Winston's Fate

On the surface Winston seems like an ideal party member, he does his job and does it well and does not ask questions. However when he is alone all he does is question the party and big brother and even dares to write in a journal, something that is strictly forbidden. When he is alone, Winston shows all of the signs of an enemy of the party. At this point in the novel Winston's eventual death seems inevitable. He is everything that the party is against, however he has kept it all hidden thus far. He is far too smart for his own good, he knows too much about the party and what it has done. If he slips up, which it seems like he might, the party would have absolutely no problem killing him and making it appear as if he never existed, just like they have so many times in the past with others who they viewed as threats. Anyone who can think for themselves and does not take everything the party says to be true is an immediate threat. The party thrives on having absolutely control, and right now Winston secretly poses a threat to that control. If any of his thoughts or secret illegal activities were to get out he would be vaporized by the party.

At the end of chapter 8 it seems as though Winston's death may be approaching sooner rather than later. The dark-haired girl has been following him and Winston fears that she knows something that could lead to his downfall. In an earlier chapter Winston mentions that sleep talking is something fears him because it cannot be controlled. After reading this I predicted that it could be some sort of foreshadowing and perhaps Winston will actually reveal his uncertainties through sleep talking which will ultimately lead to his demise. Another possibility is that Winston will kill himself for fear of being discovered, this is something he began contemplating at the end of chapter 8. No matter which way look at it, it seems as though the only fate that Winston has in the novel is to arrive at an unfortunate death, for the sole fact of being too smart and curious for his own good. The party thrives on destroying people like Winston before they have a chance to destroy the party.