Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Penguin, 1949. Print 
 
Quote: In "1984," when Winston is given the manifesto for the underground movement in Oceania, the author of the manifesto writes "The masses never revolt of their own accord, and they never revolt merely because they are oppressed. Indeed, so long as they are not permitted to have standards of comparison they never even become aware that they are oppressed." (207) 

I chose this quote because this is the most important part of the book, in my  opinion. Orwell has created a way to talk plainly and without pretense of story about his beliefs about politics. Since "1984" is intended largely as a political statement, that means that the transcript of "the book" is the section most clearly representing what Orwell wants to say about where he feels that society is going. I do not think that reading this foreshadows any drastic change in Winston's demeanor, though, as he certifies his agreement with the book intermittently.

 
Analysis: This quote, especially the oppression by standards part, is a deep insight. This idea could be applied to explaining the Arab Spring last year. As those countries became more connected and saw more of the world (often via the internet) they decided that their lives were unsatisfactory in comparison. This is also an illustration of the fine difference between revolutionary and oppressor. The manifesto that this is an excerpt of essentially condones the actions of and justifies the Party. Even as the author criticizes the cyclical nature of power, he furthers it himself. The futility of idealism is a theme that is prevalent throughout "1984." 
 
Quote: Near the beginning of the book, the main character, Winston, remarks to himself that "it was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children." (24) Winston talked about this as a result of his neighbor's children being vicious little creeps, who have been brainwashed by The Party, the name for the dictatorial group in charge of where Winston lives. This quote illustrates Orwell's use of matter-of-factness to shock you when he mentions as sad an idea as being afraid of your children. Children are a subject that pretty much everyone feels ought to be inviolate, which makes the message of indoctrination through school and environment much scarier.

Analysis: This is an example of the ease with which you can affect a child through total environmental submersion. This is part of the ongoing theme throughout the book that if you have the power to write history and control peoples' lives, you can make them believe anything. I also think that this may foreshadow Winston being turned in to the Thought Police by the children. There are also alarming similarities to North Korea in the present. Their environment is controlled and filled with propaganda, their leader is presented as superhuman, and reality is bent to support the needs of the dictatorship.