How does the children’s rhyme about St. Clement’s church symbolize the past in 1984?
How is Mr. Charrington different from other proles in 1984, and what do his differences suggest?
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July 28, 2022How does the children’s rhyme about St. Clement’s church symbolize the past in 1984?
How does the children’s rhyme about St. Clement’s church symbolize the past in 1984?
The rhyme symbolizes the past for several reasons. First, nobody can remember the full poem. Mr. Charrington knows the opening lines,”Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clement’s,” and the ominous ending, “Here comes a chopper to chop off your head!” Julia and O’Brien remember other parts but not the complete rhyme. It is like the past that has been eradicated by the Party. The rhyme also symbolizes the past because it lists several churches and religion is illegal in Oceania. Finally, it is a children’s rhyme, and childhood lies in the very dim past for Winston. Of course, the pleasures of childhood do not last in 1984, and the rhyme’s ending symbolizes Winston’s own demise.
