In the 1984 novel by George Orwell, the protagonist Winston Smith has a unique interest in the past in a society where none exists. Through the indirect characterization of Winston’s interaction with the coral and the symbolism of the coral itself, along with the symbolism of the pictures and dreams, Orwell demonstrates the challenges of learning about and staying connected to history in a revisionist society. The author uses the indirect characterization of Winston's interest in the coral and the symbolic physical properties of the historical object to demonstrate his curiosity of the past. When Winston looked around in Mr. Charrington’s shop, “his eye was caught by a round, smooth thing that gleamed softly in the lamplight, and he picked …show more content…
Orwell uses Winston’s dreams of his family to portray how flashbacks become the only way one can withhold memories. In another dream about chocolate with his mother and sister, “Winston heard himself demanding in a loud booming voice that he should be given the whole piece”(Orwell 205). The author uses the symbolism of Winston’s dream about the chocolate ration to represent how dreams are the only way people can learn from their past mistakes in a revisionist society. The dream he had about his greedy nature as a child allows for reflection and the opportunity to grow from his actions. Furthermore, Orwell highlights how people in a reformist society rely solely on past dreams to fuel personal growth because they have no other record of their past lives. Overall, the author uses the symbols of dreams to represent how important they are for remembering personal memories in a revisionist society. In conclusion, Orwell utilizes the indirect characterization of Winston’s fascination and symbolism of the coral, as well as the symbolism of the pictures and dreams, to criticize how citizens of a revisionist society have difficulty learning about history and pursuing