Winston recalls the saucepan riot

Winston remembers walking down a crowded street when a tremendous shout of hundreds of women's voices burst from a side-street. His heart leapt, and he thought, 'It's started! A riot! The proles are breaking loose at last!' But when he reached the spot, he saw two or three hundred women crowding round a street market stall, fighting over tin saucepans. The supply had unexpectedly given out, and the women were accusing the stall-keeper of favouritism. The incident shows Winston that the proles' discontent leads nowhere, because they can only focus it on petty grievances. Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.