Winston Smith, the main character, works in London, at the Ministry of Truth. London isa city in Airstrip One, a Province of Oceania. A government that goes by the name BigBrother has taken over the world. The Party with Big Brother as its leader rulesOceania, a state and one of the great powers of the world.
Winston hates the life he livesunder the inflexible government and decides to write down his thoughts in a diary. Thisis considered a crime in Oceania and Winston knows that. And he knows one day he willbe discovered by the Thought Police. To keep the members of this party occupied, frequent two minute Hate Sessions areheld to accuse the enemies of the party such as Emmanuel Goldstein who questionedparty doctrines.
Winston dreams of an pleasant country. A Golden country inwhich any form of expression is considered all right. The party discourages love,and makes any relationship with a party member impossible. Winston notices twopeople, O’Brien a party leader, and a young girl by the name of Julia.
Winston hatesJulia for being a part of The Party and yet he has an eye for her. She appears to be afaithful party member devoted to purity and Winston suspects that she may also be amember of the Thought Police. Winston shares his doubts about The Party with O’Brien even though he realizedthat this may be very dangerous. The Parsons’ are Winstons neighbors. The Parsonchildren are members of the Spies, a party organization and Mr. Parson afellow employee is a dedicated party member who stupidly and blindly follows the party’sdoctrine.
Winston works at the Ministry of Truth. His assignment is the rewriting andfalsification of history so that it makes the party look better. Winston encounters Julia at work. She stumbles and when Winston tries to helpher she slips him a paper with I love you written on it. They have several encountersand finally manage to meet in privacy. Julia turns out to be a corrupt girl.
They beginliving together. Winston and Julia visit O’Brien and join the secret rebel Brotherhood. Except for the requirement to never see each other, they accept all terms of membership. Before long the fear that Winston had lived with for so long became a reality and theThought Police shows up at their house.
The separate Winston and Julia. Winston isbeing held prisoner at the Ministry of Love. He finds out that O’Brien has deceived him. Winston is tortured by O’Brien in the infamous room 101 until he confesses to manycrimes he never committed. He is also being brain-washed so that he conforms to theparty doctrine. The ultimate torture is the use of rats that are caged and strapped over hisface to be released at any time.
Winston had often dreamt of his mother and sister whowere eaten by rats. Once the Party is convinced that Winston is totally rehabilitated, he is set free. Hebegins drinking heavily. Nearing the end of the story, we are not quite sure whetherWinston has been brain-washed or not. Is he just pretending to have been completelycured by the Party or is he afraid to once again think of his thoughts of freedom? I believe George Orwell leaves the interpretation up to the reader.
1984 is afrightening novel. It gives the reader an a look into what might become of our world. Itlets us look at an ugly society where family and personal values are destroyed andreplaced by loyalty to Big Brother. BibliographynoneBook Reports
