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How Does Winston Present The Past In 1984

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In 1984, written by George Orwell, the past is seen or portrayed to be a very crucial part of the understanding of the novel. A few examples that illustrate this theme of the past are Winston's job as a records editor at the Ministry of Truth, O'Brien destroying the photograph of three one-time party members, and the use of Telescreens. Winston's occupation entails the destruction of past records, which solidifies the theme of purging the past in the novel. One example of this is demonstrated when Winston is describing the Records Department. He says, “the records department, after all, was itself only a single branch of the Ministry of Truth, whose primary job was not to reconstruct the past but to supply the citizens of Oceania with newspapers, films, textbooks, Telescreen programs, plays, novels- with every conceivable kind of information.” This displays that Winston's role as a records editor is crucial to the function of The Party and plays an important role in the theme of the novel. Another example of this is shown when three messages slid out of the pneumatic tube while Winston was working, but he disposed of them and went back to work as if nothing had ever happened. This shows the …show more content…

During Winston's experience of torture, O'Brien shows him a photograph of three one-time party members at a party function in New York. Once Winston sees the photograph, O'Brien tosses it down the memory hole, otherwise known as a trash chute. “Ashes, not even identifiable ashes. Dust. It does not exist. It never existed.” This shows the power of doublethink and how it can change the past. By O'Brien getting Winston to truly forget the picture, and forget that he had forgotten, he is able to change the past. This is a critical point to the novel's theme considering O'Brien represents the whole party. He shows the reader the inner parts of The Party and reveals all of its contradictions and

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"Who controls the present controls the past," said O'Brien, nodding his head with slow approval. "Is it your opinion, Winston, that the past has real existence?" (3.2.39-40)” This quote shows how O’ Brien changes winston by integrating him back into society using double think.

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In both film and novel, the importance of memory is discussed by characters, and plays a big role for the protagonist. 1984 represents this with its protagonist, Winston. Due to the Ministry of Truth and the use of futuristic devices such as the memory hole, party members memories are easily manipulated and altered. Total control over party members allows their identities to be easily changed or even removed by forcing everyone’s memories to be altered. This is specifically seen when the author tells us through Winston’s thoughts that, “This process of continuous alteration was applied not only to newspapers, button books, periodicals, pamphlets, posters, leaflets, films, soundtracks, cartoons, photographs”.

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The main character, Winston, changed with the issues at hand. Throughout the beginning and middle of the book, Winston was set apart from everyone else; he had a rebellious soul. Rather than conforming and thinking like the majority, he felt the need to communicate with the future about the world’s current state. His diary was his first major act of rebellion. Then, his affair with Julia was a desire fulfilling act, and it went against the governing party’s rules.

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O’Brien attacks Winston and calls him a “lunatic…. a minority of one.” O’Brien uses ad hominem and attacks Winston’s character, which has nothing to do with the argument. Next, O’Brien asks questions and makes statements like “you are no metaphysician…does the past exist concretely in space…where the past is still happening.” O’Brien makes a statement about Winston not being a philosopher of what is true and real, and then goes on to ask him questions about what is real and true.

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