1984 by George Orwell George Orwell’s novel, 1984, focuses on heavily on a fairly small lineup of characters, mainly focusing on the central character and protagonist, Winston Smith whose central conflict stems from his moral discontent with the tyrannical Party. Winston is an ultimately very relatable character, an ordinary man who finds himself fighting for his very existence as an individual against the unrelenting will of the government. Unlike Julia, the only other confirmed rebel in the novel, Winston’s insurrection is based off of ideals and he remains curious about how Oceania works and, more importantly, why it functions the way it does. ‘The immediate advantages of falsifying the past were obvious, but the ultimate motive was mysterious. He took up his pen again and wrote: I understand HOW: I do not understand WHY.’ (101) From his very introduction, Winston shows an intense, introspective intellect in his journal entries and monologues, without becoming too far removed from the average person. Throughout the novel, Winston transforms from a small, uncertain figure whose paranoia governs most of his actions to a brave, albeit reckless, man driven by passion. Through his approachable manner, Orwell succeeds in adding a very personal note to 1984, as Winston’s struggles and failures are very compelling and engaging. Winston himself often comes across as more of a symbol than a character; his struggle between individualism vs. collectivism and good vs. evil. The
In 1984, George Orwell uses cultural, psychological, and social surroundings to shape Winston Smith's (the main protagonist) psyche. The society's culture is restrictive, the government brainwashes people and children into following the government's rule, and his social encounters, especially with his girlfriend Julia, shape his morality.
Winston is an odd character in the novel 1984. Even tho he is the main character he shows signs of him being scared and timid but still tries to be a rebel. Winston is a scrawny middle aged man, he lives all alone in his house. He spends his time writing in his journal if it's about the community or the government.
Towards the end of Orwell’s novel that presents a dystopian society, the antagonist, O’Brien, a close member of the inner party, warns Winston, the protagonist and one of only two reasonable people left, that “We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them” (319). Winston, who has been taken prisoner for his political dissent, receives this grave warning tied down to a chair with O’Brien’s face staring at him from above. This alarming solution to the infamous mystery frightens Winston a significant amount, who after sacrificing so much, has just learned his fate. Orwell has brought about this fate to emphasize the perpetual triumph of the party over its enemies. In George Orwell's 1984, the author creates the totalitarian state of Oceania to warn the reader of the potential corruption and oppression of such a government.
In the novel “1984” by George Orwell, Winston undergoes a metamorphosis of character, which changes his life forever. At first Winston is just like everyone else, a dull drone of the party. Then he changes his ideals and becomes true to himself with obvious rebellion towards party principles and standards. Finally, Winston is brainwashed and is turned against himself and his feelings and is made to love the party. This is a story of perception, and how different it can be from one person to the next.
1984 by George Orwell describes a dystopian society in which Winston Smith, the main character, resides. The society, Oceania, is controlled by The Party, which maintains its regime by employing Thought Police that apprehend anyone with grievances against The Party, or its figure head, Big Brother. The story begins when Winston purchases a blank diary, in which he writes anything he finds necessary to document; this ranges from daily events to anti-Party messages. The first part of the novel describes the totalitarian nature of The Party through the daily experiences of Winston. When Winston bumps into a girl he until this point despised, he receives a note from her saying that she loves him. Upon reading this note, Winston is initially paranoid
In Orwell’s 1984 we follow Winston Smith, a man who feels the oppressions of the
Winston drives the plot of the story by being a complex character. A complex character has multiple
The main character in George Orwell’s book 1984 is a thirty-nine year old man with the name of Winston Smith. Winston Smith creates thought crimes, he also has anti-Party views. The story “1984” tells about all of Winston Smith’s struggles. In an effort to avoid being monitored, Winston physically conforms to society, however mentally he does just the opposite. Winston is a thin, frail and intellectual thirty-nine year old. Winston hates totalitarian control and enforced repression that are characteristics of his government. Winston hates being watched by Big Brother. He always has revolutionary dreams, he feels like he would be protected. Julia is Winston’s lover, a beautiful dark- haired girl working in the
George Orwell was the pseudonym for Eric Arthur Blair, and he was famous for his personnel vendetta against totalitarian regimes and in particular the Stalinist brand of communism. In his novel, 1984, Orwell has produced a brilliant social critique on totalitarianism and a future dystopia, that has made the world pause and think about our past, present and future, as the situation of 1984 always remains menacingly possible. The story is set in a futuristic 1984 London, where a common man Winston Smith has turned against the totalitarian government. Orwell has portrayed the concepts of power, marginalization, and resistance through physical, psychological, sexual and political control. The way that Winston Smith, the central
In the novel 1984, George Orwell relates the tension between outward conformity and inward questioning by allowing the reader to see inside of the mind of Winston Smith. Orwell uses Winston’s rebellious thoughts to counteract his actions in order to show the reader how a dystopian society can control the citizens. Although Winston is in an obvious state of disbelief in the society, his actions still oppose his thoughts because of his fear of the government. Winston’s outward conformity and inward questioning relate to the meaning of the novel by showing Winston’s fight to truth being ended by the dystopian society’s government.
Winston’s life is replete with misery and pain, but has been give brief moments of happiness and love by Orwell to create a sense of hope for Winston, and subsequently, hope for a future free of the imprisonment of totalitarianism, although Orwell makes clear throughout the novel that there is no happy ending. Totalitarianism does not allow the possibility of such an ending to thrive in the minds of people; If Winston were to escape this fate, Orwell’s definition of totalitarianism and everything that encompasses it would have been lost. Orwell has written the book in a way that the readers become so attached with Winstons character that he gains a form of individuality that can only be given by the reader. Winston is a symbol of the values democracy, love, peace, freedom, and decency which are found within a civilized society. When the character of Winston is destroyed, these values and connection to the reader are also destroyed with him as Winston Smith is a representation of the struggle faced between bad and good in every aspect of
“1984” is an imaginary novel wrote by George Orwell in 1949. The novel takes place in a fictional country called Oceania. In 1984, the society is a mess in the control of the “big brother”, people are leveled by three three classes: the upper class party, the middle outer class party, and the lower class proles. But the lower class make up 85 per cent of the people in Oceania. Winston is a outer class party member working for the “big brother”. This novel uses Winston as an example to show how the “big brother” takes the control by mind, manipulation and technology.
The main character in George Orwell’s 1948 novel, 1984, Winston Smith can be seen as many things. To some, he may be a hero, but to others he is a coward and a fool. Throughout the novel, Winston’s characteristics are explored, and readers are shown the reasoning behind Winston’s twisted mind. It is evident that although Winston thinks he had control over his own mind and body, this is an imagined factor. The world of 1984 is one of a totalitarian society, where no one can be trusted, and no one is safe, Winston being the primary example of one who trusted thoughtlessly.
Winston Smith, George Orwell’s main character from 1984, contributes greatly to the novel in many ways. While he is presented to be a simple man, Winston adds many complex ideas to the classic piece of literature. Orwell uses internal and external characteristics, symbols, and significant quotes to develop Winston’s role in 1984.
Orwell’s 1984 is an ironic political novel, which focuses on the world of politics in an imaginary city. Orwell wrote his novel in the third-person narrator, which means the narrator knows enough about the novel characters. George Orwell chooses to have access to his protagonist, Winston Smith, for he wants to uncover his inner thoughts of Winston regarding O’Brien. Winston is always thinking about O’Brien, regarding him as a political hero who will overcome the unjust ruling party. To end up, Orwell access to Winston Smith’s mind enables him to read and acknowledge the deep inner thoughts of Smith concerning Mr O’Brien.