Before his final brainwashing, Winston's idea of existence seems to be his private identity outside of the Party. This refers to his affair with Julia and his thoughts as recorded in his secret journal, where he puts down his hatred of Big Brother and the totalitarian regime in which he lives. For Winston, this is initially his "true" existence.
However, the Party defines existence as being in full submission to the state, as well as being whatever the Party wishes existence to be. As far as the Party is concerned, they deem who or what does or does not get to exist, such as particular individuals (such as Big Brother, who does not actually exist as one individual), historical events, or even concepts (such as two plus two not equaling four).
By the end of the novel, Winston the freethinking individual is obliterated by the Party. He no longer...
Unlock This Answer Now
Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in here.
exists and is replaced by a submissive, state-loyal Winston who exists in the eyes of the Party.
I would say that the notion of "consciousness" according to the Party is one where individuals are in total subservience to it. Existence is seen as an extension of the Party and of Big Brother. There is not a world that can be constructed outside of it. Winston attempts to create an existence that is separate of it through his affair with Julia. In the end, the Party ends up crushing it, forcing him to renounce it, as he becomes appropriated by the government, and an extension of it. Winston exists in so far as the party allows him to. His acts of resistance might allow him to exist on a philosophical level, but not in the eyes of the government and through the perception of Big Brother. As a human being, Winston exists more in the beginning and middle and less at the end. According to his government, Winston only exists in the end. This might be where Orwell draws the greatest amount of distinction between how individuals and external agents view the issue of individual consciousness.
How does propaganda and manipulation shape society in 1984, and what does Winston's life reveal about this society?
One of the strange things about the society, which in many ways mimics that of the communist bloc, is the very clear distinction between party members and the proles, this always striking class difference in a style of government that is supposed to eliminate those class differences. The party maintains this order forcefully and by creating a clear difference in privilege and lifestyle between the inner party, the rest of the party, and the proles.
Another striking aspect of the society is the implication that they may very well be bombing their own people in order to maintain this sense of constant war and hate for whichever enemy they are currently at war with. Because everything is couched in a state of crisis, the people appear to be mollified to an extent, at least enough that they do not rise up against the incredibly difficult circumstances in which they live.
If you believe Descarte, Winston exists because he is contemplating his existence constantly, his origin and the current purpose. He may in fact be an example for society perfecting its claims on people because in the end, he appears to be filled only with regret that he ever thought he was different, that he could ever try to resist the overwhelming power of the party.