#16- 1984

"Oranges and Lemons, say the bells of St. Clement's/ You owe me three farthings, say the bells of St. Martins,/ When will you pay me? say the bells of Old Bailey,/ When I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch./ Here comes a candle to light you to bed,/ Here comes a chopper to chop off your head!"



This rhyme is carried throughout the entire book. Even though Winston does not remember it - he learns it in pieces - various people remember different lines. This song is a nursery rhyme with an accompanying game. Its origins are in the 1600s. Debtors were sent to Newgate prison, which was located at present day Old Bailey. The Bellman would arrive by candle light to inform the debtors of their execution the next morning. Orwell uses a nursery rhyme throughout Nineteen Eighty-Four to demonstrate how traditions are slowly being lost in the Oceania society. Every child used to know this rhyme and now Winston does not remember any of it and most people only remember snippets. Orwell also uses the rhyme to show that even though most memories have been lost on the surface of the mind, they are still somewhere inside each person's head. After Winston hears the rhyme for the first time, he feels as though he can actually hear church bells, "yet so far as he could remember he had never in real life heard church bells ringing" (84). The Party restricts thought, but one slight memory can start a snowball effect.
When Winston is arrested, the voice which is assumed to belong to Mr. Charrington says, "And by the way, while we are on the subject, Here comes a candle to light you to bed, here comes a chopper to chop off your head!" (183). By inserting this memory of the past here, Orwell connects the present Oceania society to the old ways of London. Just as debtors used to be executed, traitors to the Party are broken.

Interestingly, Orwell does not include the entire rhyme in Nineteen Eighty-Four. This is probably because he is trying to make the point that traditions are being lost, so only parts of the rhyme can be remembered. Here is the full version:

"Oranges and lemons," say the bells of St. Clement's,
"You owe me five farthings," say the bells of St. Martin's,
"When will you pay me?" say the bells of Old Bailey,
"When I grow rich," say the bells of Shoreditch.
"When will that be? say the bells of Stephney,
"I do not know," say the great bells of Bow,
"Here comes a candle to light you to bed,
Here comes a chopper to chop off you head.
Chip chop chip chop- the last man's dead."

Works Cited:
"Oranges and Lemons Rhyme." Nursey Rhymes Lyrics and Origins. 24 Aug. 2010 <http://www.rhymes.org.uk/oranges_and_lemons.htm>.

"Oranges and Lemons." You Tube. 10 July 2008. 30 Aug. 2010 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdy_B2zDQJs>.