George Orwell wanted to terrify the world with a vision of a fascist power so overweening as to demand (when needed, situationally mind you) exceptions to the general rules of arithmetic. It's a great scene still, often mimicked or referenced. But I find myself thinking of how much more drawn out and excruciating it would have been for O'Brien to say that there were approximately four fingers visible. Four and change. Four, possibly three or five but Winston, if it makes you happy, we'll agree that it's four. For now. And what is a finger, anyway? Maybe fingers don't even exist. ~Chara
#george-orwell #1984 #waffling



