1984 essay

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Michael Rossi
March 16, 2009
English 10 Honors/ Mr. George
1984 English Essay, Topic: Are we supposed to see Winston as a hero, a failure, or just your average man? Make sure to argue using contributing factors such as the society he lives in, his options for rebellion, and his final outcome.

Winston’s Warning

In the novel 1984 Winston Smith is undoubtedly a failure. Winston exhibits attributes that would lead one into believing that he in fact, is a hero. Winston attempted to rebel against society and over through the party. Winston nearly achieves hero status and as a result, his failure is substantially more devastating. George Orwell created Winston as a failure so that Winston could operate as a warning to others that the world is headed in a negative direction.
A hero is one who succeeds in conquering an arduous set of circumstances through determination and selflessness. Throughout the novel, Winston maintained heroic qualities that would lead one to believe he would emerge triumphant against the party. Winston rebelled against society and attempted to be the change that he wished to see in the world. Winston knew that the party was spreading lies and he wished to bring about justice for himself and the proles. When a hero succeeds he reinforces a concept, such as standing up for one’s beliefs. When a heroic person is defeated, the force that has beaten them is the ultimate power. Winston comes quite close to fulfilling heroic circumstances; however, there is one defining characteristic that he cannot overcome. Winston failed to overcome the party. Heroes may waver or make mistakes, however, they ultimately cannot fail.
Winston failed in action, thought, and belief against the party. The first and foremost way in which Winston failed was in action. Through his action, Winston attempted to use sex as means of rebellion against the party: “Scores of times she had don’t it; he wished it had been
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hundreds-thousands. Anything that hinted at corruption always filled him with a wild hope. Who knew? Perhaps the Party was rotten under the surface, its cult of strenuousness and self-denial simply a sham concealing iniquity” (125). Winston falsely believed that sex was a rebellion, however not even intercourse could escape the watchful eye of the party. The disparity between reality and what Winston believes is remarkably immense. Winston believes that he is committing an extreme act of rebellion, while he is actually providing the party with further evidence against him. A concrete example of this occurs when O’Brien challenges Winston and his haughty attitude: “And you consider yourself morally superior to us, with our lies and cruelty?” “Yes, I consider myself superior.” […] “It was the sound track of the conversation he had with O’Brien, on the night he enrolled himself in the brotherhood. He heard himself promising to lie, to steal, to forge, to murder, to encourage drug taking and prostitution, to disseminate venereal diseases, to throw vitriol in a child’s face.” (270). O’Brien defeats Winston in every attempt Winston offers to defend himself.
Thought is another way in which Winston is defeated by the party. Unable to control Winston’s hatred for the party he shouts, “Down With Big Brother [,]Down With Big Brother [,]
Down With Big Brother [,] Down With Big Brother [,]Down With Big Brother” (18). This outburst is emblematic of Winston’s subconscious rebellion. Winston realizes that such thoughtcrime is death and claims, “We are the dead” (221). Winston does this in order to attempt to fool himself into believe death will not be as excruciating as Winston imagines (perhaps to eradicate his fear).


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The party finally defeats Winston utterly and completely when he relinquishes his love for Julia: “Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don’t care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to the bones. Not me! Julia! Not me! (286). O’Brien was able to play upon Winston’s fear of rats in order to eradicate Winston’s last virtue. Julia was also unable to stay true to Winston. When they finally reunited, their meeting was substantially less intensive because they had been sucked dry by the party.
George Orwell created Winston as a failure so that Winston could operate as a warning to others that the world is headed in a negative direction. During the time period of George Orwell’s life particularly when he wrote 1984, there was a great deal of hardship. The origin of this hardship was derived from World wars one and two (both of which Orwell endured). Orwell utilized Winston as an avatar to show the world if a group such as the party were to take power in their society, then they might create an impregnable tyranny that may last forever. Big brother, Stalin, or Hitler all attempted to create superior societies by suppressing different individuals. In Hitler’s case it was exterminating the Jews. As for Stalin he wished to rid the world of those who opposed communism. The party wished to maintain their society and convert the traitors. Stalin and Hitler were both defeated because they were opposed by others who believed them to be wrong. In the party’s case none opposed them. On the contrary they were supported. How can a force be defeated if no one wishes to oppose them? The answer is that the force cannot be defeated. One cannot rebel if they do not have a reason for rebellion. Humanity must never lose sight of equality, virtue, and the vision that governments are meant to serve the people since it is the people who award the government its power. Governments are called upon to lead its

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people to success and prosperity. Should a government seize power by forcing them to realize that they cannot sit on a thrown made of bayonets.