1984 - Conflict and Obstacles

The main conflict in the novel is the conflict between Winston and the Society, i.e. man vs. society. The conflict arises when Winston starts questioning the world around him, his position in such a world and the purpose of his life. He realizes that the world he has helped create is fake, that it is dominated by fear and hypocrisy. He feels disillusioned and lonely.

He lives a meaningless life, devoid of any emotions. He has come out of a failed, loveless marriage. He has no close family members or ties. He works for the Government, in the Ministry of Truth and he actively works for the system. Ironically, while he works for the Ministry of Truth, his job is to manipulate the truth, change historical records and create the new truth, as designed by the Government. He is aware that the life shaped by the Big Brother is false and that there is no space for individuality and personal freedom and entrepreneurship.

Winston realizes that by deleting and changing history and installing systems to monitor, manipulate and suppress any rebellious behavior and actions, the Government is preventing changes and progress and is reducing life to mere existence devoid of any feelings and purpose.

He wants to know what it was like before the totalitarian revolution. He decides to rebel on the personal level, but is sadly aware that the system cannot be changed with individual actions only. He decides to rebel in secret, knowing that he is putting life at risk if he gets caught.

There are two obstacles that Winston encounters in his struggle for freedom and change:

·         Hypocrisy and betrayal by the people he trusted

·         Weakness of the individual caused by the fear of the unknown and the fear of the reprisal

The change in his life starts when he is approached secretly by Julia, a colleague, working with him in the Ministry of Truth, who shows her  feelings for him. They embark on a relationship and share feelings, which itself was not in conformity with the system that promoted loveless relationships. Winston then decides to keep diary, and get close to the Brotherhood.

Fearing for his own safety, Winston’s communication and interaction is reduced to three people: Julia, Mr. Charrington who rents the room for secret dates with Julia, and O’Brien, a member of the Inner Party, a man who they believe is part of the Brotherhood. He feels that he can trust no one else in a society in which friend betrays friend and child betrays parent. 

Winston and Julia’s small hopes are destroyed when they are arrested by the Thought Police, who surround them in their “secret” apartment. They are further disappointed when they find out that Mr. Charrington is a member of the Thought Police and that their every movement during the past months has been monitored.  Furthermore, when tortured at he Ministry of Love, Winston realizes that O’Brien is supervising the torture.

The betrayal of the people that he trusted ultimately crush him and make him even more disillusioned. He loses faith in people and he no longer believes a change is possible.

Winston is ultimately released by the Thought Police. However, he awaits the punishment and knows he will be executed. Julia admits that she had betrayed their love. To his own astonishment and disappointment, Winston feels no longer any desire for her. He feels emotionally dead. The only hope he had was now gone. Instead, he decided to have a drink at the Chestnut Street Cafe.

Winston knows that it is only a matter of time before the Party kills him. However, when the telescreen shows the news of the army’s latest success, he is overcome with joy. He shows openly he supports the system and he is defeated by the system.  He admits that there is no hope for the individual in the face of the system, human weakness and fear for existence. One has to obey and abide by rules to be safe, even if that means leading an empty life. The Party finally controls Winston. His defeat is summed up in the closing sentence, “He loved Big Brother.”