Human rights and freedoms are often underappreciated in Western culture. Whereas, in many parts of the world, people do not have the right to express their thought, feeling and opinions freely without being persecuted. In George Orwell’s 1984, Winston lives in an extreme totalitarian society where everyone is constantly monitored by a figure known as “Big Brother”. Any thought and action that opposes the Party’s ideology results in torture and death. For this reason, Winston suppresses aspects of his personality, which, while keeping him safe, restricts him from developing any sense of self or freedom. Orwell demonstrates the way self-actualization, as defined by Jungian theory, helps reveal the innate human desire for freedom through Winston’s …show more content…
This facade—which is controlled by his ego or consciousness—allows Winston to fit into the mold of an obedient and loyal party member. He would often “[set] his features into the expression of quiet optimism which [is] advisable to wear when facing the telescreen” (7). Winston cannot freely express himself, as any action or thought that opposes the Party will result in Winston’s persecution. He forces himself to conceal other aspects of his personality to fit in, though, at the cost of his identity. This loss of identity and individuality can also be seen during the Two Minutes Hate, a ritual the Party uses to control the release of its members hatred and anger. During which, Winston could only “do what everyone else was doing” (22) as that is his “instinctive reaction” (22). The constant pressure of Big Brother results in Winston reflexively following the status quo in an attempt to remain safe. Yet, this leads to Winston never thinking about what he is doing or experiencing. Orwell demonstrates the need for self-actualization through the lack of freedom that is a result of Winston’s
Tired of his constricted life, Winston decides to take part in rebellious acts against the Party and attempts to overthrow the government that rules over him. As one could imagine, Winston’s personality does not conform to the rest of the population, because he possesses original characteristics that make him different. For example, within the first few pages of the novel, Winston wrote down the words “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” several times in his journal (Orwell 16). “Big Brother” stands for the leader of the Party who supposedly watches over everybody.
Winston is confronted with struggle throughout the entirety of George Orwell`s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Living within a totalitarian regime subsequently causes Winston to seek approaches for dealing with such abundant oppression; he finds liberation through self-awareness, understanding and ultimately rebellion. First, Winston realizes that “if you want to keep a secret you must also hide it from yourself”, alluding to the notion of thoughtcrime (162). This recognition exemplifies the complete cognizance that Winston has regarding the oppressive society displayed throughout the novel. Next, Syme states “It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words”, alluding to the idea of Newspeak (28). This statement directly correlates to Winston speaking with other party members to gain knowledge about how others feels about policies deployed by the government. This information-seeking also connects with Winston`s rebellion, as he actively searched for others to join his uprising, which is shown when Winston tells O’Brien “We want to join [The Brotherhood]” (171). Winston’s attempt to join a rebellious organization exhibits his evident desire to release his suppressed emotions. Winston devises a very methodical approach to deal with the problematic society he resides in.
He expresses the views that no few in the society will. Winston rebels against the government to find meaning in his life. His journey into finding individuality shows his expression of freedom, which no one else has expressed. Alex McGuinnis, a professional academic writer part of the Professional Development Collection, discusses the “Allness” language used by Big Brother to control a populous and perpetuate conformity within a society. As McGuinnis states, “Allness thinking is especially dangerous because those who influence our minds most frequently are the people who are constantly using allness” (108).
George Orwell creates a dark, depressing and pessimistic world where the government has full control over the masses in the novel 1984. The protagonist, Winston, is low-level Party member who has grown to resent the society that he lives in. Orwell portrays him as a individual that begins to lose his sanity due to the constrictions of society. There are only two possible outcomes, either he becomes more effectively assimilated or he brings about the change he desires. Winston starts a journey towards his own self-destruction. His first defiant act is the diary where he writes “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER.” But he goes further by having an affair with Julia, another party member, renting a room over Mr. Carrington’s antique shop where Winston conducts this affair with Julia, and by following O’Brien who claims to have connections with the Brotherhood, the anti-Party movement led my Emmanuel Goldstein. Winston and Julia are both eventually arrested by the Thought Police when Mr. Carrington turns out to be a undercover officer. They both eventually betray each other when O’Brien conducts torture upon them at the Ministry of Love. Orwell conveys the limitations of the individual when it comes to doing something monumental like overthrowing the established hierarchy which is seen through the futility of Winston Smith’s actions that end with his failure instead of the end of Big Brother. Winston’s goal of liberating himself turns out to be hopeless when the people he trusted end up betraying him and how he was arbitrarily manipulated. It can be perceived that Winston was in fact concerned more about his own sanity and physical well-being because he gives into Big Brother after he is tortured and becomes content to live in the society he hated so much. Winston witnesses the weakness within the prole community because of their inability to understand the Party’s workings but he himself embodies weakness by sabotaging himself by associating with all the wrong people and by simply falling into the arms of Big Brother. Orwell created a world where there is no use but to assimilate from Winston’s perspective making his struggle utterly hopeless.
