Examples Of Totalitarianism In 1984

Totalitarian governments rule with absolute power. Everything from the press to individual action is controlled and manipulated by the government. A perfect example of a totalitarian government can be found in George Orwell’s novel 1984. In the super state Oceania, the war, history, and thoughts are controlled by the use of fear and pain to insure the Party’s dominion over the state. By using a totalitarian government, George Orwell explores the power of fear and pain over the rebellious through the development of the character of Winston Smith.

In the beginning of 1984, readers are introduced to the outer party member Winston Smith. Even though he was a Party member, he disagreed with the Party’s doctrine and views. To offset the Party’s control over the past, Winston began illegally writing down his rebellious thoughts. The most dangerous act occurred when “his pen had slid voluptuously over the smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals – DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” (Orwell p.19). Even though he secretly rebelled, Winston knew he was doomed; capture was inevitable. He expressed his feelings about the Party, and he was in possession of a document outside of the government’s control.

Later in the book, Winston slides deeper into rebellion as he plays a part in an illegal affair with his fellow outer party comrade Julia.

When he learns that Julia abhors the Party, Winton’s actions become bolder. Their shared hatred for the Party brings the two loversv closer together, and as a result, Winston openly expresses his beliefs about the party’s tyrannical actions. He compares his relationship with Julia and their frequently visited safe room to an old glass paperweight. “The paperweight was the room he was in, and the coral was Julia’s life and his own, fixed in a sort of eternity at the heart of the crystal” (Orwell 122). Winston treasured his relationship even though he knew it would not last long. Both Winston and Julia believed their love was

indestructible.
Nevertheless, Winston’s devotion to Julia and to rebellion was tested when he was arrested by the thought police. Winston was held in the Ministry of Love for a considerable amount of time. He received vary little food and water for the space of many days, and the conditions were horrible. Along with malnutrition, Winston also suffered from merciless guards, and brutal beatings. Eventually, he met his torturer O’Brien. During the process of torture, O’Brien attempted to convince Winston to renounce his rebellious nature and to convert him to the Party’s doctrine by using pain. If he answered a question wrong or spoke against doctrine, Winston would be inflicted with mass amounts of pain. Surprisingly, after being worn done mentally and physically, Winston declared with defiance to O’Brien that “somehow you will fail. Something will defeat you. Life will defeat you.” (Orwell 222). Even through much pain and weariness, Winston clung onto the hope of contradicting the Party. However, O’Brien was becoming victorious over Winston’s mind, and he finally convinced Winston that two plus two equals five.
After many long hours of pain and rehabilitation, Winston was relocated to an isolated cell. Reduced to a living skeleton, the pride less Winston slowly regained his health, while he trained himself to believe all of the Party’s doctrine. However, he realized that he could upset the Party. Winston continually thought of Julia, and realized “he had not stopped loving her; his feeling toward her had remained the same” (Orwell 225). If he could die loving Julia, then his life would be a stumbling block in the eyes of the Party. Consequently, O’Brien sentenced Winston to Room 101, the place of indescribable fear. In Room 101, O’Brien attached a cage full of rats to Winston’s head and informed Winston that there was only one way to stop the rats. As O’Brien prepared to release the rats, Winston realizes that only one person could end his suffering. “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! I don’t care what you do to her” cried Winston (Orwell 236). During this moment, passing the pain, fear, and suffered to Julia saved Winston’s life, but the moment was his breaking point. He shattered his love and devotion for Julia in one desperate moment of intense fear.
In conclusion, the development of Winston’s character revealed the power of fear and pain. Over the course of 1984, Winston changed from a rebel to an obedient Party comrade. He started as an average government worker with negative feelings about the Party. Then thought turned to action as he wrote a journal and started a love affair with Julia. Pain was then introduced when Winston is beaten for his crimes. In response, he persists in defying O’Brien’s rehabilitation efforts for a time. Finally, Winston changed completely from rebellious to obedient with the help from rats, his greatest fear. For Winston, genuine fear overpowered his feelings for Julia and all other reasoning. Through pain, lie transformed to truth, and fear turned love in to betrayal. In the end, Winston “had won victory over himself”, because “He loved Big Brother” (Orwell 245).
Works Cited
Orwell, George. 1984. Penguin Group, 1949