Similarities Between Brave New World And 1984

In 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, they exhibit the necessity of individuality through Winston and John. While John almost achieved breaking away from conformity, Winston never did.
How Winston and John's rebelling from conformity started from a simple thought. What is the government hiding? This sparks their doubt of the government and their ability to achieve individuality from their own society. In 1984 Winston is at conflict of what is true. He only knows of what the government wants to tell him, but how does he know what they say is true. Being that Winston has never been outside of Oceania, he has not experienced other parts of the world. Without other outside, non bias, information there is no way to know the truth for sure. The glass coral paper weight is a symbol of his government and society. The individual, the coral, is stuck in society which is the glass around the coral. When the paperweight is smashed it's symbolic of the Party's goal of destroying individuality. Skepticism drives from the unknow. Without all the truth doubt arises. The Party only shares what they want

to the public and the public knows that. Which causes the public to think about if or why they are being lied to. Because if you have nothing to hide, why lie. Hearing only half stories creates the curiosity of what could the Party be hiding from them. Winston's curiosity quickly turns to doubt. Do other countries really exist? Is the war with Eurasia real? "Winston could not definitely remember a time when this country had not been at war..." The only information about the fact is from his memory. There is no way for Winston to know the truth because the Party is always trying to hide information. Similarly, John has the same doubt towards his society and government.
As time goes on in the book Brave New World, John's skepticism for his government and society grows. The first example is, john grew up outside of the World State. That being said he has a different perspective on the outside world and in the World State. So he can compare the two together and his trust will take longer to build. Unlike Winston, John has had been outside of his society giving him an advantage. Another example is the lack of humanity John notices. The fact that humans are manipulated since day one, along with being deprived of other life joys, like art, is baffling. With a society that is lacking humanity it is difficult for John to trust it. Finally the fact that there could be other societies that are hidden from them causes a query feeling. They act like their society is the only one and it is the best. But there could be more out there, but John will never know. This mystery causes curiosity, questioning, and eventually doubt. Winston and John both struggle to comprehend and accept their society.
In both 1984 and Brave New World, Winston and John take an interest in the past, hoping it will uncover hidden messages and information. The Party constantly changes the past so it betters them. "Do you realize that the past, starting from yesterday, has been actually abolished?" The Party rewrites every book, repaints every picture, statues, streets, and buildings renamed, every date changed. Everything the Party can change, they will. Anything to make them look better so they have more control over others. The history of Oceania and current events have been nothing but lies. 'The Party said Oceania had never been in alliance with Eurasia" Winston knew Oceania was in alliance with them. But where did this knowledge come from? It is only in his own consciousness, but knew it would be annihilated. All of the rewritten history is how the Party manipulates the public's mind. As soon as they get in your mind they can start controlling you from the inside out. Creating their image of an ideal society. Likewise John has the same fascination for the past as Winston does.
There is one question that John is dying to answer, how did we evolve from the past.

By reading Shakespeare and the bible, this question is sparked. Reading pieces that are from the past push him to compare the past and the present. He wonders how they have changed so much from the past and what is the point is the government has, for changing so rapidly. Another reading John has looked at is the Bible. The farther back he goes, in reading and discovering. The more intrigued he becomes. As John continues to look towards the past to find answers. "...you all remember, I suppose, that beautiful and inspired saying of our Ford's: History is bunked." The quote from Mustapha, to John's understanding, meaning society has ignored history. Because if they knew they would not trust the science and progress. For this exact reason, John is doubtful of the

government.
The biggest difference between Winston from 1984 and John from Brave New World is the end result, whether they conformed to their society. Unfortunately Winston did conform to follow and believe everything the Party tells him. When he was captured he originally tried to convince O'Brien that he has conformed by using doublethink. The concept of doublethink is to have two contradictory thoughts at the same time and believe them both. O'Brien knew Winston was using that to escape sooner. Since that didn't work he was told that Julia had turned her back on him. Even hearing that someone who he loves and is so close to did not make him talk. O'Brien. There was one last option, room101. Room101 holds each individual's biggest fear. For Winston, his biggest fear is rats. His fear is more powerful than his will to be different. His fear of rats eating off his face was enough for him to conform. While Winston eventually conformed, but John never achieved breaking away.