Analyze Big Brother in ‘’1984’’ by George Orwell. Explore who or what Big Brother is, read quotes about Big Brother, and explore Winston Smith’s relationship with the figure through his thoughts.
Updated: 03/04/2022
Big Brother: Overview and Quotes from George Orwell's 1984
1984 by George Orwell
George Orwell was born on June 25, 1903, in Motihari, Bihar, British India. He was an only child and his parents were civil servants. His mother, a strict disciplinarian, taught him at home. His father, a colonial policeman, was transferred to eastern England when Orwell was only one year old. The family lived in various towns and villages in England before moving to Henley-on-Thames, where Orwell finished his schooling at Eton College.
 |
In 1917, Orwell was drafted into the British Army and served in the Indian Imperial Police in Burma. However, though effective at his job, Orwell became increasingly unsettled with colonial rule. As a result of his misgivings about Britain's role around the world, he resigned from the Imperial Police in 1922 and moved back to England.
Orwell spent the next few years drifting between jobs and writing for several magazines before moving to Paris in 1926, where he married Eileen O'Shaughnessy. The couple moved back to London in 1927, and their son, Richard, was born the following year.
During the 1930s, Orwell began writing novels, including Down and Out in Paris and London (1933), Burmese Days (1934), A Clergyman's Daughter (1935), and Keep the Aspidistra Flying (1936). However, it was his political essays — such as "The Road to Wigan Pier" (1937) — and the novel Animal Farm (1945) that made him famous. In addition to these influential political critiques, Orwell wrote the novel 1984.
Published by Orwell in 1949, the novel 1984 is one of the most significant pieces of dystopian fiction written during the 20th century. Set in a future society where totalitarianism reigns supreme, the novel explores the dark possibilities of government control over the lives of its citizens. The narrative is a warning against the dangers of allowing any one person or group of people too much power over the lives of individuals. Orwell seeks to demonstrate that when people give up their freedoms to someone else, they lose not only their voices but their essential humanity as well. In sum, 1984 is a chilling vision of the future that is just as relevant today as it was when it was first published more than seventy years ago. To date, the novel has been translated into more than sixty languages and has sold more than twenty million copies.
Orwell died in London on January 21, 1950, after a prolonged battle with tuberculosis.
Summary of 1984
George Orwell's 1984 is a political novel that was written in 1949. The novel is set in a future world where the government is controlled by Big Brother. The citizens of this world are constantly watched and monitored by the government, and any form of rebellion or disobedience is harshly punished. The protagonist of the novel, Winston Smith, is a citizen of this world who begins to question the government and its policies. Aided by his girlfriend Julia, Winston begins to rebel against the government and seeks to find a way to escape. However, Winston's rebellion is short-lived, as he is eventually captured by the government and brutally punished. The novel ends with Winston being brainwashed into accepting the government's policies and living in a world where he is completely controlled by "Big Brother".
Big Brother Background
Big Brother is the face of the Party in 1984, the final novel of George Orwell. Big Brother is actually introduced on the first page of 1984. Winston Smith, the novel's protagonist, or main character, is walking up the stairs to his apartment when he encounters a poster depicting Big Brother.
''On each landing, opposite the lift shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eye follows you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran.'' It is already clear that since the Big Brother poster appears on every landing that it is impossible for Winston to escape the gaze of Big Brother.
More is revealed about Big Brother when Winston sees a Big Brother poster in the street. ''The black moustachio'd face gazed down from every commanding corner. There was one on the house-front immediately opposite. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption said, while the dark eyes looked deep into Winston's own.'' Big Brother is ever present and ever watching, not only Winston but all the citizens of Oceania, the country in which London is now located.
You must cCreate an account to continue watching
Register to view this lesson
Are you a student or a teacher?
Create Your Account To Continue Watching
As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed.
Get unlimited access to over 88,000 lessons.
Try it now
It only takes a few minutes to setup and you can cancel any time.
Already registered? Log in here for access
BackResources created by teachers for teachers
Over 30,000 video lessons
& teaching resources‐all
in one place.
I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline.
Jennifer B.
