1984 First Post

If I were living in Oceania, I would rather organize the rebellions.  To me, living in Oceania the way it is in the story is not a life worth living.  The restrictions on everything leaves you with no choice on what to do.  It is, like you said, a communist regime and if you look at history, it shows that those are places nobody really wants to live in.  This is the same case as Winston as he does not want to live a life controlled by Big Brother.  He defies Big brother right in the beginning of the book by starting a diary, even though he knows he will get caught.  He even looks out for people who might sympathize with him, who he thinks might be Mr. O'Brien.  At the same time he is also looking for his enemies.  one he pinpoints specifically is the dark haired girl from the fiction department.  Winston's hate for the life he lives and Big Brother can be seen every time the Two Minutes Hate plays on the television.  He sympathizes with the rebels and when Big Brother appears, he is filled with resentment.  However, he cannot help but get caught up in the powerful hate everyone professes for the rebels, and he also cannot escape the encompassing love everyone else has for Big Brother.  it sucks him in and traps him in the life he lives.  I believe that this relates to real life in that propaganda convinces people to hate something unworthy of their hate.  This also is seen countless times in history, and it has proven it effective.  People get caught up in public opinion and how they think they should feel, and that causes them to change.  There however, has always been a select group which does not get caught up, and an even smaller group which chooses to actively rebel against society and its orders.  This is exactly what I feel will be revealed later in the book.  My question for you is do you think that  propaganda is the cause of the hate in the story.  Are all the people falling into a trap set up by the government?

CREON: "The sin, the sin of the erring soul
                 Drives hard unto death.
                 Behold the slayer, the slain
                 The father, the son.
                 O the curse of my stubborn will!
                 Son, newly cut off in the newness of youth,
                 Dead for my fault, not yours." (Pg. 160)

Here Creon admits that he was wrong, and that it has lead to this consequence.  However, would Creon have admitted that he was wrong if this had not happened?  Is there any other way that Creon might have been convinced he did not make the right decision.

"Chorus: Sir, would you take her from your own son's arms?
   Creon: Not I, but death shall take her" (142).

Why is Creon so set on the death of Antigone?  Is he using it to help cement his place as king?