Summary

Stage directions describe the action of this scene as taking place later that same night. “Winston is apparently asleep. John, however, is awake” (217) and counting on his fingers.

After a moment, Winston sits up and watches, “a strange smile” on his face (217). He realizes that John has started counting the days until his release. At first John denies it, and then excitedly confesses the truth – that that is exactly what he is doing. Winston joins in, and for a while they enjoy counting together, but then John becomes uneasy, and eventually asks Winston to stop.

For a moment Winston is quiet, but then speaks at length of what John’s last few months in prison will be like. He describes how John will be fed well to make him look like he has been well cared for, and then taken to a...