Teacher
Back
Your next lesson will play in
10 seconds
Big Brother in Orwell's 1984
From a literal perspective, Big Brother is the antagonist in the novel. He is the dictator of Oceania, a totalitarian state wherein citizens are constantly monitored and controlled by the government. His character stands in ideological and physical opposition to the novel's protagonist, Winston Smith. For Winston, his fight is not simply against his frustrations with the oppressive system he inhabits. In many ways, his character sees "Big Brother" as a personal enemy to be overcome in his pursuit of personal freedom.
From a figurative perspective, "Big Brother" does not seem to truly be an individual. Instead, "he" represents the oppressive, all-encompassing government that Winston struggles against throughout the novel. "Big Brother" is never seen, but his presence is always felt — from the slogans "Big Brother is watching you" and "we are the army of Big Brother" to the universal surveillance conducted on citizens in "his" name. Though the novel never clarifies precisely who or what "Big Brother" is, his omnipresence serves as a type of personified metaphor for governmental power, of any government's potential for invasive and oppressive control.
Big Brother Posters
One of the most ubiquitous aspects of the government's ongoing propaganda campaign is seen in its use of targeted posters. The reader initially encounters one of these posters on the first page of the novel as Winston, who is entering his apartment complex, sees "[an] enormous face, more than a metre wide: the face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features." Like Winston, citizens of Oceana come face-to-face with posters of Big Brother in almost every public facility. The posters are large and often in bright colors, with the words "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU" across the top. Underneath these words, usually in smaller print, is the slogan of the Party: "WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH." These slogans serve to remind citizens of the Party's control and its deceptive promise of a better future.
 |
In addition to these phrases, the posters further depict a stern-looking man who is supposed to be "Big Brother." This character has a broad face and a heavy black mustache with eyes that seem to pierce the onlooker's soul.
Winston sees these posters everywhere but especially in the subway, where they line the walls like an endless hallway. He notes that the face of Big Brother is always smiling, no matter what the news tells citizens. The posters are meant to create a sense of fear in the populace and to keep them in line.
Is Big Brother Real?
In the novel, "Big Brother" is a real person in the novel 1984. He is the head of the Party, and he controls everything that happens in Oceania. The population understands him to be an actual person because they see him present regular speeches on screens in the Ministry of Truth, by recording through their own telescreens, and they have become familiar with his image through the propaganda posters around the country as noted above.
That said, while there is the appearance of a real person, it is equally true that Big Brother is mysterious and largely unknowable. Winston himself notes in the novel that "Big Brother is watching you" could mean anything, given the lack of information about him. In a sense, then, "Big Brother" is both real and not real — he appears to be an actual person who exerts control over the people of Oceania, but his true character and motivations are largely hidden from them.
In truth, though there is room for debate about whether Big Brother exists as a person or merely as a propagandist tool invented by the government, to focus on this question would cause the reader to miss the larger point. The real power behind Big Brother is not found in his literal existence. Rather, his power is rooted in the symbolism attached to his name — both by the government and by the citizens of the country. Orwell offers Big Brother as a symbol of governmental oppression, of societal control, and of the overwhelming incapacitation that can occur when people give way to fear. In this way, Big Brother is very real — not as a person, but as a representation of the fear that keeps the people of Oceania in line, and of a fear that real people must face each day as we make decisions in real life.
Big Brother Analysis
As noted above, Big Brother serves as a symbol of the potential for the oppression that is innate to authoritarian governments and unbridled systemic leadership. Since the publication of the novel, it is also true that the concept of Big Brother has extended beyond the pages of the narrative. Today, the term is often used to describe a pervasive and all-encompassing government monitoring and surveillance system.
This usage was perhaps most notably realized in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, when the United States administration launched the controversial Patriot Act. This legislation granted law enforcement officials sweeping new powers to spy on American citizens, including the ability to access their personal emails, telephone conversations, and financial records. The act also allowed for the indefinite detention of suspects without trial. Similarly, other countries have faced similar critiques as seen with Great Britain which, in 2013, was revealed to have been conducting secret mass surveillance of its citizens' digital communications. In each of these instances, the governments involved have been characterized as having a Big Brother-like quality, i.e., being all-seeing and ever-present.
