‘1984’ Symbolism

What is symbolism?  Symbolism is when a writer uses objects, characters, figures, and colours to represent abstract ideas or concepts.

Symbolism in ‘1984’  Big Brother  The glass paperweight and St. Clement’s Church  The place where there is no darkness.  The Telescreens  The Red Armed Prole Woman

Big Brother  Everywhere Winston goes he is faced with the picture of Big Brother.  The citizens are told that he is the leader of the nation and the head of the Party, but Winston can never determine whether or not he actually exists.  For most people, he is a symbol of reassurance as the name suggests.  However, he is also an open threat that one cannot escape from ‘BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU’  Also a symbol of the vagueness that seems to go along with the world the occupy.  Winston thinks he remembers that Big Brother emerged around 1960, but the Party’s official records date Big Brother’s existence back to 1930, before Winston was even born.

The glass paperweight and St Clement’s  Winston buys a paperweight in an antique store in the prole district that comes to symbolize his attempt to reconnect with the past.  When the thought police capture the two, they smash the paperweight, symbolising the control the Party has over the past.  The old picture of St. Clement’s Church in the room that Winston rents above Mr. Charrington’s shop is another representation of the lost past.  “Here comes the chopper to chop off your head!” This is an important foreshadow, as it is the telescreen hidden behind the picture that ultimately leads the Thought Police to Winston, symbolizing the Party’s corrupt control of the past.

The place where there is no darkness  At the beginning of the novel, Winston dreams of meeting O’Brien in the place where there is no darkness.  In reality he does meet him in a place where there is no darkness it’s just that this is in the Ministry of Love  It symbolises Winston’s hope for the future as well as his fate- it’s just that these mean different things.  He allows himself to trust O’Brien despite the fact that inwardly he senses that he might be a Party insider.

The Telescreens  The most visible symbol of the ever present party.  Dual role; to control party members and also for constant stream of propaganda.  Symbolises the totalitarianism government’s abuse of technology.  Exploits knowledge to improve civilisation

The Red- Armed Prole Woman  This is the woman that Winston hears singing when he is with Julia  Represents Winston’s one hope for the future; that the proles will unite to get rid of the party.  A symbol of fertility; that the woman’s offspring are a sign for the future.