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Totalitarianism In 1984

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Most individuals are guided on a day-to-day basis by fundamental, self-determined beliefs and values – those values constantly being refined and becoming more deeply entrenched in life. But, however firm one’s moral compass is, depression and trauma permanently alters one’s consciousness. In the dystopian novel “1984”, the author, George Orwell, reveals the sadistic consequences that can be the ultimate result when thoughts intrinsic to human nature are persecuted. The novel illustrates a negative utopian picture, a society ruled by rigid totalitarianism. The protagonist in this novel is Winston Smith, an editor in the Ministry of Truth who is responsible for rewriting history. Winston does not completely accept the ideology that is fed to …show more content…

It is a powerful symbol manifest of Winston’s relationship with Julia, along with his hopes and aspirations. Inside the paperweight, the coral seems to be larger than life. This signifies that Winston’s small hopes were magnified; like how the opulence of the glass paperweight made the object seem magical – alienated from the mundane nature of Ingsoc. Winston, with a dogmatic fervor, believes that the mind is solely commandeered by the individual. This is encapsulated through the nature of the paperweight. The “strange, pink, convoluted object” that is encased and protected by glass represents the complex intricacies of the human mind and Winston’s belief that the mind is tenable against external forces. This idea is further reinforced when Winston, through Orwell, states, “Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull,” (Orwell 29). Despite this belief, the paperweight is also delicate – well depicting the fragility of humans. When the Thought Police arrest Winston, the paperweight is smashed. This foreshadows the breaking of Winston’s spirit and mind, as well as depriving him of his humanity. When the paperweight is destroyed, it marks the last time that Winston and Julia hold mutual feelings of love for each other. Winston realizes his enlarged dream of a non-totalitarian Ingsoc was hopeless and futile. When the paperweight shatters, it literally depicts the shattering of Winston’s

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In this section, Winston’s entire out look and thought process changes extremely quickly and determinedly. Once he starts to interact with this girl who he seems to keep bumping into to, the whole course of Winston’s outwardly obedient but internally disobedient behavior becomes much more actively counter regime than it ever had before. This drastic change begins even in his first interaction with the mysterious girl who falls in front of him in the hallway at their office, “A curious emotion stirred in Winston’s heart. In front of him was an enemy who was trying to kill him; in front of him, also, was a human creature, in pain and perhaps with a broken bone. Already he had instinctively started forward to help her” (107-108).

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Winston believes that there’ other people like him. Winston is a person who has a journal and writes. He thinks the events that he remembers actually happened. When Winston meets Julia, who also writes and believes the things that Winston believes. When Winston meets Julia, it’s hope that they’re more people like them.

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Winston has an imaginative mind and later in the book he claims that the “power that would one day overturn the world” lies “in the proles”. He feels that the fate of the Party would lie in their hands and “when their time came, the world they constructed would not be just as alien to him” since “at the least it would be a world of sanity” (220). Winston expresses one of his heroic qualities through displaying his vision for the good of

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The demeanour of the black-uniformed men suddenly became more subdued. Something had also changed in Mr Charrington’s appearance. His eye fell on the fragments of the glass paperweight. (pg 282, ebook)” Winston was introduced to Mr. Charrington 7 years ago, the fact that the Party knew of Winston's rebel tendencies before he even knew about them himself shows that the Party has no weak points in their security.

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Throughout the novel, George Orwell signifies the beauty and love the paperweight represents, as well as its fragility. This is displayed through the first key passage, on page 95 and 96. Winston’s dialogue, “‘What is it?’ Winston said, fascinated” (96) “‘It’s a beautiful thing’” (96), exposes Winston’s thoughts about the paperweight though his apparent fascination of it and, his affirmation of his opinion. His immediate adoration illuminates that Winston has the same affection for his desire for Julia, exposed through his thoughts.

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He finds a "paper weight" which he wants to know more about. Julia looks at it as if it is a remarkable finding, but that is as far as she goes. She does not ask Winston about the history of it or where he found it. As stated before, Julia and Winston are both against the party ,but Julia and Winston think of the party in different ways. Julia only really hates the party when it involves her personally, while Winston hates the party because of what it stands for.

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Winston Smith, the protagonist of George Orwell’s 1984, is an inquisitive, intuitive, and romantic man. As the novel commences, Winston begins to question many aspects of his life and the way of life that Big Brother has set up. After reading Goldstein’s book, many of Winston’s questions were answered, however, Winston is still left wanting more: “He had still, here reflected, not learned the ultimate secret. He understood how; he did not understand why.” (217) Winston’s constant quest for knowledge and insight into the society that he is trapped highlights his inquisitive actions.

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A glass paperweight can represent most items or emotion, such as a memory or loved one. Nevertheless, in George Orwell’s novel 1984, the paperweight is symbolic for several things. For starters, Winston bought a paperweight early in his relationship with Julia. To put it differently, the glass paperweight represents the ideal meaning of Winston and Julia’s feeling towards each other. At this moment, Winston’s feelings towards Julia became strong as did his meaning on the paperweight.

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Winston becomes disenchanted by the Party’s ways of maintaining control over the people of Oceania by feeding the citizens propaganda so that they will mindlessly follow whatever the Party says is true. Therefore, Winston begins to doubt the party because of their destruction of the past and its events, ruining people's ability to think and be independent.

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Winston starts to value his personal relationship with Julia and neglects his duties to the Party, breaking the social norms set by the

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The paperweight Winston bought at Carrington’s shop is a clear example of a material that was not destroyed in the novel until the thought police saw it. The diary Winston kept is also an important symbol in the novel which shows the audience how Winston tries to write for the future. However, he keeps it in secret because although it is not illegal, he is sure that he will be punished if he is

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The glass paperweight are symbols that are found in part two of the novel which is representative of the past before the revolution and freedom of both Winston and Julia as a small sign of hope for the future. Winston bought the paperweight and thought that it was very old and beautiful, thinking that “It is a little chunk of history that they have forgotten to alter” (Orwell 152).Because of this small piece that was a part of Winston’s life, it made him realize how special Julia is to him and also a symbol of hope thinking that they would be together forever no matter what the government's rules are. As the reading continues on page , the thought police have found Julia and Winston, "Soldiers intrude and one smashes the paperweight... Flinging

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The Party’s approach to life has not always been for everyone, including Winston who frequently gets angry at their actions. In the beginning of the book, Winston says he was writing, “as though by automatic action… DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” (1.1.18). His thoughts and actions toward Big Brother and the Party have become so strong that he is involuntarily writing words against them. Winston also resents the rule that there can be no love in Oceania, and leaps at the chance to break it.

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Throughout 1984, Winston is forced to confront a society which rejects the central tenets of humanity and independent thought, and which presides over society through the dissemination of propaganda. Orwell’s novel explores the dangers of totalitarian government and absolute control and is a prophetic tale of power and control that must be heeded in modern times. Totalitarianism is employed to grant absolute power to the Party and ensure the deference of the

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