1984 Winston Smith Character Analysis

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“1984”, written by George Orwell, is a moving story that makes use of an ordinary person who inhabits a dystopian time and place. Freedoms grow scarce due to government control, history is constantly changing and fading away, and everyone seems to accept this way of life due to fear and no acts of rebellion against the Party. Winston Smith is an ordinary man, yet by Orwell’s definition of heroism, Smith can be seen as a heroic person. Smith is someone that readers develop a since of admiration for and can see themselves emulating his actions, thus giving them a clear idea as to why Smith is a perfect fit for Orwell’s definition of heroism.
Winston Smith is the protagonist in “1984” and his name alone has meaning related to Orwell’s definition of heroism. “Winston is taken from Winston Churchill, the exalted leader of wartime England, and Smith is the most common last name in the English language, thus allowing readers to see him as Orwell intended: an ordinary man who makes a valiant effort in extraordinary circumstances.” (Moustaki, Nikki, and Gilbert Borman CliffsNotes). He is an ordinary person, who, throughout the story, shows readers his resentment …show more content…
It holds the past and memories that have long been forgotten, along with people who the Party deem as enemies. Smith eventually gets THE BOOK and begins to read it. All of these actions take courage and determination. Being caught with this book could mean being erased from life and history, yet this book, for Smith, was evidence to provoke change. THE BOOK confirms and adds to Smith’s memories and he now has solid evidence. “But you could share in that future if you kept alive the mind as they kept alive the body, and passed on the secret doctrine that two plus two make four.” (Orwell 278). This is yet another realization that, in the end, Smith is doomed for failure, yet he continues with his actions with a hope that they can provide a grip for a change in the
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