Alexis Kenney 1984 Essay

British Literature Mrs. Rivara

Argue that life is or is not better for Winston at the end of the novel?

Winston had lived an unhappy life under the control of Big Brother. In 1984 Winston constantly refers to his own end and knowing he will be killed if he is caught for his actions, but not knowing when or if he will get caught. "There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to livedid live, from habit that became instinctin the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized." (3) But by the end of the novel he thought that he was going to be killed soon since he was caught, which has allowed him to make peace with himself. However at the end of the novel I think things a better for him even though he was caught.

Winstons life becomes easier after being caught and put through Room 101. His life becomes easier because now he has been brainwashed and doesnt have the constant feeling of paranoia because he is incapable of having those old thoughts now. He also doesnt have to work as much or as hard anymore. Winston will now be at the Chestnut caf like all the other people that have been caught, this is a place

and time in which he is relatively peaceful. He has been conformed to a lover of Big Brother which is the best thing for him to live a better life.

Being brainwashed had made it easier for Winston to live, even though him being conformed is also seen as him dying. "Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never again will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage, or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves." (Page 256) This shows how Winston will not be able to experience everything he was used to anymore. Although this can be seen as something that would make he life worse I see it as his life is better. After he went through Room 101 he was clearly now the Winston that we knew throughout the previous chapters which showed as him symbolically dying. "He gazed up at the enormous face. Forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark moustache. O cruel, needless misunderstanding! O stubborn, self-willed exile from the loving breast! Two gin-scented tears trickled down the sides of his nose. But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." (297) This is quote showing the moment when he was transformed to love Big Brother, Winston now will experience a better, safer, easier lifestyle.