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1984 winston smith character analysis
Winston smith characteristics and examples
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More handpicked essays just for you.
1984 winston smith character analysis
Winston smith characteristics and examples
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Winston Smith was one of the few people who dared to attempt to rebel against the government. His need for companionship “ He felt as though he were wandering in the forests of the sea bottom, lost in a monstrous world where he himself was the monster. He was alone” (page 28), and hatred for the Party “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” (page 20), drove him to commit his first act of rebellion, writing in his journal.
Winston Smith is not crazy, nevertheless, he lets himself be brainwashed by Ingsoc. Ingsoc, the ruling political party in 1984, controls its population through by brainwashing its citizens and using brutal fear tactics, forcing its people into submission, like Winston Smith, an inhabitant of Oceania. For example, one of the principles of the party is that Ingsoc and its leader, Big Brother, have always existed and will always exist. This ideal contradicts Winston’s direct memory of a time before Oceania, even so, Winston lies to himself and never forces himself to face the truth. The truth is a side-thought to Winston, which ultimately leads him to be caught by the Thought Police.
What defines a hero? Some may say it is a person who is strong, fast, and fresh from the fight. Others may say they have to be sure, soon, and larger than life. A real hero is someone who self-sacrifices themselves for the greater good. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, by Ken Kesey, two heroes are present in the novel, McMurphy and Bromden.
A hero is someone who puts others before themselves. Heroic acts can range from small gestures or actions such as saving countless lives. Heroes are known for their outstanding achievements and selflessness. Welles Crowther was a hero because he put other people's lives ahead of his own and sacrificed his life for others.. As Welles was growing up, he had an interest in helping people.
“One brave deed makes no hero” (John Greenleaf Whittier). A hero is a person, typically a man, who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. In the book Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Guy Montag (the main character) is portrayed to be a hero. However as John Greenleaf Whittier once said one brave deed makes no hero. While Guy Montag shows some qualities of hero he shows many more of a non hero; for example he has no leadership skills, and he is a criminal.
“A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” (Joseph Campbell). Heroes dedicate their lives to contribute to the general welfare of society. Most of the time, the obstacle seems to big for them to handle, but they overcome it in the end. A hero can be anyone in the world.
18-year-old Ethan Couch killed four pedestrians and injured two others while driving drunk in 2013. The media refers to Couch, in headlines and elsewhere, as the "affluenza" teen. Affluenza is a psychological malaise that supposedly affects wealthy young people, symptoms of which include a lack of motivation, feelings of guilt, and a lack of judgment for right and wrong. This disorder may have led him into a sense of irresponsibility and clouded his sense of judgment. The question is; if Couch was truly raised without a sense of right or wrong, then how can we expect him to behave in a way that is acceptable?
Winston is the protagonist of the novel. The story is told through his thoughts and feelings by third person limited point of view. He is 39 years old, but he is unsure if his age is true. His job is in the Ministry of Truth, and he alters documents to make the Party always seem correct and perfect. Even though he works for the Party, he is an unimportant member.
In 1984 by George Orwell a story about a man who is living in a strict totalitarian dictating government, Winston Smith objects them in almost every way conceivable since he loathes the way the Party is set up. On the one hand, Winston proves how he is a hero through his rebellious acts, double life, and bravery. On the other hand, Winston expresses his anti-heroic side when he becomes selfish and fails to stay true to his beliefs throughout the whole story. One of a hero’s main and highly respected qualities is bravery, and Winston proves how he is willing to be brave and risk being caught committing “thoughtcrime”.
However, in George Orwell's 1984, this image becomes distorted. Winston Smith, the protagonist of 1984, is depicted as an antihero. Throughout the story Winston rebels against an oppressive government, vowing to do everything in his power to destroy it, yet he is inevitably converted to a believer. During this story we see first hand that Winston Smith is an inherent anti-hero whose extensive flaws, deplorable
To many, a hero has to be famous, well- known, and rich. However, a hero is a person who stands up for what they believe in. A person that voices what they believe in no matter the consequences or repercussions that may occur, A hero, may be random person that doesn’t want to be looked down upon. It may be a deformed person that doesn’t want something to be just because it always has been . A hero is a person who fights for what’s right.
Winston’s motivation for his rebellion strengthens throughout the story until he is caught and it is tested. At the start of book one, Winston realizes that he wants to rebel, but is too scared of the government to start physically rebelling yet. In book one Orwell writes “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER over and over again, filling half a page” (16) and then “He could not help feeling a twinge of panic… for a moment he was tempted to tear out the spoiled pages and abandon the enterprise altogether.” which shows that he wants to rebel, but is too scared to commit to actually rebelling (16). At this point in the story he is debating whether or not to rebel and is not taking big risks.
The last part of Webster’s dictionary defines a hero as “The chief male character in a story, play, movie, etc.” Winston is the main character of 1984. We follow his journey as he tries to rebel against BB, form a relationship in overwhelming oppression, resist O’Brien’s attempts to rip everything human from him, and eventually, him breaking in the face of his greatest fear. Winston was our guide to the world of 1984, and according to Webster, this makes him the hero of the novel 1984. I would disagree with this analysis.
What is a hero? A hero is someone who has the ability to rise above challenges and is brave enough to sacrifice himself for others. In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, by definition, Winston Smith can be considered the novels hero. This is because of his strength and bravery to go against the party. While reader can admire Winston, they can over exceed his actions.
Throughout the book there are many instances which prove that he is more anti-hero than hero. The protagonist displays acts of heroism but is it enough to consider him a hero? Is Winston an anti-hero because he does not always show the complete signs or look the way that a typical hero would. Winston looked at the world of 1984 through an intellectual eyeglass.