Blog #3

1984 by George Orwell

The plot twist with O'brien became even more surprising when readers learn that O'brien is an operative of the Ministry of Love and has been for some time now. O'brien looks over Winston's torture sessions and informs Winston that his crime was refusing to accept the Party’s control of history and his memory. Through O'brien's torture on Winston, Winston begins to develop a love for O'brien because although O'brien is initiating the pain, he is also the one who stops it. He even goes as far as to convince himself that O'brien isn't the source of the pain. Through spending time with O'brien, Winston learns the Party's ultimate tool for power. Instead of destroying enemies, the Party converts them, similar to what is happening to Winston. Slowly but surely, readers can see and feel Winston's rebellious will dissolving. As the torture continues and Winston becomes more and more brainwashed by O'brien, a change in Winston Occurs. He no longer feels anger or hatred toward Big Brother, but gratitude and security. At the end of the novel, Winston thinks to himself, "He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother,"(Orwell, 298). Although this may seem like a happy ending, I actually found it quite depressing. No longer does Winston see this corrupt society for what it is, but is rather living in a dream like haze created by Big Brother.