Ampleforth the poet, who worked in Winston's building and sometimes ate lunch with him in the canteen, is in the Ministry of Love for a thoughtcrime. He is not sure which one, but he imagines it is because, while putting out a new edition of Kipling's poem, he left in the word "God" at the end of the line because it rhymed with "rod." Ampleforth is in trouble because he is intelligent and because he clearly puts his dedication to poetry ahead of his dedication to the state.

Parsons is a different and more darkly comic story. Parsons is so unintelligent and so completely a true believer that Winston can scarcely imagine he has been arrested when we walks into the holding cell. Winston says: "YOU here!"

Parsons, Winston learns, is also in for thoughtcrime. He was denounced by his daughter, who heard him say, "Down with Big Brother!" in his sleep. Parsons completely accepts that he is guilty and is proud of his daughter for turning him in. It never occurs to him that she might have lied.

When Ampleforth enters the prison cell, Winston asks what he is in for and Ampleforth replies "To tell you the truth—...There is only one offence, is there not?" (Orwell, 291). Ampleforth goes on to mention that he was helping produce a definitive edition of poems by Kipling and allowed the word "God" to remain at the end of a poem. Ampleforth laments that he had to use the word "God" because it was the only possible English word that rhymed with "rod," since there are only twelve words that rhyme with "rod" in the English language. In Oceania, God does not exist and is replaced by Big Brother and the Party, which demand everyone's complete loyalty and attention.

After Ampleforth is taken to Room 101, Parsons enters Winston's cell and says that he was arrested for thoughtcrime. Parsons goes on to mention that his daughter reported him to the patrols after she heard him say, "Down with Big Brother!" in his sleep. Despite being arrested, Parsons remains orthodox and tells Winston that he is glad his daughter turned him in.