1984 #2

          In the next two sections of the first book of 1984, protagonist Winston begins to question truly how much influence Big Brother and the Ingsoc regime has had on his memory and ability to think for himself. In Part III, he tries to remember what life was like before the Party took absolute control, and he emphasizes how, "if all others accepted the lie which the Party imposed--if all records told the same tale--then the lie passed into history and because truth" (34) and "you could prove nothing. There was never any evidence" (36). Those living under the rule of Big Brother and the ruthless Party have no way of referencing events from the past because the past has been dominated and altered by the government. This further shows how everyone living this way, unable to experience any joys or freedoms, are also stripped from the truth of the past. Even if one wanted to rebel or reach out to other lands, they would find their inability to recall facts from the past way of the world. The ultimate power belonging to the regime is so great and terrifying, the people having been so minimized in their abilities through fear and lies. They are faced with doublethink, a never-ending puzzle of trying to figure out the truth: "Whatever was true now was true from everlasting to everlasting. It was quite simple. All that was needed was an unending series of victories over your own memory. 'Reality control,' they called it" (35). Those having their minds controlled by the regime have very little chance of having the ability to break the spell needed for a government overthrowing.