What were the clocks striking in the opening line of the book “1984”?

Natalie Portman
By Natalie Portman 2 Min Read

What were the clocks striking in the opening line of the book “1984”?
It was a bright day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. The thirteenth stroke here doesn’t refer to military time but to an old saying. References to a thirteenth stroke of the clock indicate that some event or discovery calls into question everything previously believed.

What were the clocks striking in the opening line of the book “1984”?

Four
Thirteen
Again
Twelve

The Answer: The correct answer is Thirteen.

What does the opening sentence suggest about the book the clocks were striking thirteen time and place not familiar to us?
It all suggest that things are not going well The novel’s opening sentence is “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” This sentence suggests three things. Second, when the clocks strike 13 rather than 1, it tells us everything is different.

Was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen?
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” — George Orwell, 1984. Storytelling is at the core of what makes us humans. … Storytelling is at the core of what makes us humans.

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