Analysis Of The Main Themes In Orwell’s 1984

In Orwell’s 1984, the theme in the first quarter of the novel is false sense of identity. It begins with a society controlled the power of fascism and their leader, Big Brother. They controlled everything a person did. In every room, the government has telescreens to receive and transmit conversations. Winston said, “Nothing was yours except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull”. Life was very hard, for Winston Smith, the main character. Winston Smith was a typical party member that worked for the Ministry of Truth, where he would rewrite news articles for the public eye. He often disliked his job, knowing that everything he did was a lie and that there was always more to it. He knew that the government was erasing Information and trying to hide their tracks. This is an act of false sense identity bc amuse the government is hiding the truth. Winston tries to hide his actions from Big Brother, and does so successfully, so we thought. He then comes across an old antique shop where he buys a unique diary. Winston then uses this diary to express his thoughts and emotions about the government. This act is forbidden in Oceania. This would be considered an act of treason — he would be sentenced to a concentration camp for five years or hung for his actions. He knew that this was a crime, and so the narrator says, “his heart seemed to turn to ice and his bowels to water”. With the knowledge that he could be persecuted for his crimes, Winston does everything besides stopping. This was very common in Oceania; many people would defy the government then would disappear without a trace — their record of existence was never found. Also, Winston has to worry about those around him, but also the Thought Police. The thought police was an organization that would punish those who would express their thoughts and emotions. Finally, Winston displays a theme of false sense of identity because he tries to hide the real him and doesn’t stand up for what he believes. The reason for this is because he writes in his diary of his emotions yet still does not express himself wholeheartedly due to the fact that he is afraid of facing the consequences if his preconceived notion was exposed.

In part two of the book 1984 by Orwell, one of the themes in the book is emotions overrule control. The reason why this is very important is because it shows that Winston is a man that only cares about himself and not other. This helps us to understand a little more about the truth behind human beings, we live in a society that many people are very selfish and this gives a better understanding about it. It begins with Winston, the main character who starts to have emotion for a young beautiful women named Julia. In the beginning of part two, Julia gives Winston a note saying “I love you”. Winston already knows that love is forbidden but is intrigued with curiosity. In part one Winston writes a diary about his life, he knows this is banned, but his emotions take over anyways. He said “They'll shoot me I don’t care, down with Big Brother”. This is one reason why the theme is emotions overrule control. Another reason is that Winston went into a forest with Julia, he knows that this is not allowed and yet “A curious emotion stirred in Winston's heart. They reach the forest and Julia confessed her love for him. Winston was stunned by the words that came from her and yet he still managed to see her again and they both express their love to one another. This is important because it lets us understand what it's like to live in a world where no one is allowed to love, it is very difficult to be in their shoes. In this book you are not allowed to have sex unless you are reproducing for the government. In part one, Winston expresses how he felt about his ex, she laid there with regret, she was afraid when he touched her, this was allowed in Oceania. In part two, Winston was with Julia in there room, spending time with the person the both love, each other. Yet, they were always being watched by the Thought police. They were always there watching Winston as he spent time with Julia and was listening to their conversation about Big Brother. Winston lets his emotion overrule is control and this can be very powerful and can also be harmful to himself and those around him. As he opens his heart to Julia he is more vulnerable to those around him without even noticing, this is why emotions are very dangerous to have in 1984.

In part three of the book 1984 by Orwell, one of the themes in this book is psychological manipulation. It begins with Winston and Julia captured by the Thought police, after all the time spent together they were always being watched by the telescreens found in their room. In part one Winston knew that he was always being watched by the telescreens, he said that “The telescreens received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sounds would be picked up by them”, yet he still managed to get caught by the Thought Police. In part three Winston was tortured because of his actions he made and that was forbidden. O’ brien, electrocution and physical abused him to try and fix him. This is another act of psychological manipulation because they use abuse as a tool over Winston. In the Love Ministry he was sent to room 101, where he encountered his worst fear, rats. O’brien wanted Winston to betray Julia and does so psychologically. O’brien strapped Winston to a chair and used the rats a leverage Winston said “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don't care what you do to her”. This is psychological manipulation because O’brien knew how to break Winston and does so successfully. Another way that this book shows the theme of psychological manipulation is when O'brien successfully brainwashed Winston in thinking Big Brother is Good.

After all the pain Winston has went through he was finally realised and was able to see Julia again. The love they had thought out the book wasn't there, it was like if they had no connection towards one another and they were strangers. The government was able to Winston, Winston believed that “2+2=4”, and that was the only answer. These are a couple of reason why the theme of this part of the book is psychological manipulation.