Winston's Uncharacteristic Conformity

I now understand why George Orwell's thought provoking novel "1984" is so thoroughly discussed throughout American Literature. His predictions of the future reveal how genius of an imagination the man had. But more than that, the novel is full of themes and symbols that are certainly open to multiple interpretations. 

One of the first themes I began to investigate as soon as I began reading was the recurrence of hope throughout the novel. On page 83, Winston’s thoughts are quoted, “Truisms are true, hold on to that. The solid world exists; its laws do not change. Stones are hard; water is wet, unsupported objects fall toward the earth's center.” This passage reveals Winston’s incredible understanding of the world he lives in despite all the control imposed upon him. This is also significant because Winston previously had questioned the meaning of living in a society like such. For him to grasp and formulate those ideas says a lot about his character.

His rebellious nature only grows once he meets Julia, who I believe he feeds off. Julia is a free spirit who Winston is captivated by, and precedes to fall head over heels for. During their “good” times, I feel Winston is on his way to finding happiness.

Then it all goes wrong. O’Brien is not who Winston perceives him to be, and Winston and Julia are separated as Winston is sentenced to The Ministry of Love. There he is tortured, and Orwell’s descriptions are gruesome.

In a way, I drew a parallel to the story of Socrates and “The Apology”. Socrates, like Winston is a free spirit in a bound society. Both are convicted because the majority do not approve of the way they think. Though the fates of both men differ towards the end, I feel as if they resemble the same person in their respective eras.

That being said, the end of the novel left me in disbelief. I had faith in Winston that he wouldn’t act in the selfish manner that he did, but I guess that is due to The Inner Party’s controlling nature. When he passed on the pain to Julia, I felt as if I was the one receiving it. I had faith in Winston to not give up his rebellious nature and optimistic (for what its worth) philosophy. As I look back though, it was inevitable, and not as bad as I first thought it to be.

Winston’s sacrificing of his own thought process is not an act of weakness, but an act of wisdom, as was Socrates. Socrates chose death because he had done what he wanted to do with his life, and wanted to continue exploring what comes next. Similarly, Winston gave in to Big Brother because he had done all he could, and his ignorance had lost its strength that was once so powerful. His decision shows how cynical the society truly is, but also how smart he is to finally realize he is a prisoner of his own body and that there is no other option for life.