Orwell has to do this because of the
society he set up. There are not opportunities for characters to interact to the degree
that great excitement occurs because the Thought Police would interfere if there was
something tremendously exciting. People would be thinking if there was great
excitement.
This happens in several
ways:
1. WINSTON'S VIVID
IMAGINATION: There are moments when Winston and Julia are engaging in
their relationship when we see Winston's thoughts more that the overt actions they
commit. In addition, in the beginning of Book 3, when Winston imagines someone coming to
bring him a razor blade, he even imagined the "sort of burning coldness" it would take
when the blade broke his skin. This oxymoron gives readers a vivid idea of taking one's
life. (Imagery)
2. ORWELL INCITES THE INNER
REBEL in readers too. We are naturally inclined to side with Winston's
point of view because the story is told through his thoughts. Although it is in third
person, Winston is who the narrator follows. We only know of Winston's thoughts and are
therefore on his side. Watching the society from the outside, we know it is wrong. When
he doesn't really want to participate in Hate Week, or when he gets antsy thinking he is
being watched from his own telescreen, we do too. We don't like watching him being
watched and are drawn to relate to him. We wouldn't want to be in his position either.
(Point of view)
3. ORWELL SHIFTS OUR
EXPECTATIONS. Readers are told that war is peace, ignorance is strength,
and that the Ministry of Love is a terrible place. These words all shift meaning for us.
We understood a different meaning for each of them than from what we see in this work.
This builds suspense because we wait to see how that is played out in front of us! This
comes full circle because in the last book we see how the transformed language coupled
with torture finally brainwashes Winston so he can love Big Brother and mean
it.
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