OBrien

[popcorn]

OBrien symbolizes hope in this novel. He gives Winston, especially hope, but my question is why is hope such a big theme in this book and how does it effect the rest of the story? Is it how Orwell sees the act of rebellion to be? Or is it completely something else?

[Goldie]

O'Brien is important in this novel, he resembles the first sign of hope and later on he becomes a mentor for Wilson and Julia. I'm a bit curious as to how Wilson could tell this wasn't a trap, because until the moment O'Brien turned off his telescreen I thought he was going to kill Winston because he saw Winston "rebelling" or something. Just how has Winston put trust into this one man in a society where there is rarely any trust, just blind following. What would have happened if O'Brien had been working for the thought police? What if O'Brien had really just been giving Winston that dictionary? What if Winston really had been "seeing" things? How did Winston know that O'Brien was a part of the brotherhood? How could he put more blind trust into someone?

[BBallPro853]

O'Brien is important to Winston as a sign of hope because there is little uncontrolled opinion in Oceania. As well, if O'Brein is truly on Winstons side, then that means that other people than him are against Big Brother, which resolves Winston's self doubt of if he's wrong in thinking "Down with Big Brother".