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I do not think there is any need for explanation on what the purpose of this painting. When Winston is forced to look into the mirror he only sees a deteriorated skeletal man staring back. I think that Chris Peter’s painting “The End and After” shows no only the obvious image of a skeleton but the face that shows distress. Winston could not believe what he saw and blamed O’Brien for what he had become. O’Brien tells Winston that he should have known this was going to happen after he wrote in his diary and he did. He knew that he was going to die when he starting writing down his thoughts. O’Brien only confirms his death when he tells Winston everyone gets shot anyway.
I find this political cartoon that is making a satire of totalitarianism to reflect on Big Brother in general. Much like the child’s fictitious character Santa, Big Brother is willing to reward those who are working in his favor. For the ones who do not obey the laws given there is punishment and Big Brother’s punishment is not coal. It also points out how there is no escaping the eyes of Santa because he is always watching. If Santa was given telescreens then the world would be in crisis.
John Lennon’s song “Imagine” is a song about picturing an ideal world in which there is nothing to fight over. This sounds completely contradictory to 1984 and that is the exact point. When Winston is being tortured by O’Brien and is told how WAR IS PEACE. He learns the secret behind the parties control and while he is falling quickly towards Big Brother he still hates him. Winston must only wish the world was as ideal as expressed in the song. A place where there was no fear of your neighbor because there is no hatred. Plus if the song was playing during scenes when Winston was in Room 101 I believe it would be affective. The meaning of the song along with the scenes of torture would only emphasize the absurdity of the society’s government.
When I was reading 1984, I noticed how the government had strength through ignorance. This only made me think of the one thing, burning books. When other groups of people try to maintain power they keep their people ignorant by not giving them sources to any knowledge. Winston’s job at the Ministry of Truth is like book burning. Without the knowledge from the past there is nothing that the government can do wrong. They keep the society in the dark by not giving them the chance to know the true past. This can be tied to the quote “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the future controls the present.”
Rene Magritte’s painting “The Lovers” is symbolic of Winston and Julia when they said “We are dead.” It shows the two posing in what appears to be a nice portrait painting of the couple. This shows the loving life that Winston could have where everything is bliss. The cloth covering their faces symbolizes Big Brother and how it suffocates the happiness that could be felt if Big Brother did not have control over their lives.
M.C. Escher’s sketch “Hand With Reflecting Sphere” is like Winston looking into his paper weight. It is his way of looking into the past. When he reflects on the past the only thing that he can faintly remember is his memories as a child. Winston sees himself when looking into the paper weight just as M.C. Escher is looking at himself in the sphere. The reason Winston is staring at himself is because the only past he can remember is his own.
poster yourself
Salvador Dali’s “Galatea of Spheres” is representative of Winston’s lust for women in his dreams. He talks of his dreams of having sexual affairs with women and hates the party for not allowing him. The painting shows a woman that seems untouchable. She is wearing a face of dismay and the illusion makes her look unreal. Winston hated his lust but could not just simply put it out of mind. The ever haunting desires torment Winston and he cannot make any sense of why. He meets Julia and he is enthralled with her rebellion and sees her as the girl he has been seeing in his dreams.