Along with serious concerns about the actions of nation-states, the idea of Big Brother has made its way into popular culture as well. The term has been used in a number of songs, movies, and TV shows. For example, the song "Big Brother" by British rock band Radiohead addresses the idea of governmental surveillance in a dystopian society. In the movie "The Matrix", the protagonist Neo is told that he is living in a simulated world created by machines to keep humans under control. Also, in the popular TV show "Person of Interest", a team of vigilantes uses sophisticated computer algorithms to predict crimes before they happen in order to prevent them. Not to be outdone, the CBS Show "Big Brother" is a reality show in which contestants are constantly monitored by cameras and microphones to see how they react when placed in social situations.
As quickly becomes obvious, the idea of Big Brother has pervaded modern culture in a variety of ways. Whether it is used to critique oppressive government policies or simply as a tool for entertainment, the concept is likely to remain relevant for years to come.
Big Brother Quotes
The quotes in this section provide important insight into the character of Big Brother and help to explain his role in the novel. They illustrate the extent of his power and influence, as well as the brutality of his regime. They also show how the Party uses propaganda and manipulation to control the population.
-- "War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength."
As the slogan of the party, these phrases succinctly sum up the party's beliefs. It is important to note the internal opposition of these phrases. By saying that war is peace, the party is seeking to redefine both terms. This is an example of what the government, and Big Brother, call Newspeak. In the novel, Newspeak is a controlled language that was created to limit freedom of thought and expression. To do this, the government replaces certain words with new, government-approved words that have a different meaning. For example, the word "free" might be replaced with "compliant." By controlling the language, the government can control the thoughts of the people.
-- "We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power."
This quote from Big Brother highlights the party's ruthless nature. They are not interested in the well-being of their citizens, only in maintaining their own power. As the leader of the government, it is actually Big Brother's wishes that are primarily in focus throughout the novel. As a result, it is reasonable to read all statements like this not only as an expression of party goals but also as the personal ambition of Big Brother himself.
-- "We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When we rebel, it is not against the Government, but against the Party. We are rebels against the Party."
This quote, from Big Brother's speech at the end of the book, sums up the main theme of the novel. Winston and the other characters have come to realize that the only way to defeat the party is to rebel against it. They no longer want to submit to its rules and regulations; they want to overthrow it.
-- "The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves."
This quote highlights how Big Brother uses propaganda and manipulation to control the population. He leads them to believe what he wants them to believe, and in turn, they are less likely to rebel against him.
Winston Smith: "Down with Big Brother"
Finally, it is important to understand Big Brother through the eyes and experiences of the protagonist, Winston. For Winston, Big Brother is an omnipresent, all-knowing force that represents the ultimate in surveillance and control. In a society where citizens are constantly watched and monitored, Winston feels constantly threatened and unsafe. However, despite his fear and uncertainty, Winston harbors a fierce determination to resist and overthrow Big Brother. In this way, Winston represents the human spirit of defiance in the face of oppression and serves as a symbol of hope for the future. This defiance begins in secrete, in Winston's writing.
In his secret journal, the reader explores Winston Smith quotes that seethe with anger and resentment towards Big Brother, writing "Down with Big Brother" and dreaming of a day when he can finally be free. This desire begins to boil over into harsher feelings as expressed in his ideas about the Two Minute Hate.
In the Two Minute Hate, Winston is forced to watch a propaganda film that demonizes Emmanuel Goldstein, the enemy of the state. However, instead of feeling hatred and anger towards Goldstein, Winston begins to feel admiration for him. He starts to see Goldstein as a symbol of freedom and rebellion against Big Brother, and he resolves to join Goldstein's underground resistance. From this point forward, Winston is committed to overthrowing the oppressive regime of Big Brother and restoring freedom and democracy to society.
However, after extensive psychological and physical torture, Winston cannot withstand Big Brother's brainwashing tactics. Despite his initial refusal to change his mind, the extended abuse he experiences causes him to slowly change his view of reality itself. In so doing, Winston willingly embraces the party, Big Brother, and as a result, his hatred and rebellion give way to a new reality. Winston no longer wishes to fight Big Brother. Instead, the book concludes with the statement: "But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. Winston had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother." Ultimately, Winston's story is a powerful reminder of the importance of resistance to totalitarianism in the short run because of the devastating effects of waiting to respond.