In George Orwell’s 1984, an extreme example of government control evolving from common government forms of Orwell’s time, serves as a warning of the effects of methods used to obtain control and the effects of total government control in itself. The main character, Winston, experiences and observes many aspects of these methods, and appears frightened by the Party itself, mainly because of his opposition and memories. He tries greatly to hide and disguise his uniqueness by attempting to blend in, but eventually his differences must and do emerge, silently and then suddenly. As the protagonist develops, another character aids him in the finding of his voice to achieve the rebellion against the Party. The fear of Thoughtcrime makes Winston
The novel 1984 by George Orwell is a fictional future where The Party controls everything. The Party is lead by a larger than life figurehead named Big Brother. The main character is Winston Smith. The story is divided into 3 parts and chronicles Winston’s rebellion against and then re-entering of The Party.
George Orwell’s haunting dystopian novel 1984 delves into the closely monitored lives of the citizens of Oceania as the Party tries to take control of society. In totalitarianism, propaganda and terrorism are ways of subjugation with a main goal: total obedience. He aimed to create a “what if” novel, what would happen if totalitarian regimes, such as the Nazis and Soviets, were to take over the world. If totalitarianism were to happen, the leader would be the brain of the whole system. Orwell emphasizes the theme of individualism versus collective identity through Winston, the protagonist, and his defiance to the Party and Big Brother, with a frightening tone, surreal imagery and a third person limited point of view.
Orwell’s warning is exemplified through the way in which Winston forfeits his last feelings of rebellion as he relinquishes his love for Julia, transforming him into an archetypal
In George Orwell’s 1984, Characters do not receive any personal freedoms as evidenced by No Freedom of Thought, No Freedom of Expression, and No Freedom of Emotion. In the book 1984, the setting takes place in what was known as London but is now called Airstripe One. It is ruled by a totalitarianistic government known as “Big Brother”. To Begin, the characters in 1984 receive No Freedom of Thought without their lives being at stake, this is made clear when Orwell says, “Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.” (Orwell 266).
At the end of the novel, Orwell describes Winston as a cured patient who has over come his metal disease. “He had won the victory over himself: he loved Big Brother” (Part 3, Chapter 6). Both Freud and Orwell break down the components of a person’s mind in the same way. Orwell’s character, Winston, depicts the different parts of the human mind so described by Freud. In Orwell’s 1984, he uncovers the same components of a human mind as seen by Freud, the instinctual drive of the id, the perceptions and actions of the ego, and the censorship imposed by the morality of the superego.
As such, Winston leaves the Ministry of love as a drastically changed man, forged into the image of perfection in the eyes of Big Brother. The foundation of his new personality is his ability to effortlessly commit crimes at a subconscious level. Thoughts that interfere with Party views are promptly erased from Winston’s mind. “False memories” such as when “his mother was sitting opposite of him and also laughing” (309, 308) were recollections of happiness, and thus, dangerous to Party ideologies. The ability to selectively believe which memories are true and which ones are false, using Party ideals as reference, is one of the main traits of a perfect Party member.
Centuries ago, around the world, some people were enslaved and would have to follow everything their leader said, having no say in their life choices. In 1984 by George Orwell, the novel revolves around a man named Winston Smith, who lives in Oceania, a totalitarian dictatorship run by “Big Brother”, who restricts the thoughts, actions, and words of its citizens. The government engraves its slogans, “WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH”, into the minds of the people of the society. Winston is one of the very few that see that Big Brother limits their lives, but 85% of the population, proles, does not. In this society, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY tells of that if you are free, you will be a slave to your own thoughts and ideas, and
George Orwell uses Winston to represent truth in a deceptive world in his novel 1984. In Oceania, Big Brother is the omnipotent and all powerful leader. Everything the government dictates is unquestionably true, regardless of prior knowledge. Even thinking of ideas that go against Big Brother’s regime, or thoughtcrime, is punishable by death. Winston serves as the dystopian hero, longing for freedom and change. Orwell uses Winston to emphasize the importance of individual freedoms, as they give us the ability to fulfillingly lead our respective lives.
George Orwell’s intent in the novel 1984 is to warn society about the results of a controlling and manipulative government by employing mood, conflict, and imagery.
Comparing and contrasting oneself to characters from fictional works is helpful for self reflection and understanding. As art is a reflection of reality, characters are reflections of society. There are lessons to be learned from art in all forms. All things considered, Orwell’s 1984 is an excellent piece for self reflection and where one would stand in the face of injustice. Winston’s character is very realistic and three dimensional, providing for an excellent opportunity for introspective analysis.