Final answer:
The party in 1984 destroys documents of the past to control people's understanding of their lives, ensure acceptance of contradictory beliefs, and divert attention.
Step-by-step explanation:
The party in George Orwell's novel 1984 destroys documents of the past for several reasons:
- To control people's understanding of their own lives and prevent them from realizing how bad their living conditions are.
- To ensure people accept the practice of blackwhite, which is the ability to hold contradictory beliefs at the same time.
- To divert attention from the party's past actions and focus on the future of the party.
These actions are part of the party's strategy to maintain power and control over the population.