Examples Of Tension In 1984

In George Orwell’s 1984, Winston Smith, the protagonist, outwardly conforms to the harsh government of Big Brother while rebelling inwardly, and eventually outwardly, against the totalitarian control. Winston’s juxtaposing compliancy and questioning leads to a disastrous path that starts with a fatalistic rebellion and ends with complete conformity. As the novel travels through its three sections, the tension between Winston’s outward conformity and inward questioning conveys that even the act of questioning against a manipulative, oppressive power is necessary to fight against tyranny. Recognizing that even thinking against the Party is a death sentence, Winston jumps straight into actively going against Big Brother, but in only little rebellions. These little rebellions, like

Winston, with full acceptance that the Party will kill him for his thoughtcrime, starts a vivacious love affair with Julia. This love affair sparks Winston’s full on rebellion against Big Brother, one that goes much further than just thinking. Winston, along with a less rebellious Julia, increases his rebellious acts by reading Goldstein’s manifesto, verbally rebelling against the Party, and joining the Brotherhood. As Winston’s acts of rebellion get bigger and bigger, the threat of punishment and death grows as well. Winston says that he is the dead; his actions and thoughts forces him to be among the dead. Due to his actions and crimes, Winston’s arrest contributes to his outward questioning, which causes his own death, the death of his spirit and beliefs. In the climax of the novel, Winston’s rise of rebellious actions maintains that acting against tyranny in seemingly small ways, like having a love affair or reading a book, are acts of full of rebellion, rebellions that are needed to fight