preview

Analysis Of George Orwell 's ' 1984 '

Better Essays

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

Get Access