1984 is a novel by George Orwell and was first published in 1948. 1984 depicts a world ruled by three competing powers: Oceania, Eurasia and Eastasia, who constantly engage in war with each other. The Party controls an autocratic government headed by Big Brother and inform citizens of the correct version of the history through Newspeak, which reduces the number of words in the language to reduce the ability to express opposition.
1984 is a story about Winston, a middle-aged man who works at the Ministry of Truth and lives a mediocre life. 1984 focuses on a main character named Winston Smith, an intelligent member of the Outer Party who works for the Ministry of Truth as a propaganda editor among other things. 1984 follows him from his love affair with Julia, another worker from their party, until he begins to realize how much power the Big Brother has over people’s lives and befriends O’Brien of the Inner Party.
1984 takes place during 1984 but also depicts flashbacks all through Winston’s life within 1984; we see them as memories that begin to fade due to experiences having been rewritten or too much time has passed. 1984 is written in third person omniscient and follows Winston’s life from the beginning to his ultimate demise. 1984 takes place during 1984, but also contains flashbacks of Winston’s life throughout 1984. 1984 focuses on the character development and dialogue of Winston throughout 1984, instead of just events that take place within 1984.
From the start of 1984 , it becomes clear that Winston is an individual who appears to be different than most members of society because he simply can’t conform with their way of thinking. He always seems unhappy with everything around him; discontented with his life, work, love affairs and family. At home he recites another language besides Newspeak called Shakespearean English . Winston prefers to think freely without controlling phrases being forced upon his thoughts.
Winston is discontent with the government control over Newspeak because even though it reduces the number of words, his mind rebels against him to think in more detail about an idea or concept. 1984 follows Winston’s life until he finally has a moment with Julia that ends in his capture by members of The Party for crimes against humanity and society, leaving 1984 open-ended with readers wondering whether he would have been executed or eventually reformed through reeducation.
George Orwell’s 1984 is a dystopian novel that shows the dangers of totalitarianism and censorship. 1984 follows Winston Smith through his life in Oceania, an oppressive world where everything is controlled by The Party. 1984 uses symbolism to illustrate ideas about power, language, history, and society. One of the most important symbols used by George Orwell in 1984 is 1984 itself. The title refers to the year 1984 when London was destroyed by nuclear war according to Orwell’s novel; however, 1984 also symbolizes Winston’s yearning for truth and freedom from The Party.
Winston Smith represents people who are unhappy with their lives under The Party but are too scared or apathetic to make any changes . He has no real allegiance towards any other nation or leader, nor does he wish to be a member of The Party. Winston represents people who are unhappy with their lives but do nothing about it . 1984 is the year 1984, yet it also symbolizes Winston’s desire for freedom from The Party.
Another important symbol in 1984 is Room 101, where the Party uses torture to try to break down what you believe in order to make you submit to them. They use whatever they can find that will horrify you into submission – rats, guinea pigs, etc.. This could be said as an allegory towards Oceania and how they would actually go out and research different forms of torture used on prisoners in order to perfect their own system of control and dominance (Orwell 122).
In 1984 by George Orwell, the main character is Winston Smith. In 1984 Winston lives in a world of war and unrest where Big Brother watches him at all times and the only privacy one can get is within their own thoughts. The protagonist is a member of “the Party” a collective society where individuality does not exist and everyone looks exactly alike. Orwell presents Winston as an easily influenced person who starts to develop individual thinking but eventually loses it due to torture from O’Brien or his fear of rats.
Winston strives for change as he thinks that people should have more freedom than just doing what they are told by those in authority. He learns from others such as O’Brien about how life could be different from 1984, where there is no Big Brother and a more equal society in general. He decides to fight the Party with Julia but fails when O’Brien turns out to be a member of the Thought Police and he ends up being tortured by his greatest fear of rats.
Winston’s character throughout 1984 starts off as weak willed and easily led yet he gains strength through certain events such as when he realizes that “He hated her because she was young and pretty and happy, because she was normal” (Orwell 209), which helps him realize that he wants freedom from Big Brother just as much as everyone else does. This shows when Winston says, “… they could not alter your feelings: for that you were in bondage already, you were conditioned to respond in one way only” (Orwell 209).
Winston also develops a hatred for the Party and Big Brother, “the hate rose up in him, almost choking him” (Orwell 212), which leads to Winston wanting to fight the Party. Julia is an influence for Winston as she has more freedom than he does and having her around gives Winston someone whom he can confide in even though they both work against each other sometimes. 1984 shows how fear of torture by O’Brien leads to Winston losing all hope of ever escaping 1984 because his fear overcomes him.
1984 shows that no matter what happens people will always follow those who are in power because it is just easier than standing out or risking punishment. 1984 shows that 1984 is a world where individuality does not exist and everyone looks exactly alike. The main character of 1984, Winston Smith works in the Ministry of Truth as an editor rewriting history according to Big Brother’s standards.
As he goes on with his monotonous daily life, everything changes when he meets Julia, who opens up new feelings within him. With her help he begins to discover what it truly means to be free from the Party’s influences. Despite being tortured for information by O’Brien, Winston continues on his path towards hope but fails when he realizes that “He loved Big Brother” (Orwell 220).
1984 shows how fear of torture from O’Brien leads to Winston losing all hope of ever escaping 1984 because his fear overcomes him. 1984 shows that 1984 is a world where individuality does not exist and everyone looks exactly alike. 1984 demonstrates how easily influenced Winston becomes after thinking more about leaving the Party. Even though many events happen within 1984, one of its most important lessons is that 1984 is a world where individuality does not exist and everyone looks exactly alike.
