George Orwell's 1984 - Literary Analysis Essay

Introduction

By Orwell's definition, Winston Smith can be considered as the novel's hero. Nobody can have the courage of rebelling when they are always thinking of different thoughts which can make an individual to be vaporized, with every person being watched in each moment of their day. Winston feels frustrated through the laws of the party because he cannot think of what he needs which makes him to rebel. Moreover, his journey depicts that he fails to rebel against the party as the story ends. However, Winston Smith in the novel is meant to be a hero because a hero is often justified by his actions, instead of his ending. Nevertheless, Winston showcases his heroic characteristics through a rebellious attitude to what he thinks is right, his bravery of rebellion against the Oceanic law, as well as the perseverance of keeping the rebel until the end of the story as depicted in the book "1984" (Gale n.p).

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As the story in the novel begins, Winston already shows the characteristics of a hero when he commits the rebellion acts against the laws of the party which is said to be unfair. He also opts to shop in ordinary shops and frequents the prole districts; purchasing many items which are from the past. Moreover, in Oceania, his action of buying the past items is against the law because the members of the party were not supposed to buy things from ordinary shops. (Orwell 6). As the story progresses, Winston slips through the district and purchases a diary which seems not to help him much, but he only feels like buying it. (Orwell 6). Therefore, the fact that Winston Smith purchases items from the district Prole in most cases depicts how he enjoys doing the actions of rebellion since the actions allow him to go back to the past.

Winston also showcases his rebellious actions and attitude when he repeatedly writes in large neat capitals "down with big brother" (Orwell 18). He cannot revolt in public since Oceania is often filled with numerous telescreens to spying neighbors. There are even scenarios like the Two Minutes Hate where many citizens are seen conforming to propaganda. Winston, in this case, rebels through his eyes because there was a space of many seconds in which his eyes' expressions conceivably betrayed him. (Orwell 16). He is a rebellious man who always revolts for freedom in a society that is totalitarian, depicting his actions as a hero (Kakutani n.p). Nonetheless, after Winston staggers through thinking of the ways he can rebel further, he meets Julia, and the two decide to rebel together. He no longer thinks whether he should rebel, but he rebels because it is the right thing to do for him and the citizens to gain freedom (Kurnianto n.p).

He begins his rebellion officially with Julia by making love to her even if it was only once in his entire life. The successfully performed sexual act was a sign of rebellion (Orwell 68), which depicts his bravery for connecting with Julia because it might end by both becoming vaporized in the end. The act of bravery continues by pursuing an area where Julia and Winston can proceed rebelling privately. Winston rents out a room above an antique shop where the duo commits more crimes which might entitle them to death. For instance, Winston halts to speak with Mr. Charrington for some minutes on his way upstairs in a society where nobody can and should not trust another person (Orwell 150). Also, he enters the booked room and begins talking about more actions of rebellion with Julia and soon, they end up making love despite the action being against the law (Kakutani n.p).

Winston is a hero that readers can admire and emulate because he can attain the title of a true rebel. He is seen searching for O'Brien to join Brotherhood, stating that most people believe that there is a type of conspiracy or a type of secret organization that is always working against the party and that every person is involved in it. He wishes to join it and work for it (Orwell 170). At this moment, Winston realizes that he cannot turn back because O'Brien had already begun asking him questions whether he was to commit to becoming a part of the Brotherhood fully. Winston agreed which showcased great bravery for committing the crime thoughts as well as other rebellious acts. Therefore, his bravery for committing the actions or scenes that are courageous depicts him in a heroic light because he can fight the party using heavier crimes (Kurnianto n.p).

Winston can be termed as dead as he is set to persevere until the end. His primary aim is to die hating Big brother and the party. He fails to deny that he might be caught in the end; the first action and step was an involuntary secret thought, while the second was opening of the diary. He had shifted from thoughts to words to actions. His last step would be something which would take place in the ministry of love (Orwell 159). However, the proceeds with his rebellious acts by enduring mental and physical torture; with the questioners being the party intellectuals and not ruffians in black attires, little men who were rotund with prompt motions as well as flashing spectacles. (Orwell 241). Soon, Winston faces O'Brien torturing him via numerous electric shocks so that he can be converted into loving Big Brother. However, he doubts the party's certainty. O'Brien then showcases that the earth is old as humans are and it cannot be older. He says that nothing has ever existed except through the consciousness f humans (Orwell 265). Winston then retorts back through saying that rocks are often full of extinct animals' bones such as mastodons, enormous reptiles, and mammoths that lived before man. (Orwell 265).

However, Winston obeyed the party, but his hatred for the party kept on growing as he could not be forced to love Big Brother nor the party. Moreover, being broken, Winston was aware that he was on the wrong but could still prefer being in the wrong than supporting other people. he had the drive of continuing to be a freedom fighter and wanted it badly. The action made him go to room 101 where he betrayed Julia because he feared rats. The story depicts that it is always easy to see a person or everyone betraying the people or things they love most because the main aim of torture is always to replace anything a person values with Big Brother (Gale n.p). Therefore, the perseverance of Winston shows him as a heroic character despite failing, as he tried hating Big Brother until the end. Moreover, the cautionary 1984 tale emphasizes Winston Smith as a hero through dedicating himself to his rebellious activities and showing the correct attitude for what is right, which makes Winston a perfect protagonist. According to Winston, a hero is defined through what he does and not by what happens or will happen to him in the end.

Works Cited

Gale, Cengage. A Study Guide for"" 1984""(lit-to-film). Gale, Cengage Learning, 2018.

Kakutani, Michiko. "Why '1984'Is a 2017 Must-Read." New York Times 26 (2017).

Kurnianto, Erzal Pratomo. WINSTON'S ALIENATION AND CLASS STRUGGLE IN GEORGE ORWELL'S 1984. Diss. Diponegoro University, 2018.

Orwell, George. "Nineteen Eighty-Four. 1949." The Complete Novels 7 (1990).