1984 O Brien Characteristics

1984 Characterization Project: The characteristics of O'Brien VERSEER In the novel 1984, the character of O'Brien is always seen as someone in power. At first, he is displayed to Winston as someone who can be trusted with secrets that would result in incrimination should they be betrayed to the government. He is then depicted as one of the more important members of the Brotherhood of Goldstein. After he is revealed to have been in league with Big Brother throughout the course of the novel, he is still seen as a character of authority, administering the tortures to Winston that are supposed to "break" him out of his rebellious shell into a mindless slave of the government that will do whatever he is told. Eventually O'Brien can be seen as the …show more content…
He had the sensation of stepping into the dampness of a grave, and it was not much better because he had always known that the grave was there and waiting for him." (Orwell 159) Quote #1: "The face of O'Brien, not called up by any obvious association, had floated into his mind. He knew, with more certainty than before, that O'Brien was on his side. He was writing the diary for O'Brien - to O'Brien; it was like an interminable letter which no one would ever read, but which was addressed to a particular person and took its color from that fact." (Orwell 81) In this quote, it becomes clear to the reader that O'Brien has become an indispensable resource to Winston. The fact that his face comes into Winston's mind without any obvious association toward it shows that Winston sees O'Brien as more important than anyone else, such as Syme. O'Brien appears to be someone who can be trusted, as well as someone who has the resources to help anyone who wishes to do things that comply with his beliefs. This ultimately becomes the case, except it is not at all the case that Winston had envisioned as he wrote the …show more content…
It is clear throughout this quote that Winston sees O'Brien as an overseer of sorts. An authority to which he can run in times of need. When that need arises, he does indeed run to O'Brien, and that turns out to be a very bad decision. This quote takes place almost directly after O'Brien invites Winston over to his house to "update his dictionary," In this quote, Winston shows just how much he has already submitted to O'Brien, despite the fact that this was the first time that they had ever spoken to each other. Because of his apparent authority in the Brotherhood of Goldstein, Winston views the trip to O'Brien's apartment as a sort of death sentence, and he has just doomed himself to an eventual trip to the Ministry of Love. Yet, in spite of every torture that he would almost certainly face, Winston still goes to the apartment, because of the apparent authority that O'Brien seems to command. This connection, according to Winston, would open the floodgates to all of the

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