1984 by George Orwell Emmeline Vickers Batzdorf
Dennis Potter once said, “Some of the words and symbols and images from childhood will continually be part and parcel of my personality.” Throughout the book 1984 by George Orwell, symbols express the ways of life in Oceania. The telescreens watch everything that happens, the Party controls everything, and Big Brother is the face of power. The symbols shift the way Winston sees things.
The telescreens symbolize the control the Party has over Winston and all the other peoples’ lives. They watch and hear everything that people are doing. In the very first scene of the book, Winston sits in a little nook in his apartment where he think the telescreen can’t see him. He then writes, “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” multiple times in his diary. Because he is not certain that the telescreen cannot see him, Winston feels guilty and expects to be punished. Winstons job is to erase people from history once they have died because they are not allowed to feel. When he writes in his diary and when he is with Julia, Winston is away from the telescreens and free to feel. As the story progresses, Winston think about the reasons for the Party’s actions and by the end of the book, he is no longer a force against their decisions. The telescreen monitor the people of Oceania, but the intention is different to everyone, and for Winston, you could say it’s positive.
Big Brother symbolizes the party and the vagueness that goes along with them. No one actually knows exists but citizens are told he is the head of the nation. Winston doesn’t remember when Big Brother emerged but he remembers things from his childhood. “‘I can remember lemons’ said Winston. ‘ They were so sour that it set your teeth on edge even to smell them.” This shows how much has shifted since Big Brother emerged. Winston grew up with feelings and tastes, only to grow up and have them taken away. “The hypnotic eyes gazed into his own”. The symbol of Big Brother is all over Oceania and draws people into the idea of security. For example, Winston sees a childrens history book that has the face of Big Brother which shows how much power the ideas have and how strong the symbol is. The citizens of Oceania rely on the symbol of Big Brother to lead them and ensure them of security.
The book 1984 has a lot of symbols that carries it to a conclusion. Big Brother symbolizes the Party and the power they portray, the telescreens symbolize control, as well as many other objects and places. In the end, Winston learns to love Big Brother and understands the motives of the Party. The symbols in the book 1984 by George Orwell become a part of Winston and change the way he looks at things.
