1984 by George Orwell
Winston Smith is a 39 year old low ranking member of the totalitarian party in Oceania, London. The party controls everything in Oceania to the history and language and prohibits free thought, intercourse, and individuality within their people. Winston, frustrated by the overly controlling party, attempts to join the rebellion group known as “The Brotherhood”. Thought of as a conspiracy, a legendary group that works to overthrow the party led by a political figure only known as “Big Brother”.

Thought crime, to think of rebellious thoughts against the government, is illegal. They have secret thought police around the whole city listening to peoples thoughts, making sure there are no unloyal citizens. Winston knew that he was eventually going to get caught the day he illegally bought his diary. He later soon found himself in a love affair (also illegal) with a co-worker named Julia ,when she sent him a note saying “I Love You”. They both tried finding ways to escape the ruling hands of Big Brother but, soon found themselves caught in the hands of a government spy who tricked them into willingly confessing their betrayal to the party, therefore; causing them to be arrested.

Once arrested, Winston is taken to the Ministry of Love, a government branch, to be indoctrinated into accepting the party through torture. There, Winston is tortured for months, trying to fight against the mental war going on in his head and striving to keep his humanity. In the end, the war is lost and broken, beaten down Winston gives in. Finally let out of prison, he runs into Julia again. Only difference is that he nor she feel love toward each other anymore. Winston realizes that he now feels love toward Big Brother. “But it was alright, everything was alright, the struggle was finished…. He loved Big Brother” (pg.245)

The book 1984, first published in 1949, caused and array of emotions to arise while reading about Winston’s attempt to gain freedom from the totalitarian government. Orwell did an outstanding job at keeping the reader hooked on the book, biting at their fingernails wondering what might happen next. The drama allows you to accompany the main character through what seems to be a man vs. society conflict and experience the struggle one has to go through to try and obtain a sense of individuality.