1984 Summary

The main character Winston lives in Paris in the year 1984. In this time period, everything is controlled by an unseen leader known as Big Brother. At the time, Big Brother, or The Party, is implementing something called Newspeak, a method of eliminating words even remotely related to the subject of any political rebellion. Winston works in the Ministry of Truth, where his job is to alter the historical records to meet the needs of The Party. One day, he receives a note from a girl named Julia saying "I love you". They eventually rent a place together. The more Winston is with Julia, the greater his hatred towards The Party becomes. Winston knows that they will eventually get caught, and one day, he receives a note saying that O'Brien wants to see him. O'Brien tells them that he too hates The Party, and wants them to join the Brotherhood. They join the Brotherhood, but then guards charge into the room and arrest them. Winston is taken to the Ministry of Love, where he realizes that O'Brien was a Party spy who was trying to get him to openly show his defiance to The Party. As punishment, a cage of rats, Winston's recurring nightmare, is strapped to his head, and O'Brien is about to let them eat him when he cracks and tell O'Brien to make them eat Julia instead of himself. Winston is then released back into the world with a broken spirit, and a new love for Big Brother.