“1984” features several key characters who play important roles in the story. Here are some of the main characters:
- Winston Smith: The protagonist of the novel, Winston Smith, is a low-ranking member of the Party who starts to question and rebel against the oppressive regime. He is disillusioned with the Party’s propaganda and becomes increasingly critical of the Party’s methods of control. Winston represents the struggle for individual freedom and independent thought in a totalitarian society.
- Julia: Julia is a fellow Party member whom Winston becomes involved with in a forbidden love affair. She is portrayed as a free-spirited and rebellious character who challenges the Party’s rules and engages in acts of defiance. Julia represents Winston’s partner in his rebellion against the Party, and their relationship becomes a symbol of their desire for freedom and intimacy in a repressive society.
- O’Brien: O’Brien is a high-ranking member of the Party who initially appears to be sympathetic to Winston’s dissenting views. However, he ultimately reveals himself to be a loyal enforcer of the Party’s doctrines, and his betrayal deeply affects Winston. O’Brien represents the Party’s brutality and deception, and serves as a foil to Winston’s ideals.
- Big Brother: Big Brother is the Party’s supreme leader and a mythical figurehead who is worshipped by the masses. He represents the Party’s absolute control and manipulation of truth, and serves as a symbol of oppressive authority. While Big Brother’s physical presence is never confirmed, his image and slogans are ubiquitous throughout Oceania, and he is used as a tool to maintain the Party’s power and control over the population.
- Emmanuel Goldstein: Emmanuel Goldstein is a purported enemy of the Party who is vilified in Party propaganda as a traitor and scapegoat. He represents the Party’s designated “enemy” used to rally support for the Party’s ideology and maintain the perpetual state of war. Winston initially sees Goldstein as a potential ally in his dissent, but the truth about Goldstein’s role becomes ambiguous as the story unfolds.
- Inner Party Members: There are several Inner Party members mentioned in the novel, including O’Brien, who hold the highest positions of power in the Party and are responsible for maintaining and enforcing its doctrines. They are portrayed as ruthless and privileged, enjoying luxuries and privileges while oppressing the rest of the population.
- Proles: The proles are the working class and lower-class members of Oceania’s society who make up the majority of the population. They are portrayed as largely ignorant of the Party’s oppressive regime and are seen as politically insignificant. Winston initially sees the proles as a potential source of rebellion, but their apathy towards the Party’s control becomes a source of despair for him.
These are some of the key characters in George Orwell’s “1984.” Each character represents different aspects of the novel’s themes, including rebellion, conformity, oppression, and manipulation, and their interactions and struggles drive the narrative of the story.

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