jaylar
Winston is in a cell. He views other prisoners. One, a woman, was consigned to ‘Room 101’ and he noticed she shrivelled when she heard the number.
There were six prisoners in the cell, men and women. All sat very still. Then another came in. He was so skinny.
Winston did not look at him, but the tormented, skull-like face was as vivid in his mind as though it had been straight in front of his eyes. He realized the man was dying of starvation. So did the other prisoners.
One of the other prisoners offered a grimy piece of bread to the skull-faced man.
There was a roar from the telescreen and the skull-faced man thrust his hands behind his back, as though demonstrating to all the world that he refused the gift.
The man who offered the bread was terrified as guards entered, and one hit him so hard he was almost knocked him off the floor. dark blood oozing from his mouth and nose and two halves of a dental plate fell out of his mouth.
The guard ordered the skull-faced man to ‘Room 101 and he flung himself on his knees on the floor, with his hand clasped together and begged;
‘Comrade! Officer!’ ‘You don’t have to take me to that place! Haven’t I told you everything already? What else is it you want to know? There’s nothing I wouldn’t confess, nothing! Just tell me what it is and I’ll confess straight off. Write it down and I’ll sign it — anything! Not room 101!”Room 101,’ said the officer.The man shouted; ‘Do anything to me!’ You’ve been starving me for weeks. Finish it off and let me die. Shoot me. Hang me. Sentence me to twenty-five years.”
Then, offered; ” Is there somebody else you want me to give away? Just say who it is and I’ll tell you anything you want. I don’t care who it is or what you do to them. I’ve got a wife and three children. The biggest of them isn’t six years old. You can take the whole lot of them and cut their throats in front of my eyes, and I’ll stand by and watch it. But not Room 101!’
