1984- Part Three

In the end, Big Brother and the Party failed. They didn't do their job as they had planned. The succeeded in keeping Winston's thoughts 'right', in the end, but his actions were still there. Orwell writes, “Will you understand, Winston, that no one whom we bring to this place ever leaves our hands uncured? We are not interested in those stupid crimes that you have committed,” (146). This shows that although they can understand and manipulate thought pretty well, the citizens of the Party can still act out in ways that might be too large for the party to handle. Also, it says in Book One that, "In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality was tacitly denied by their philosophy." I think this shows not only the raw power of the party, but also the weakness that they were unable to use it in a way that was totally effective. The party's greatest weakness is that they didn't control the political ACTIONS that were committed against the Party, which is why I believe they ultimately failed.

As for poor Winston Smith, he has been brainwashed. Psychologically tortured so much by the Party and O'Brien that he is totally brainwashed into eating what the Party is cooking. He is just a citizen, a person who exists and nothing more, and although Big Brother finally controlled him, one day there will be someone who acts out in a way that Big Brother can't control, and will be the downfall and demise of the Party. Winston Smith represents hope in this book to the future citizens who will finally overturn the Party and take down Big Brother.