1984 Winston A Hero Analysis

George Orwell’s definition of heroism is this: “ordinary people doing whatever they can to change social systems that do not respect human decency, even with the knowledge that they can’t possibly succeed.” In his novel, 1984, George Orwell writes about Winston Smith. Winston is a 39year old man living in a world with a totalitarian government state in which the ruling person has total power for its own sake over the people.. Winston is one of very few people that go against the government. Winston is a lower-level society member that has grown to despise the government. The way the author portrays Winston makes it seem as though Winston loses his sanity throughout the course of the book. In the story there are only two possible outcomes, either Winston will becomes effectively assimilated or he finally brings the change that he envisions. In my opinion, Winston is a hero.

Winston’s very first defiant act against the government occurs in chapter one, when he realizes he has written, “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER,” multiple times in his diary. This is a thoughtcrime, one of the most unpardonable crimes. This is where the thought police come into play. The thought police are, by definition, a group of people who aim or are seen as aiming to suppress ideas that deviate from the way of thinking that they believe to be correct. This means that if you go against the way of thinking, the thought police will figure out and come for you.
In this story, Big Brother controls all, knows all, and Big Brother is always watching. Big Brother is, in a way, the leader of Oceania. Big Brother is also the villain in this story, the antagonist if you will. Big Brother is the thing that Winston fights against throughout the story. Big Brother is honestly everywhere, watching through the telescreens, hearing everything that someone says or thinks. Big Brother controls everything from language to a person’s history. The Party doesn’t allow free thought, sex, or any form of expression of individuality.
Winston does not agree with the laws and illegally buys a diary to write his thoughts in, his illegal, criminal thoughts. Winston also becomes infatuated with a man named O’Brien, who Winston believes is a part of the Brotherhood, a “legendary” group that aims and works to overthrow the Party.
Winston Smith works in the Ministry of Truth; he changes historical records to fit the needs of the Party. Winston does not like that the Party changes history, but the Party says that has always been allied with Eastasia in long war against Eurasia, Winston can remember a time when they were not. While working one day he notices a girl staring at him. Immediately Winston thinks that the girl is an informant (a person who notifies the thought police of crimes committed,) that will turn him in for his previous thought crime.
Later on in the story, the girl Winston was worried about writes him a note that reads, “I love you,” and tells Winston that her name is Julia. From that moment on, Winston and Julia start an affair. They always have to lookout for warning signs of the Party monitoring though. Further into their relationship, the two move into an apartment together, Winston fears that they will be caught sooner or later. Julia, on the other hand, is more optimistic about things and is sure they will be fine. As the relationship grows, so does Winston’s hatred for the Party and soon Winston receives a message he has been expecting. O’Brien wants to see him.
Together Julia and Winston go to O’Brien. O’Brien is part of the Inner Party while Julia and Winston are part of the Outer Party. While talking O’Brien informs Winston and Julia that he hates the Party as much as they do. O’Brien admits he works against the party as a member of the Brotherhood. Before Winston and Julia leave O’Briens apartment, he teaches them about the Brotherhood then welcomes them as a part of it. O’Brien also gives Winston a copy of Emmanuel Goldstein’s (The leader of the Brotherhood) book.
Once Winston and Julia return back to their apartment, Winston begins to read the book to Julia. Before he can get too far into the book, soldiers come in and take the two. Mr. Charrington, the owner of the store the Julia and Winston lived above, had been a member of the Thought Police the whole time.
After Julia and Winston were taken, they were separated.

Winston is taken to Room 101, a room where anyone who goes against the Party is taken to face their biggest fear. Winston’s just so happens to be rats. After O’Brien places a cage full of rats on Winston’s head, he pleads for O’Brien to do this to Julia instead. This is what O’Brien wanted, Winston to give up Julia. It shows that Winston’s spirit is broken. At the end of this story, Winston is released into the outside world and meets Julia again, but feels nothing for her. He has learned to love Big Brother and accept the Party completely.
In my opinion, Winston is a hero by the definition of George Orwell. Again, the definition that Orwell gives is, “ordinary people doing whatever they can to change social systems that do not respect human decency, even with the knowledge that they can’t possibly succeed.” Throughout the book, Winston Smith tried his best to be himself instead of molding into what the Party wanted him to be. He cracked at the end, after some major torture, but a lot of other heroes have cracked as

well.