this quote is from the book "1984" by george orwell.
"Until the become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they they have rebelled they cannot become conscious."
- George Orwell, 1984, Book 1, Chapter 7
2007-11-26 08:26:33 · 4 answers · asked by 2qut4U 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
In the book George Orwell is referring to 'the masses' and how they have become subjugated under the 'Big Brother' Regime. He is trying to explain the paradox in which they find themselves. Each state cannot be achieved without the other. stet of perpetual imprisonment and slavery they have become subject to. So, just think about it. To rebel you have to be conscious but you cannot become conscious until you rebel. An anomoly. Exacty the same situation occured in Joseph Heller's book 'Catch 22'. In that story he said that you had to be insane to be a combat pilot but if you were insane youi couldn't be one. Here is the expanation from Heller which also fits the Orwell theory. (Yossarian is the hero of the story)
There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.
"That's some catch, that Catch-22," [Yossarian] observed.
"It's the best there is," Doc Daneeka agreed.
2007-11-26 08:36:28 · answer #1 · answered by quatt47 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The quote, taken from 1984, alludes to a need to think away from officially-accepted thought. Thinking "outside the box" is a form of rebeliion, and awakens the consciousness, which leads to a greater rebellion.
2007-11-26 16:31:20 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that it means that once you fully understand something is the only time that you can act against it. And by acting against it, you become fully aware. Does that make sense?
2007-11-26 16:29:13 · answer #3 · answered by burghgirl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that people who don't know they are repressed will not fight against it. Once they become aware of it and learn to fight it, then they will know what they are fighting for.
2007-11-26 16:30:20 · answer #4 · answered by kuntryguyy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