Portrait Of Totalitarian Government In Book "1984"

Being a man born into the first half of the twentieth century, George Orwell was forced to endure both World Wars, as well as the start of the Cold War. His experience with national relations and the lessons that war brings allowed him to pen such an incredible, meaningful novel as 1984. By encountering the ideals of Joseph Stalin and other oppressive leaders, Orwell managed to portray his vision of a totalitarian government in a way that allowed total immersion into such a dangerously critical world. Through the mind of Winston Smith, it is finally possible to imagine what it might be like to live apart from every other being. Every second of Winston’s life is a struggle against his own mind and body; the smallest blunder or misstep could sentence him to death instantly. The fight against Big Brother and all that he represents may only be evident in the darkest corners of Winston’s mind. As he maneuvers through his different paths of life, Winston first regards himself with curious distaste, for being the only one that views Big Brother with such a desolation and disbelief as he. As the novel progresses, it becomes apparent that even as Winston finds others who share his rebellion, the battle against Big Brother, Ingsoc, Newspeak, and all that he criticises is one that he must face alone, and one that will bend him and shape him into the exact mold that he fears and experiences such intense detestation for. Although many may wish to believe that what is right will unfailingly prevail, 1984 showcases the idea that a struggle against such an overpowering force is both a struggle with the government and oneself, and it cannot always be a fight that is won.

From the very start of the novel, it is clear that Big Brother is the very epitome of a totalitarian government. By controlling every single aspect of the lives of the citizens, they have managed to strip away any semblance of individuality or the rebellion that might come along with it. The Inner Party gives off massive waves of devotion and loyalty, emphasizing the fact that anything other than conformity was to be abhorred and exterminated. The force of Big Brother has successfully utilized tactics such as psychological manipulation and brainwashing to create the ideal pliant society, one of ultimate versatility. Those in power have made any personal enjoyment despised and disgusted, and managed to focus any pent up wells of emotion only only what they deem appropriate, such as the Two Minutes Hate. Designed to build emotion toward both the allegiance to Big Brother and the loathing of opposing forces, such as Emmanuel Goldstein, this quick burst of euphoric rage is where Winston’s internal struggle against what he sees and what he believes becomes evident. “Thus, at one moment Winston’s hatred was not turned against Goldstein at all, but on the contrary, against Big Brother … and at such moments, his heart went out to the lonely … sole guardian of truth and sanity in a world of lies” (Orwell 14). The simple pliability of the focal point of such intense detestation shows precisely how meaningless it is, and Winston’s recognition of this fact. He knows that Big Brother is using their emotions to their own advantage and forcing them all to conform to the same understanding of their world. Winston glances around to see Julia, the dark-haired woman, and experiences this same hatred toward her, for being sucked in to the pitiful, deceitful world of theirs. He sees how the society will force them to kindle such unimaginable rage and merely allow them to release such rage onto an image of their choosing, thereby choosing precisely what it is they fear and love and every emotion in between. While this event occurs during his job at the Ministry of Truth, Winston’s job in itself is one that his morals struggle with. Day after day, Winston is sent pieces of evidence of a past that no longer exists and he is the one who must make it unquestionable.

The idea that he is permitting Big Brother into fooling the entire nation, as he watches his friends and coworkers fade into submission, is humiliating. Winston Smith feels as if he is the only one alive with a single memory of the past, and the grasp of Big Brother is so overwhelming that he begins to doubt even his own convictions. Winston’s moral struggle with the perfectionist society pitted against him is as much a factor in his opposition as his physical rebellions. His first dangerously deliberate step against Big Brother is shown through his use of a diary. His next step showcases itself through a woman named Julia. As Winston develops a relationship with Julia, his stance against the Party only grows stronger. Their bond is a driving force, and although it may be a secret, is it something that he holds dear to himself as a reminder of his steps toward rebellion and a greater cause, as if to remain sure that he is sane. When describing the relationship between Julia and himself, Winston explains that "No emotion was pure, because everything was mixed up with fear and hatred. Their embrace had been a battle, the climax a victory. It was a blow struck against the Party. It was a political act" (Orwell 125). While Julia relishes the act for the simple concept of it being forbidden, Winston values the meaning of it, emphasizing his need for a greater purpose. Winston Smith does not wish to oppose the Party merely for the idea of opposition, but instead to fight for what he believes is right and necessary, both for himself and a faded world. The society of Big Brother takes a severe stance on love and sex. An act that was once filled with meaning and intention was stripped down and degraded, seen as repulsive and avoided if at all possible. By rediscovering the emotion attached to such acts of love and desire, Winston and Julia were able to forge a connection to each other, one of understanding and loyalty. Their secret insubordination further destroys their link to the masses, and transfers a devotion of Big Brother to a devotion of one another instead. The impulse of both characters to derive highlights the struggle between a man and his governing society. Throughout the novel, Winston is curiously optimistic. This quality is evident through his confidence and trust in Mr. Charrington and his extra available room, as well as his search for Goldstein’s Rebellion and immediate trust in O’Brien. Through their naivete, Winston and Julia allowed themselves to be discovered by the Thought Police, believing themselves somewhat past suspicion, too comfortable in the false reality that they created in Mr. Charrington’s room.

