“War is peace; Freedom is slavery; Ignorance is strength” (7).
This is the world of Winston Smith. These are the slogans of the Party. The Party is a totalitarian political group, which has control of Airstrip One, formerly England. In George Orwell’s book, 1984, the atmosphere created in the book is that of total control by one man- Big Brother.
Big Brother is the leader of the Party and can make people think whatever he wants them to think (32).
A large part of the atmosphere is represented by the suspense created by Winston Smith. The suspense begins in the first chapter when Winston purchases his diary (9).
When he wrote the thought, “Down with Big Brother,” in his diary over and over, he was committing a thought crime and knew the Thought Police would catch him sooner or later.
Later, Winston has a dream about a dark haired girl that takes off her clothes in front of him. The girl is a mystery at this point in the story and is treated as someone he frequently has profound thoughts about (29).
Towards the beginning of the second book, Winston and Julia (the dark haired girl) meet in real life and go to the woods to make love (105).
They keep doing this more often which makes it easier for them to get caught.
Winston has a meeting with O’Brien, an enemy of the Party and Winston’s hero, and he agrees to have another meeting at O’Brien’s house. Winston believes this is just leading him closer to his death but he loves it (132).
The Term Paper on Big Brothers/Big Sister
Running Head: BB/BS Open Arms and Open Hearts: Big Brothers/Big Sisters Pamela Naughton Rucker Mrs. McKibbin EH 322-04 March 19, 2001 OUTLINE Thesis Statement: The Big Brother/Big Sisters program was designed to help children from single parent homes. The program matches children with positive adult role models. I. Beginning a. History-BB/BS began as early at the 1900’s. b. Facts and ...
At the end of the second book, the Thought Police finally catch Winston and Julia. They then realize that Mr. C harrington, whom they thought was an ally, was a member of the Thought Police and finally busted them. The book leaves you in suspense because you do not know what will happen to Winston or Julia (185).
In the end, Winston gives in to Big Brother by being tortured by rats, his greatest fear. There is much suspense in the story that finally leads into Winston believing in something that he always hated (236).
All the suspense created the atmosphere of living in a world that is completely ruled by one person, or more commonly known as totalitarianism. He first hated Big Brother more than anything, but was changed by torture. Always remember one thing, “Big Brother is watching you.”.
