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As any good audience should know, there is quite a difference between using literary devices in a work and correctly applying those devices to convey a necessary message. Books can be read, enjoyed, and then finished if strategies don’t leave a long-lasting message or provoke thought. In George Orwell’s '1984', he includes symbolism, theme, and point of view to successfully captivate his audience, but the inclusion of the setting is the most crucial part of the plot. The apartment of the main character, Winston Smith, contrasts quite vastly with the mood surrounding the antagonist of Big Brother. The two main rooms which are Mr. Charrington’s above-shop apartment that he rents out, as well as Room 101, both not only are different from each other but also deceive the reader and the characters as to what they provide and their actual physical being.
The novel starts with a refreshing-sounding environment, touching on the “crisp, cool, spring morning” that was draped over the land of Oceania. However, as the more desolate existence of the land and buildings that the citizens live in, it was quite apparent that to the average reader in the 21st century, this area seemed grey and unhealthy. As the morning continues on, it becomes apparent that every single being during this time was perfectly content with their living conditions; odd considering that it was portrayed by the author to initiate feelings of distaste towards this setting. Smith’s apartment building was run down and often not functioning to its full capacity. At one point in the novel, he has to help fix the sink of one of his neighbors, and through the interaction between this middle-aged woman and Winston, it was obviously not an uncommon occurrence. Because of the poor conditions of this building, it also allowed for paranoia to be formed inside Mr. Smith, as his neighbor’s children, though playfully, accused him of 'thoughtcrime'. The free and unnecessary thoughts which opposed the Party of Big Brother could easily have an individual arrested, and since these were present in his mind, Winston’s following actions in the book were surprising to the reader. It did not take much for him to feel confined in his own building and room with telescreens and suspicion everywhere he turned, which led to his many outings. Without the independence of Winston’s mind and the oppressing nature of his home surroundings, the urge to defy the low expectations of his society would not have grown to the extent it did. Orwell ensured there was no reason for Winston Smith to stay home and continue to follow what he quite clearly did not believe in.
With the want for escape comes the challenge of what destination to escape to. Though the author placed physical objects that were used for the release of Winston’s worries and thoughts like the hidden journal and his forbidden woman Julia, the room that Mr. Charrington rented to the pair encompassed the ideals that Winston wished to live with. The comfortable environment that it provided with the items stolen from those that the couple despised, as well as Old World objects that gave them a weak connection to the past all instilled feelings of hope and peace within Winston. His ability to take refuge within this place is what gave the reader the belief that he was safe from the outside world, and that was why the conclusion to the novel gave the audience such a shock. Not only were the surroundings able to disguise the risks that were actually being taken, leading to a more impactful climax, but it also gave the story a plateau for emotions as the ever-present irritation and suspense felt in the first half of the story subsided. The theme of abuse of power in the book was revealed to a further extent when this part of the setting was interrupted by the discovery of the telescreen behind a painting. With the reality of the world outside finally coming back to Julia and Winston in their dream-like states, all the parts of their lives that went against the law threatened their safety and outright disobeyed the orders of Big Brother were all in one place. They had confined themselves to one room and also condemned themselves for being careless with leaving evidence in a place where everything is seen.
The dreaded Room 101 and the mystery, as well as the negativity that surrounded it, made the reader just as curious as the characters in the book to encounter it. Until Winston and Julia are arrested, the room itself was unknown, just that whatever happened to those who were caught committing crimes came back from their sentences completely different. Consisting of bricks, damp cracks, and very little light, the makeup of the room seemed like a typical medieval torture chamber. However, the characters were not made aware that everything about them was known, so their greatest fears were collected inside that room. All the Party wanted was for the people to turn against each other so that they did not gain power in numbers, as too much knowledge about how corrupt their policies were could lead to large revolts. The punishment was already halfway applied by the time the people arrived at Room 101, as the stigma around it was terrifying and caused deep-rooted fear to take hold. This emotion, stimulated by the unforgiving setting, made those brought to it very likely to comply before being harmed. The fact that Winston did not succumb to these thoughts and fears showed the strength of his defiance and how completely he hated the Party and its intentions. As dark as the holding cells were, the love and care that Winston showed for Julia by continuing to support her and their actions provided a lighter, more melodramatic mood for those particular scenes. All of this further proved the changes that needed to be made to who was in charge, and that Winston was stronger than all the members of the Party combined in his fight for freedom and equality.
The novel '1984', written by George Orwell, used the setting to contrast the physical world with the mental capacities and ideas of the people. Winston Smith’s apartment created his paranoia and depression, as well as the longing to escape his routine life. Mr. Charrington’s deceiving room showed the lack of freedom that was actually available to the Oceania residents, and Room 101 was only half the scary part of the consequences, as the ideas around it and that would be destroyed by it already made the people turn on their own independence. This essential literary device made for a multi-faceted plot with perspectives coming from the inside and outside of the main antagonist, leading to the ultimate demise of the main character.
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