Examples Of Rebellion In 1984 By George Orwell

The government of Oceania is essentially called the Party. They use many tactics to monitor and control every aspect of those who inhabit Oceania. From telescreens to brainwashing each person is not safe to have their own individuality. However, these strict regulations may not affect everyone from obeying. The action of rebellion is represented by the main character, Winston Smith. Winston is a citizen of Oceania who has disbeliefs in what the Party is doing. The strict rules did not force Winston obey the Party, it actually made him do the complete opposite. He would complete many activities against the Party such as sexual interactions and the expression of personal thoughts. In the novel 1984, George Orwell emphasizes the strict behavior

of the Party in order to show that this behavior towards those who are controlled causes rebellion.
There are different ways to control an individual or even a large group of people. The Party has many tactics they use to prevent the citizens from thinking or talking against them.Everyday citizens have to witness “ a helicopter skimmed down between the roofs, hovered for an instant like a bluebottle, and darted away again with a curving flight. It was the police patrol, snooping into people's windows,” (Orwell 2). An individual could not be alone to express their feelings because the police were looking through the windows of your own house to make sure you aren't doing so. Even if thoughts and feelings were not being said out loud, “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen, (Orwell 62). This was because a simple facial expression could be interpreted as thoughts that were forbidden by the Party, such as negative opinions of the Party. There was no privacy in Oceania, in all homes the telescreens “ could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely,” (Orwell 2). Each individual's own home was equipped with a screen that watched your every move. Parents were betrayed by their children, they were brainwashed into using “Ear trumpets for listening through keyholes,” (Orwell 62) to eavesdrop and report any insubordinate activity. There were not allowed to be personal conversations between two people, even married couples could not have private conversations because of risk of their own kids releasing their disobedient thoughts to the Party. The Party uses surveillance and brainwashing to keep dominance over the people of Oceania however, these controlling tactics may not affect each individual.
The strict behavior of the Party caused Winston, the main character, to commit criminal actions against the Party.

Any behavior “that hinted at corruption always filled him with a wild hope,” (Orwell 125). He was overcome with hope because he was going against something that was not prominent to his beliefs.Each time Winston went against the Party, he was one step closer to rebellion. Winston felt that ways to go against the party was “secret disobedience or, at most, by isolated acts of violence such as killing somebody or blowing something up,” (Orwell 153). Not just colossal acts of unruly behavior made a difference towards heightened hope of going against the Party but small actions did also. Anything that went against the Party was enough to bring great joy. Most importantly Winston thrived to “break down that wall of virtue, even if it were only once in his whole life. The sexual act, successfully performed, was rebellion. Desire was thoughtcrime,” (Orwell 68).Winston had raging desire to break down the wall of strict rules by commit crimes against the Party. The biggest crime that lit a spark to the desire of rebellion in his eyes were sexual actions. Sexual interactions made “His heart leap. Scores of times she had done it: he wished it had been hundreds – thousands.(Orwell 125). The Party did not want anyone to have sexual intimate relationships or interactions because it is not something that they can easily control because it is an emotion. Winston wanted the

emotions of love and pleasure because that is something that the Party cannot take away from him in an instant. This is a way for Winston to express his own personal emotions, even if it is a disrespect to the Party and its rules. When an individual is declined expression of emotions and uniqueness, breaking the wall of restriction is prominent.
Extremely strict rules cause the behavior of an individual to act the exact opposite of the initial outcome.

Children are compared to Winston, when strictly held down they disobey instead of being obedient. Rebellious activities can include “behavioral problems, sexual activity and alcohol abuse. Winston has all three issues, he drinks victory gin to numb his pain, has many sexual interactions with Julia and overall things against the Party. As well as children,this activity is caused by the " strict parent (or leader) deprives children of the opportunity to learn self-discipline, because all control and decisions come from the parent." (Smith) Having no control over what decisions one makes in their life leads them to do anything in their power to allow them to take control. However, in 1984 not all citizens rebel against the Party, this is because they were brainwashed to believe certain things. Winston learned to think for himself which made him realize how much he did not like what the Party was doing, in the end rebellion was a

solution.
The Party uses surveillance and brainwashing to control every individual that lives in Oceania. Being controlling to somebody creates the exact opposite behavior that is expected. Winston Smith, the main character, disobeys the Party in anyway he possibly can. Each time he rebels, a feeling of joy overtakes him. Children with strict parents are compared to Winston. They both rebel under controlling circumstances. In the novel 1984, George Orwell emphasizes the strict guidelines of the Party in order to show that this behavior towards those who are controlled causes rebellion.