1984 Quote Significance 3.3- 3/12

"'Nonsense. The earth is as old as we are, no older. How could it be older? Nothing exists except through human consciousness" (265).

This quote is significant because it relates back to the concept and theme of reality in 1984. Though simply read over, this quote doesn't make sense. Evidence has been shown that says the earth has been here since the dawn of time, before even. If you think about it, it does, however, make sense. It all has to do with our own reality. Everything we know of earth we know because we've experienced it. Before we were born, we knew nothing of earth, therefore it did not exist to us and is as old as we are. The geographical entity that is earth may have been formed billions of years ago, but the concept of earth to us is only as old as we are. We are only conscious of the earth we've seen or head of. Earth, in this sense, doesn't exist outside our own consciousness. Earth is as we see it.

Vitriol-[Noun] 1. Chemistry Any of certain metallic surfaces of glassy appearance, as copper sulfate or blue vitriol, iron sulfate or green vitriol, zinc sulfate or white vitriol, etc. 2. Oil of vitriol; sulfuric acid. Something highly caustic or severe in effect, as criticism.

Emaciation-[Noun] 1. Abnormal thinness caused by lack of nutrition or by disease. 2. The process of emaciating.