O'Briens past

[walter women]

When Winston is taken to the forced labor camp O'Brien finally comes in and Winston mistakes O'Brien as a prisoner. Winston says,"They got you too?". O'Brien replies with,"They got me a long time ago."

Does this mean that O'Brien was once against Big Brother?

[mollie]

I always read this as meaning that O'Brien had always supported the Party and its doctrine, and is playing word games with Winston. Interesting question!

[Gladys]

I read and re-read the passage a year ago, and still find it decidedly odd. Perhaps the two verbs, 'got', should be understood differently.

[The Atheist]

I always read this as meaning that O'Brien had always supported the Party and its doctrine, and is playing word games with Winston. Interesting question!

Exactly that, just a different use of "got".