Character Analysis

[OBrien]

One thing that everyone seems to agree on is that O Brien "knowing" everything about Winston is proof of the Party's omniscience. I dont really agree with that though; everything done during Winston's imprisonment and subsequent torture seems based on psychology. The electroshock therapy seemed based very much on some methods that are used even now to change the way a person thinks. Usually this is for theraputic purposes instead of brainwashing, but the potential for abuse is still very much there. Winston was isolated so that he began to question whether he was completely alone, until OBrien showed up as a father figure (he was even described as such in the book). This isnt unlike the methods that are used to gain information from spies, something of a good cop bad cop routine.

I think the reasons that O Brien was able to predict Winston's thoughts are threefold:
1. Training - he knew how to see patterns and was trained on how to get the information he needed to be able to beat Winston to his own words
2. Experience - O Brien said (although he may have been lying) that he had broken the three men who Winston had seen in the picture (his only proof of the manipulation of the past) which means he had been brainwashing people for many years and had probably picked up a few things in that time
3. Similarity - Winston had a feeling from the beginning that O Brien was "like him." If this is true, O Brien had only to think of how he would feel in Winston's situation to know what he was thinking.

I'm curious to hear what everyone else has to say on the issue or perhaps any other characters. And please vote in the poll.

"Sanity is not statistical"

[apstudent]

I think that the word everything can be taken subjectively. I believe that Winston really did know everything that Winston thought. But what does it mean to know? Very literally, Obrien could tell, in words, what Winston thinks. But to know his thoughts and feelings is different to know the feelings of these thoughts. It is often said, I know Bob. But, does that person really know Bob, or are they just acquaintaces. So is the same for thoughts. Obrien was well acquainted with Winston's thoughts, but deid he really know what love was, or just what it was supposed to be. This, I believe is human nature, to assume one knows something prematurely. I think this was actually one of Orwell's major philosophical ideas in the book. I don't know if anyone actually gets what I am saying, but it is my thoughts! )

[piquant]

I don't think that Obrien knew so many of Winston's thoughts from external sources (i.e. BB), but from his own similarity to Winston. When I was reading BNW I looked at Obrien and Winston as the same person who had followed different paths. Because Obrien used his nonconformity to increase the power of the gov. he was allowed to keep his nonconformity. Winston, who's nonconformity undermined the state, was crushed. They seemed to represent two separate choices- neither of which were particularly succesful. What do you all think? :-?