader of opposition to the Party.
Mr. Charrington: shop keeper, spy for Thought police.
Parsons: Winston's neighbor, his own daughter turns him in to the Thought Police.
Newspeak: language controlled by the Thought Police to achieve conformity of thought to the Party’s script.
Prolls: members of the working class.
Some themes to discuss:
#1. What are your thoughts about how state control and surveillance- control of communication/thought, “truth”/history and conformity- have played out in the 75+ years since Orwell wrote the book?
#2. The relationship between Winson and Julia. What did you make of the love story in 1984?
#3. How did you feel reading the book? I have to admit I found it a difficult read, on an emotional level. The details of the third part of the book, during the torture scenes, was very disturbing. And yet I wanted to see how it all played out- to see what happens to the human spirit and condition when faced with unrelenting oppression.
#4. I rewatched the film starring John Hurst. I thought it captured pretty well the main details of the novel. And the scene in room 101 was horrific. Any thoughts on the book vs flim?
#5. What are your thoughts on the 3 slogans of Oceanian? That war is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength.
#6. What do you think the main lesson/insight conveyed by the book is?
See you all then!