The Destruction of the Human Spirit Love, trust, loyalty, and self-sacrifice are some of the most basic characteristics that make someone human. When a government becomes overly controlling, they end up destroying everything that makes someone human. This can be seen in George Orwell’s 1984 in which the protagonist, Winston Smith, internally rebels against the Party, the scrutinizing government in control of Oceania. The dictatorial Party has destroyed all meaning of love, loyalty, and self-sacrifice in present day Oceania. It can be noted that the oppressive totalitarian government of Oceania has destroyed all human spirit. The Party has destroyed all meaning of marriage, sex, and love by twisting it to be a duty to the Party. This can be
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One night, Winston has a dream about his childhood and his mother. He tries recalls the day that his mother and sister had disappeared. Winston has no recollection of that day but “he knew in his dream that in some way the lives of his mother and sister had been sacrificed to his own” (Orwell 32). This dream shows that Winston remembers his mother as a loving person who was willing to sacrifice her own life for her child’s. Although she disappeared years ago, Winston still feels remorse. He was a selfish and greedy child and when the time came, his mother gave up her life for his. Self-sacrifice is the act of giving up something of value for someone else for the well being of others. In this instance, Winston’s mother sacrificed her own life, which is the most important thing in her life. Winston mentions “tragedy […] belonged to an ancient time […] when members of a family stood by one another without needing to know the reason” (Orwell 32). This statement shows the past, when families stood by each other no matter the circumstance but this is now unheard of. This draws the comparison between the past and the present, proving that times have changed dramatically. For these reasons, it is obvious that Winston’s mother is a representation of the Oceania pre-Party and reveals that the party is destroying some of the most basic human emotions that once existed, including
One night, Winston has a dream about his childhood and his mother. He tries recalls the day that his mother and sister had disappeared. Winston has no recollection of that day but “he knew in his dream that in some way the lives of his mother and sister had been sacrificed to his own” (Orwell 32). This dream shows that Winston remembers his mother as a loving person who was willing to sacrifice her own life for her child’s. Although she disappeared years ago, Winston still feels remorse. He was a selfish and greedy child and when the time came, his mother gave up her life for his. Self-sacrifice is the act of giving up something of value for someone else for the well being of others. In this instance, Winston’s mother sacrificed her own life, which is the most important thing in her life. Winston mentions “tragedy […] belonged to an ancient time […] when members of a family stood by one another without needing to know the reason” (Orwell 32). This statement shows the past, when families stood by each other no matter the circumstance but this is now unheard of. This draws the comparison between the past and the present, proving that times have changed dramatically. For these reasons, it is obvious that Winston’s mother is a representation of the Oceania pre-Party and reveals that the party is destroying some of the most basic human emotions that once existed, including