Tuesday, September 23, 2008

WP #2 Power in 1984

In the novel 1984 by George Orwell the main character, Winston Smith struggles to free himself from the power of the Party. He attempts to go against the Party and become an individual but even Winston is not strong enough to overcome the Party. George Orwell uses Winston's power struggle as a way to enhance the meaning of 1984. Without the power struggle there not have been a message behind the novel 1984
Winston Smith is an average man, he is not the best looking or the smartest but he is smart enough to know that the way of the Party is wrong. He goes most of his life accepting the fact he will never be free but then one day he decides that he is not going to live the way the Party wants him to live anymore. The first step to him act of rebellion is when he starts writing in a diary. While he is keeping the diary he feels a little guilty and scared but he continues to do it any way. He knows that he is  right and the Party is wrong so he takes his rebellion to the step. Winston beings to have an affair with a fellow party member, Julia. She is the driving force behind his rebellion after he gets involved with her all he wants is to take down the Party. His last act of rebellion is he joins the Brotherhood. With all his acts of rebellion the struggle he has with himself grows weaker as time goes by. He eventually becomes so involved bringing the Party down that he is willing to do anything that might bring down the Party. Although he is never successful in his rebellion he gets a lot further than anyone else.  
The author uses power struggle as a way to enhance the meaning of 1984 by he makes this the main theme in the book. George Orwell makes Winston so obsessed with overthrowing the Party that the reader also becomes obsessed. It is the driving force behind 1984 and the books meaning. Without the power struggle the book would have never become so popular.
With Winston's power struggle he learns to become a better man and his own individual. George Orwell uses Winston's power struggle as a way to get the reader in and keep them reading.

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