The climax of 1984

Room 101 in the book 1984 written by George Orwell is the place where prisoners are brainwashed and reshaped as the type of person government wants; sordid, and obedient. Among the several incidents, the passage when Winston goes to Room 101 creates the strongest atmosphere. The climax of this novel develops at this passage where not only the intense scene is created but also where the theme of the book is revealed, since Winston finally surrenders here.

Winston has completed two stages of reintegration in the Ministry of Love, and he has left the last stage. It can be predicted that Winston has lost most of his desire and strength but he is still willing to destroy the Party. Room 101 is the place where the object a prisoner most fear is located, and in fact, what Winston fear with horror is a rat. O’Brien threats Winston vividly explaining what would happen to Winston’s body if he releases the rat on the top of his head. Winston begs to O’Brien, and recognizes that he must put someone else between the rat and himself so that the person will get tortured instead of him. Winston finally shouts to do this to Julia, instead, desperate to survive, becoming degraded and betraying. Upon observing Winston I am shocked, disappointed and felt as if a thin ray of light is shading, though I knew he will. I laid at least a little bit of hope on him, however he betrays Julia at last desperate to save his own life. Winston seems to become miserable and wretched to me even though he gains strenth again, since it seems that he is starting to do ‘crimestop’ and ‘doublethink’ just as other typical Party members.

To conclude, the climax of this novel is the scene when Winston is sent to Room 101, which is the passage that shows the weakness of human beings. However, a question still bothers me; “Are we so weak that we would not be able to resist to the power of a bad government? Wouldn’t we be able to fight against evil?”