Why Is Winston Being Tortured? Exploring The Depths Of Orwells 1984

Why is Winston subjected to torture? Winston ponders the Party’s control over the proles, speculating that it may be for their supposed benefit. However, O’Brien inflicts torture upon Winston in response to this speculation. O’Brien vehemently asserts that the Party’s ultimate objective is the acquisition and maintenance of absolute, boundless, and perpetual power, dispelling any notion of altruistic motivations behind their actions towards the proles.

Winston’s torment is a multifaceted ordeal encompassing both physical and psychological torment. He endures starvation, brutal beatings, and relentless physical torture. However, the most insidious aspect of his suffering lies in the profound mental anguish inflicted upon him, all aimed at convincing him of the Party’s absolute correctness and Big Brother’s infallibility. O’Brien, his tormentor, elucidates that in contrast to the martyrs of the past who clung to their beliefs until death, the Party’s objective is to ensure that no one escapes unconverted. This combination of physical and psychological torment underscores the Party’s ruthless commitment to control and indoctrinate its subjects.

The use of rats in Winston’s torture served a significant purpose, as it targeted his deepest fear and vulnerability. Despite Winston’s admission that he was aware of the horrifying truth concealed behind the wall, he found himself unable to confront this paralyzing fear directly. In Winston’s psyche, a rat symbolized not just a rodent but an emblem of betrayal and untrustworthiness. To be “ratted out” meant being exposed and betrayed by someone who had once been trusted. The inclusion of this harrowing element in his torture highlights the Party’s mastery in exploiting individual fears and weaknesses, illustrating the extent of their control and manipulation over Winston’s mind. [Note: The date “10th August 2022” seems unrelated to the passage and is excluded in the rewrite.]