Lesson Summary
George Orwell, an only child, was born on June 25, 1903, to public servants of the British Empire. An accomplished writer, Orwell published his novel 1984 in the year 1949, a monument work through which he explores a fictional society where a dictator named Big Brother controls all aspects of society, including the lives of individual citizens. In the novel, the character of Big Brother serves as a symbol of the ultimate in surveillance and control. Though there is a critical debate about whether or not to consider Big Brother an actual character, he still functions as an important symbol in the novel. For Winston, Big Brother is an ever-present, all-knowing force that represents the ultimate in oppression and tyranny. To reinforce the wishes of the party, Big Brother, as the literal and symbolic head of Oceana's government, uses propaganda to ensure that the citizens obey the leader's wishes. For the modern reader, Winston serves as Orwell's archetype of what it means to stand against totalitarian leaders like Big Brother in the real world.
Conflicting Feelings
During the Two Minutes Hate, a time set aside every day for hatred of the Party's enemies, Winston considers his feelings for Big Brother. ''Thus, at one moment Winston's hatred was not turned against Goldstein (Oceania's enemy) at all, but, on the contrary, against Big Brother, the Party, and the Thought Police; and at such moments his heart went out to the lonely, derided heretic on the screen, sole guardian of truth and sanity in a world of lies. And yet the very next instant he was at one with the people about him . . . At those moments his secret loathing of Big Brother changed into adoration, and Big Brother seemed to tower up, an invincible, fearless protector, standing like a rock against the hordes of Asia. . . ''
Winston Smith views Big Brother, the face of the party, with hatred, yet he finds that he is able to change his feelings for Big Brother to admiration. This is true of many in the Party who have learned to control their thoughts and feelings according to the requirements of their society. Big Brother is always watching, peering, and prying, yet the image of him as a brotherly guardian is inescapable as well.
Winston is able to feign adoration of Big Brother to such an extent that he's actually able to feel love for Big Brother briefly, but many of the citizens worship him. Winston watches one woman as Big Brother's image fades from the telescreen. ''With a tremulous murmur that sounded like 'My Saviour!' she extended her arms towards the screen. Then she buried her face in her hands. It was apparent that she was uttering a prayer.''
Thoughtcrime
Winston purchases a diary in a store in the Prole district, and once at home, he removes it from its hiding place. Winston begins to write aimlessly in his diary while he thinks of the hatred he felt for Big Brother during the Two Minutes Hate that day:
''He discovered that while he sat helplessly musing he had also been writing, as though by automatic action. And it was no longer the same cramped awkward handwriting as before. His pen had slid voluptuously over the smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals--DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER over and over again, filling half a page.''
Winston has committed thoughtcrime, or the idea that a crime has been committed by thinking a certain way, especially if it's contrary to the views of the Party. He's certain he will be punished for this act of rebellion against Big Brother.
Big Brother Power
Big Brother's face appears on coins, and he is immortalized in a statue in Victory Square. Winston even finds Big Brother's face on the front of a children's book. Big Brother is such a pervasive element in 1984 that he may be considered the novel's antagonist, or the opposite of the protagonist and usually the villain, because he is such a hostile and imposing force in Winston's mind.
As Winston peruses the children's book, ''The hypnotic eyes gazed into his own. It was as though some huge force were pressing down upon you - something that penetrated inside your skull, battering against your brain, frightening you out of your beliefs, persuading you, almost, to deny the evidence of your senses. In the end, the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it.'' This description of Big Brother's persuasive skills is an example of foreshadowing, a literary device used to hint at events that will occur later in the story.
When Winston meets with O'Brien to discuss the Brotherhood, a secret and rebellious sect, he questions O'Brien about Big Brother. O'Brien reveals that it doesn't really matter whether he exists or not; as long as people believe in Big Brother, he serves his purpose.
Once Winston's thoughtcrime and other acts of rebellion are discovered, he's tortured and reprogrammed by the Party. A successful cleansing of Winston's 'ungood' thoughts requires one final step. O'Brien explains to Winston, ''You must love Big Brother. It is not enough to obey him: you must love him.'' In the end, Winston is thoroughly reprogrammed: ''He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.''
