Examples Of Individualism In 1984

Individualism is the act of going against a majority. To be an individual, one must isolate themselves from others, and suffer the consequences of not following the status quo. In George Orwell's 1984, Winston is the perfect representation of what it means to be an individual. He understands a broader range of knowledge, he is willing to be tortured to believe what he thinks is right, and he refuses to give up his ideas until his death. Winston bravely goes against the hive mind of the Party attempting to discover a life outside of his every day drudgery. Likewise, he suffers the harsh consequences of becoming the outcast of his society. Unlike most other Party members, Winston has a much broader range of knowledge. The Party members tend to swallow whatever information they are given. The Party members believe that …show more content…
He is captured for his defiance against the government, but he still wants to believe there is a brighter future. He does not want to let go of his beliefs. The guards in the Ministry of Love beats, tortures, and humiliates Winston in hopes of drawing out any possible thought of defiance. When this does not work, O'Brien labels Winston as “mentally deranged” and says he “suffer[s] from defective memory” (203). In Winston's society, being anything other than a puppet at the government's disposal makes one insane. Individualism is a powerful weapon, and the government in this society recognizes it as such. The government wants absolute power of the people, and if someone has individual thought, they will realize the government is trying to destroy them Winston realizes there is a better life outside the Party. He realizes if it were possible to find others who can think like he does, they could destroy the government. That is why Winston assimilates into the hive mind of the Party. That is why he is brainwashed to think “he love[s] Big brother”