Prompt #2 A World of Conflict

In a world controlled by an all-seeing government, Winston, the protagonist of George Orwell’s 1984, finds himself in conflict with the society when he begins to question the government and begins to seek the truth in a world desperate to hide it. There is one major difference between Winston and the rest of society in 1984, which is Winston’s need for the truth and freedom from the oppressive government, “Big Brother”. It is this difference that brings Winston into conflict with the society around him. Socially, he is unable to interact successfully with others because he doesn’t understand how the others are able to take the lies that the government feeds them, while the others do not understand Winston’s need for the truth. Morally, Winston finds himself unable to accept the rules for “proper behavior” that Big Brother has set down, and sees many of the actions that Big Brother has done as wrong. It is these differences that, in this novel, ultimately forces a change; either from the oppressive government, or from our protagonist Winston.

Winston begins as another normal member of society. He lives the same as others do, accepts Big Brothers rule, same as the others do. In this life, he is truly unable to have any friends or truly get close to anyone; as the novel shows, everyone is too paranoid or suspicious to make close friends. However, he begins to question his role in the world as one who “edits” history, and he also begins to question the very society he lives in, and whether it is truly such an ideal world to live in. He meets Julia, who he falls in love with, perhaps because, she, like him, is against Big Brother and the oppressive world they live in.

As Winston drifts further away from Big Brother and the “Party” that they stand for, he begins to notice another society, outside the influence of Big Brother; that of the common people, those who do not work for the government. He meets Julia, a girl who hates Big Brother, and while she doesn’t understand Winston and his beliefs totally, she probably comes the closest to understanding how he thinks and why he simply cannot accept the Big Brother controlled society. The people he works with, the people who work for Big Brother do not understand what is going on with Winston and why he craves the truth; all they know is that the desire for the truth is dangerous, and therefore do what they can to distance themselves from the individuals who show a need for it.

As the novel progresses, the audience is able to see the society and how flawed it really is. The society is ruthless; it’s only aim is to promote Big Brother and create a working society where no one is allowed to have free thought or new ideas. The people of the “old world”, even those who are not “dangerous” like Winston, but merely those who cannot seem to embrace Big Brother with no doubt are found and eradicated. The children of this society grow up dedicated to Big Brother, and the older generation and the knowledge that comes with their past is being weeded out. This society is going through a ruthless change, and no one is really safe from the conflict that this change brings.

In the ending of the conflict between Winston and the society he lives in, the society eventually triumphs. The beliefs that brought Winston to a conflict with the society is eventually eradicated, and he is brainwashed into becoming another drone, who accepts the truth of Big Brother with no questions. The society of 1984, the one dominated by the Big Brother party, is shown to have ultimate power over all individuals, and shows that it accepts conflict from no one.