Winston Smith's Definition Of Heroism

In 1949, George Orwell published one of the most well-known dystopian fiction novels of the 21st century, 1984. Set in the then near future, Orwell depicts a super nation named Oceania under a totalitarian government called the Party, where every citizen’s freedom is severely limited and under constant surveillance by ‘Big Brother’. The protagonist of the novel, Winston Smith, despises and wishes to rebel against the Party. However, by the novel’s closing, it is evident that Smith’s actions proved futile. Orwell defined heroism as individuals who try to improve the lives of themselves and their entire society, even if they do not succeed. Winston Smith displays characteristics of Orwell’s definition of heroism throughout the novel, but also exhibits traits that stop him from being a true hero.
Winston displays his distaste against the
However, he is not a hero in a traditional sense that readers can look up to. When faced with his greatest fear, he wishes it to Julia instead. A traditional hero would face his fate rather than wish it upon someone else; especially to someone they love dearly. In the end, Winston also falls to the Party, unable to change Oceania for all of its citizens. Winston is unable to be a traditional hero due to his fixed destiny from the moment of his capture. As O’Brien states in Chapter 2 of Part 3, “no one whom we bring to this place ever leaves our hands uncured”, Winston would never be able to become a true, traditional hero, as the Party’s reintegration would be successful no matter what. The Party would tear his mind apart and rebuild it with their ideals, despite his resistance. Although Winston hopes to start a revolution against the Party, he is not the hero Oceania is ready for, due to the tight grip the Party currently holds upon its