1984 Section One, Part II Analysis (pp. 20-29)
by George Orwell

Winston's encounter with the Parsons children demonstrates how the Party indoctrinates its populace at a young age. The encounter also foreshadows both Winston's capture and Tom Parsons's betrayal by his own children. The children belong to organizations very much like the Hitler Youth—further allusions to Nazi Germany by Orwell. This scene also introduces the aforementioned Tom Parsons, even though he isn't present in the scene, by employing characterization through setting and other characters (e.g. Mrs. Parsons and Winston). The quote by O'Brien in Winston's dream is an important one and will recur throughout the novel. "The place where there is no darkness" is the Ministry of Love where Winston will be tortured later in the novel. It is so named because the lights are never turned off. The dream also foreshadows that Winston's primary interrogator will be O'Brien. This is the first instance of the motif of Winton's prophetic dreams.

Immediately following the reference to O'Brien, Winston contemplates the principles of Ingsoc. These principles are important to the story because they are fundamental to the efficacy of the Party's mind control. These are the principles O'Brien uses to eventually convert Winston. Winston believes that no matter how he acts, his mind is still his own and free. The tragedy of this work is that Winston is wrong; these principles allow even domination of a person's mind.

The three slogans ("War is Peace", etc.) are repeated in this section. The continual repetition of these words emulate for the reader the environment Winston experiences, so not only do they remind the reader of the insanity of this world, but they help build empathy in the reader for Winston.