Orwell Final Assessment

Humility is defined as “the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one’s own importance, rank, etc.” O’Brien states that Winston has failed in humility, stating that he has not properly assessed his position pertaining to the party. This statement in itself is paramount in maintaining oligarchical collectivism because it shows that Winston has overestimated his importance to the party based on his previous actions in the book and is used to reinforce the thought that compared to the party as a whole Winston is an insignificant pawn. Submission is the price of sanity is an obvious attempt at oligarchical collectivism because it is basically a statement meant to say that by giving in to the dominant authority is the only way to maintain what is classified in this book as one’s sanity. It helps to reinforce the fact that the party and Big Brother control everything, even what is classified as sanity and even more-so what is classified as insanity. Therefore, the thought of having to submit oneself to a higher authority in order to stay sane is the only option or else the person would be classified insane.



O’Brien trys to maintain the system by telling Winston that the party is the only way to see life. The party is the existence of everything, and nothing is different then what they say. Throughout the book Winston wants to be more than he is, he wants to act out, but is constantly afraid because of what the party will do to him. For instance, Winston being in the area of town where he is the only one in blue trousers makes him stand out, then purchasing the book in the second-hand shop makes him suspicious once again. When Winston takes a further step in the way of renting the small old apartment above the old man’s shop for his love affair he makes a big mistake there. He believes that place is his home away from home where the party does not see him, yet little does he know that big brother is everywhere.




The party maintains all of it’s people by controlling them in their everyday lives. O’brien tells Winston that he will be killed by the party, and that it is inevitable to be defeated by the party. Winston’s ultimate fate in the end of the novel is defeat. Winston is broken down by big brother and the party being repeatedly beaten and having his spirit broken. Winston is put to the point of starving and bought back to life at the last minute, only to be subjected to beatings once again and put close to death again later on. The book ends with Winston admitting defeat, that he loves big brother and loves the party as well. In the end the most dominant statement made by O’Brien is “whatever the party holds to be the truth is truth”. This statement is pretty much the greatest portrayal of oligarchical collectivism because it flat out says that the party is absolute and thus establishes the complete and utter dominance of the party over Winston.