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Winston Smith Individualism

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“War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength” (Orwell 5). George Orwell's 1984 gives a frightening perspective on the extremes of a totalitarian society by giving wholeness to the character Winston Smith, a symbol of the oppressed, who has a tendency to resist the destruction of his individuality, which allows the reader to understand the enslavement created by Big Brother, the Party, and the Thought Police. Orwell distinguishes his ideas on what could happen under a totalitarian regime, through the actions of characters throughout the book. While portrayed as a simple man, Winston heightens the ideas of the importance of individualism and the effect of the extremes of a totalitarian government, within the novel 1984 by George …show more content…

Throughout the book, Winston is resistant to the destruction of his individuality. Winson is an Outer Party member, working in the Ministry of Truth, as a records editor. His work is to rewrite history to make it match with the current truth created by the party. Winston often questions the party; “I understand how: I do not understand why” (Orwell 80). He wants to understand how and why “the Party” exercises absolute power. Winston realizes that “the Party” is preventing people from having the freedom of the mind but he does not understand why they want or need that absolute power. As the novel progresses we see how much Winston hates “the Party”. In the process of realizing how much Winston hates the world he lives in, the we see the budding rebellious streak within Winston grow. By questioning Big Brother and the party, Winston is commiting a crime punishable by death, thoughtcrime. The government has banned any thought against the government. Stripping the citizens of their freedom of speech and their individualism. The questionable thoughts are the start of Winston’s diverge from Big Brother. Consumed by his thoughts, Winston takes to scrawling in his diary …show more content…

In the novel,Winston indulges in his sexual desires with a fellow Outer circle member, Julia. The affair alone is a rebellion against the party but the danger is amplified by their sexual acts. Julia plays on Winston's inner desire, that was mocked by the Youth movement. “Sex talks once a month for the over-sixteens. And in the Youth Movement. They rub it into you for years. I dare say it works in a lot of cases.”(Orwell). The totalitarian Party stripped civians of both love and intimacy. Through Winston's obvious fantasies and secret affairs we are able to see the humanity within. Even though it is punishable by death, the oppressed couple indulge themselves, releasing their sexual desires.“Desire is thoughtcrime in Oceania because it elevates the human, the individual, above the powers of the state to control him” ( ). This quote is true because the Party opposes sexual relation as it can lead to feeling, which can make it hard for them to control others. The decision Winston makes of fulfill his sexual desires strengthens the meaning of the work because it reveals how totalitarianism parties try to control every aspect of the lives of their citizens but will ultimately fail. The Party within 1984 reflects closely on the words of Hitler; “To conquer a nation, you must first disarm its citizens.” (Michaud).Totalitarian regimes is when a leader has complete control

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