The safety that Winston has permitted himself to experience in his quest for righteousness has betrayed him. While he was aware that his time in Goldstein’s army would not be eternal, the end of his term came much quicker than expected, and at very odd hands. The sentimental voice of Mr. Charrington turned icy as he tossed them over to the Party. O’Brien spoke of his intentions to torture him into submission, to fix and renew his mind. The discovery of Winston was one of the final steps in his journey to conformity. He was forced to realize that Big Brother was utterly impossible to escape, and the Party would be behind any corner and in any window, waiting for the moment to strike opposition to the ground, like a bolt of lightning. Every outlet of rebellion has been eclipsed by Big Brother and the overwhelming might of the party. Their room of safety was surrendered by a member of the Thought Police. Their fight for righteousness was undermined by a member of the Inner Party himself, camouflaged as a rebel. The might of Big Brother was able to unravel every thought and scheme from the minds of Winston and Julia, leaving them bare to their bones as they are dragged into the Ministry of Love for rebirth. The final step in Winston’s journey to final conformity comes as he is being tortured and psychologically manipulated by O’Brien in the Ministry. His struggle against Big Brother seems hopeless as Winston is left with nowhere to hide, but even so, he attempts to cling to his individuality and unique way of thinking, holding steadfast to his hope that he may be forced to obey, but his mind will never be taken.

The control of the Party over his mind and body leaves Winston desolate and confused. His strength is replaced by fear, his hope by doubt, and he is left with nothing but uncertainty, looking to O’Brien for answers. The pain that comes to greet him day by day is what ensures ultimate pliability of his mind, allowing the Party to reshape it into one of solitude and unquestioning loyalty. The love and connection to Julia that he once held so dear as one of his last humanistic traits is turned into another betrayal, as he screams and screams, wishing for her to take his place as he is forced to confront his greatest fear. This confrontation is similar to that of which he attempted to regard Big Brother, believing, impossibly, that he might be able to truly overpower such a massive entity and make some spark of a difference. Ultimately, Winston is a single speck in a world of opposition, just another name on a list to deal with. His hope for a greater world is turned into gratitude for the world that he inhabits, and total acceptance of all that Big Brother stands for. “But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother” (Orwell 298). The Party proved to be too strong a force, and Winston too feeble. Every act committed in the name of rebellion was for nothing, and the stance that Winston so fiercely held against the society was shattered as he finally writes that 2+2=5, handing over total control of his thoughts and actions to Big Brother, free of opposition, truly and finally. It can be disheartening to imagine a world so hopeless and desolate.

The struggle and failure of Winston Smith to retain his prized individuality may be full of dismay, but it is exactly what George Orwell intended to portray. The despair of the decades in which Orwell stole inspiration from is palpable in every fear and underlying hope of Winston Smith. Ultimately, his conformity is unavoidable. Like a black curtain, an utterly totalitarian government is able to obstruct any undesirable fact from vision, leaving behind only what they deem as true. The metaphorical death of Winston and all that he knew and believed is key in his transition from being a separate entity, to becoming society in itself and all that it represents, as he has once so vehemently despised. While Winston may have been a beacon of hope for a new world, a new way of thinking, and a new definition of truth, the utter dominance of Big Brother and the Party is absolute, and Winston is left with no choice but that to surrender, mind and body, all he has to the brotherhood of a mindless nation, fitting in like a piece of an endless puzzle.