The Methods of Totalitarianism in George Orwell's 1984

Winston's capitulation almost entirely completes the destruction of his metaphysical person, for he has almost satisfied Arendt's definition. A totalitarian government holds that any response must equal any other. Therefore, two plus two makes what the Party says it does. Through torture, Winston is reduced to the point where any set of reactions can be replaced with any other set. That is, two plus two can equal three, or five, or six. In Arendt's terms, "total power can be achieved and safeguarded only in a world of conditioned reflexes, of marionettes without the slightest trace of spontaneity" (457).

'I don't know. I don't know. You will kill me if you do that again. Four, five, six - in all honesty I don't know'" (208).

for dominating him entirely (451).

The majority [of those in the cell] were common criminals. . . seemed to care nothing for anybody. They yelled insults at the

The culmination of all the forces brought to bear in destroying Winston comes in Room 101. Room 101 serves as the Party's method for evoking the exact same reaction out of every single inmate. As O'Brien explains to Winston, Room 101 contains "the worst thing in the world," a horror which "varies from individual to individual" (233). By exposing Winston to that which he fears most in the world, the Party ensures that Winston will respond with the betrayal of that which he holds most dear. For Winston, this is Julia: "Do it to Julia! Do it to Julia! Not me! Julia! I don't care what you do to her. Tear her face off, strip her to bones. Not me! Julia! Not me!" (236). In this act of ultimate selfishness and self-preservation, Winston sacrifices the last shred of his ability to respond uniquely. Winston, as did all the inmates before him, has his capacity to react reduced to the dictates of the total state. Big Brother wins. From this point on in the novel, Winston adheres to the almost cliched descriptions of confessed traitors provided earlier in the novel. Winston passes his last days, as do all traitors, at the Chestnut Tree Cafe. At this point, since Winston's metaphysical person has been utterly crushed by telescreens, Newspeak, the destruction of truth, torture, and Room 101, Arendt's progression is complete.

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