Skip to main content

How does Winston's physical appearance differ from O'Brien's in 1984 by George Orwell?

In 1984, there is a strong contrast between the physical appearances of Winston and O'Brien. Winston has a small frame and weathered features, much like a typical worker:


He moved over to the window: a smallish, frail figure, the meagreness of his body merely emphasised by his blue overalls... His hair was very fair, his face naturally sanguine, his skin roughened by coarse soap and blunt razors. 


In contrast, O'Brien is a much larger...

In 1984, there is a strong contrast between the physical appearances of Winston and O'Brien. Winston has a small frame and weathered features, much like a typical worker:



He moved over to the window: a smallish, frail figure, the meagreness of his body merely emphasised by his blue overalls... His hair was very fair, his face naturally sanguine, his skin roughened by coarse soap and blunt razors. 



In contrast, O'Brien is a much larger and stronger-looking man, perhaps representative of his role in the Inner Party:



O’Brien was a large, burly man with a thick neck and a coarse, humorous, brutal face.



In Part Three of the novel, these physical appearances change significantly when Winston is being tortured by O'Brien in the Ministry of Love. Winston is described as a "bowed, grey-coloured skeleton" with "battered-looking cheekbones." O'Brien looks very different, too:



His face… looked coarse and worn, with pouches under the eyes and tired lines from nose to chin.



In Part One of the novel, then, Winston and O'Brien look very different, but by Part Three, their similarities become apparent. Both men are battling rebellion, albeit from different perspectives (Winston is the rebel while O'Brien is the punisher). The emotional impact of this time is evident in their changing physical appearances. This is, perhaps, Orwell's way of stating both men are not so different after all because both, by the end, will love Big Brother. 

Popular posts from this blog

In chapter one of The Great Gatsby, what advice does Nick's father give him? How does this make him a good person to tell this story?

Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches... Nick says that his father advised him that, before "criticizing anyone," he "remember that all the people in this world haven't had the same advantages" as Nick.  As a result, Nick claims that he is "inclined to reserve all judgments," presenting himself to the reader as a fair and dispassionate arbiter of character, and thus, a reliable narrator.   The problem is that Nick immediately reveals himself as anything but reliable, as he then launches into a discussion of how pe...

How did the United States become an imperial power?

"Imperial power" is a bit of a vague label. It tends to mean several things at once, so let's unpack it. In the sense of "this country was built on conquest by force," the "imperial power" part of America actually predates the United States proper. The territories that would become the United States were imperial colonies, established by the great European empires of the 17th and 18th centuries. Much of the US Constitution and American governance generally goes back to England, history's largest and most successful imperial power, but vital aspects of American culture come from other imperial powers, such as France and Spain. Much of American culture comes from sources other than the old empires, but they were key influences on what the United States became. In the sense of "this country treats conquest by force as a fundamental component of its culture, economy and politics," the United States has always been an imperial power. Even earl...

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...