Winston wants to change his life for the better. However, in a totalitarian society like Oceania, this is virtually impossible. The only way he can lead anything like a rich, fulfilling existence is if the whole regime is overthrown. And so Winston sets out, in his own little way, to commit various acts of subversion and transgression against the Party and its iron grip on power. From writing "Down with Big Brother!" in his diary to conducting an illicit affair with Julia, Winston tries to create a little corner of the world for himself where he can express his true being, free from the constant control and stifling restraints of the surveillance state.

Unfortunately for Winston, his overwhelming need for at least some measure of freedom leads him to take increasingly dangerous risks, which culminate in his falling into O'Brien's carefully-laid trap. After being broken by torture and having endured the psychological terror of Room 101, Winston is forced to realize that he cannot change his life for the better—at least not in Oceania, at any rate. All he can do is get with the program and proclaim his love for Big Brother.