Nick+Zienkiewicz+2014

Nick Zienkiewicz Mr.Barra AP Lit & Comp __1984__  The novel 1984 by George Orwell tells the story of a character named Winston Smith who is living in a dystopian society run by the Party. The Party is a totalitarian government that rules over every aspect of each person’s life in the community. The story follows Winston as he begins to question the Party and its legitimacy. Winstons rebellious behavior become the central focus of his life as he grows to hate the Party and its teaching with the help of his friend Julia. Julia starts out as Winston’s admirer in the beginning of the novel but they soon realize that they are attracted to each other not primarily by looks but because they both wish to rebel and overthrow the Party’s government that is oppressing them. The fact that they are even together is a form of rebellion because it is a rule that nothing and nobody shall come before the Party. Once Winston and Julia begin to get serious about their intentions to overthrow the Party, they turn to O’Brien who promises to introduce them to the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is a rebel group that works secretly to destroy the party from the inside out. Winston and Julia are prodded with question from O’Brien who is concerned that both Winston and Julia may not have what it takes to join the Brotherhood as it is very risky work. He gives Winston a book to read that will educate him about the Brotherhood and its cause that is written by Goldstein, the Party’s most wanted man. While Winston is reading the book he is arrested by O’Brien because O’Brien is actually a member of the thought police. Winston is taken to a prison where he is tortured in one of the worst rooms in the whole facility, room 101. O’Brien uses rats (Winston’s worst fear) to break Winston’s will power to defy the party. O’Briens goal is to not kill or vaporize Winston but to rid him of any opinions that are biased against the Party and its plans. O’Brien succeeds in doing so when Winston says “Do it to Julia” (the it referring to torture). In this instance, Winston has given up any hope of destroying the Party or marrying Julia and only wishes to listen to O’Brien and the party’s rules because the torture and punishment was too unbearable for Winston. In the end, Winston was possibly the last hope for a rebellion against the Party but his individuality and beliefs were crushed by the party just like everyone else.