In George Orwell's 1984, Winston Smith cannot escape the rule of the state. Yet its inability is not only due to government power. Rather, even if he had the opportunity to leave Oceania, his actions indicate that he would not have the personal beliefs and character to do so. Both his lack of courage and Moana's lack of a clear "good guy" make it difficult for Winston to succeed on Big Brother - and why, instead, he succumbs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Naturally, Winston rebels against the state. It is particularly interesting to note that Winston works at the Ministry of Truth as a revisionist writer of historical facts, and that the first act of rebellion he commits involves the act of writing. Driven by a sense of isolation from society, Winston performs the ultimate act of distance: writing a diary. Not only is this a solitary act, but it is also relatively safe. For Winston, the consequences of openly expressing heretical ideas are too risky; he wants to resolve the contradictions and problems of his society, but he wants to do so with a certain measure of safety. Yet writing his thoughts is still a dangerous act. Although Winston's initiation into rebellion may seem tepid at first glance, it is actually quite subversive: the simple act of criticizing the paper is equivalent to a sentence of torture. So even though he can tell himself that it's safe, intuitively, Winston senses that danger. Therefore, from that moment on, Winston must weigh two considerations: the emotion and necessity of his rebellion, and his fear of being captured. The tension that drives Winston's actions in the rest of the story comes from this duality. A similar theme of contradiction is emphasized by the location of Winston's work, the Ministry of Truth. The title is, of course, ironic: it symbolizes the lack of courage shared by all members of his society. After all, when one is never certain even of historical facts, it is quite easy to forgive the reluctance to express beliefs. The genius of the State lies in creating a condition of perpetual insecurity, the kind that forces Winston into the unenviable state of catatonia. This false reality in Oceania is so deep-rooted and vital that even Julia contributes to the uncertainty, confessing: "You thought I was a good party member, pure in word and deed. Banners, processions, slogans, games, community hikes all that stuff . And you thought that if I had a quarter chance I would have denounced you as a thought criminal and had you killed" (101). Even Winston, who is part of the process that reshapes and adapts history to keep it constantly "up to date", can distinguish between conscious memories and propaganda. He acknowledges, for example, that “The party had invented airplanes” is propaganda, not truth (127). The state's blurring (and erasure) of reality makes Winston fearful, resulting in a deep self-hatred and mute hostility, which are, ironically, transformed into a dispassionate love for Big Brother. Forced into betrayal, Winston is rejected by O'Brien who had organized the party. O'Brien enlightens Winston by informing him that it is simply a blip on the radar. As in any authoritarian political power structure, Winston's courage to rebel against what the leaders consider a perfectly balanced utopia cannot be tolerated. The threat of torture by Big Brother's henchmen is a punishment, sure, but it is also a tool of coercion. "You will be empty. We will squeeze you and then fill you with ourselves" (200). O'Brien is there.