In "1984", one of the main goals of the Party is to reduce the complex nature of human consciousness in order to curb and eventually eliminate any possibility that the people of Oceania will revolt. They do this by slowly changing the vocabulary and grammar of the English language, inventing things like newspeak and doublethink. Over the course of the novel, Winston attempts to defy the control of the Party by committing the act of thoughtcrime, mainly through the act of secret sex with his lover Julia, in a hope that the Party’s influence is not as absolute as it seems. In the back of his mind, however, he expresses his belief that his treasonous thoughts have doomed him from the moment they entered his head.
While this belief in itself shows the incredible influence that the Party has over even Winston, it is later shown to be correct as he finds out that the Party has known of his relationship for nearly the entire time. The consequences for his actions lead to a fate worse than death for Winston – a trip to the ministry of love to be reeducated and reformed to match the Party’s vision of a perfect Oceanian citizen. After a series of intense tortures over a long period of time, Winston finds himself subscribed to the concept of doublethink and states his firm admiration for Big Brother. This, even though he might not truly believe it himself, shows the effectiveness of the concept and the absolute control the Party is gaining over society.
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