Character Description: O'Brien (1984)

Peter Sanfacon

Mr. George

World Lit Honors

13 October 2010

Character Description: O’Brien

            O’Brien is one of the head party members who ultimately convinces Winston to love Big Brother after he lies and deceives him.

            O’Brien coaxes Winston to his flat when he tells him to come take a look at the new edition of the Newspeak dictionary. At the meeting, it is revealed that the Brotherhood exists and that O’Brien was everything that Winston hoped him to be. However, after the Thoughtpolice captures Winston, it turns out that O’Brien is actually working with the Thoughtpolice and that he had been playing Winston from the very beginning. O’Brien sold him out by telling him where to hide, then giving away his position to the Thoughtpolice. He then tortures Winston mercilessly. Winston is helpless as O’Brien explains in every conceivable way that he is wrong and that Winston will never be able to overcome Big Brother. After completely wiping away his memory, O’Brien replaces it with what he wants: love for Big Brother.

            O’Brien is like the executioner, taking pride and pleasure when his duty is fulfilled. Even though his job seems to be cruel, he takes to it with enthusiasm as if he were a mental patient. It’s almost too easy for him to seem menacing, yet convincing. He exerts minimal effort when exhibiting his intellectual prowess. O’Brien is the harbinger of inevitability and hopelessness.

            O’Brien is similar to Benjamin Linus from the TV show Lost: Ben delights in knowing more than others about the governing power, which in O’Brien’s case is Big Brother.