Lesson Summary
Let's take a few moments to review what we've learned about Big Brother in 1984. Big Brother is the face of the Party in 1984, and the Party demands one thing above all else: the Party's faithful must love Big Brother.
Winston, the novel's protagonist (or main character), learns that he's able to love Big Brother, too, once he has been tortured into submission after being convicted of thoughtcrime, which is the idea that a crime has been committed by thinking a certain way, especially if it's contrary to the views the Party. We also looked at how Big Brother serves as 1984's antagonist, or the opposite of the protagonist and usually the villain. We also learned that the description of Big Brother's persuasive skills is an example of foreshadowing, a literary device used to hint at events that will occur later in the story, in which case it was that Winston would indeed come to love Big Brother.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Video Transcript
Big Brother Background
Big Brother is the face of the Party in 1984, the final novel of George Orwell. Big Brother is actually introduced on the first page of 1984. Winston Smith, the novel's protagonist, or main character, is walking up the stairs to his apartment when he encounters a poster depicting Big Brother.
''On each landing, opposite the lift shaft, the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eye follows you about when you move. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption beneath it ran.'' It is already clear that since the Big Brother poster appears on every landing that it is impossible for Winston to escape the gaze of Big Brother.
More is revealed about Big Brother when Winston sees a Big Brother poster in the street. ''The black moustachio'd face gazed down from every commanding corner. There was one on the house-front immediately opposite. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption said, while the dark eyes looked deep into Winston's own.'' Big Brother is ever present and ever watching, not only Winston but all the citizens of Oceania, the country in which London is now located.
Conflicting Feelings
During the Two Minutes Hate, a time set aside every day for hatred of the Party's enemies, Winston considers his feelings for Big Brother. ''Thus, at one moment Winston's hatred was not turned against Goldstein (Oceania's enemy) at all, but, on the contrary, against Big Brother, the Party, and the Thought Police; and at such moments his heart went out to the lonely, derided heretic on the screen, sole guardian of truth and sanity in a world of lies. And yet the very next instant he was at one with the people about him . . . At those moments his secret loathing of Big Brother changed into adoration, and Big Brother seemed to tower up, an invincible, fearless protector, standing like a rock against the hordes of Asia. . . ''
Winston Smith views Big Brother, the face of the party, with hatred, yet he finds that he is able to change his feelings for Big Brother to admiration. This is true of many in the Party who have learned to control their thoughts and feelings according to the requirements of their society. Big Brother is always watching, peering, and prying, yet the image of him as a brotherly guardian is inescapable as well.
Winston is able to feign adoration of Big Brother to such an extent that he's actually able to feel love for Big Brother briefly, but many of the citizens worship him. Winston watches one woman as Big Brother's image fades from the telescreen. ''With a tremulous murmur that sounded like 'My Saviour!' she extended her arms towards the screen. Then she buried her face in her hands. It was apparent that she was uttering a prayer.''
Thoughtcrime
Winston purchases a diary in a store in the Prole district, and once at home, he removes it from its hiding place. Winston begins to write aimlessly in his diary while he thinks of the hatred he felt for Big Brother during the Two Minutes Hate that day:
''He discovered that while he sat helplessly musing he had also been writing, as though by automatic action. And it was no longer the same cramped awkward handwriting as before. His pen had slid voluptuously over the smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals--DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER over and over again, filling half a page.''
Winston has committed thoughtcrime, or the idea that a crime has been committed by thinking a certain way, especially if it's contrary to the views of the Party. He's certain he will be punished for this act of rebellion against Big Brother.
Big Brother Power
Big Brother's face appears on coins, and he is immortalized in a statue in Victory Square. Winston even finds Big Brother's face on the front of a children's book. Big Brother is such a pervasive element in 1984 that he may be considered the novel's antagonist, or the opposite of the protagonist and usually the villain, because he is such a hostile and imposing force in Winston's mind.
As Winston peruses the children's book, ''The hypnotic eyes gazed into his own. It was as though some huge force were pressing down upon you - something that penetrated inside your skull, battering against your brain, frightening you out of your beliefs, persuading you, almost, to deny the evidence of your senses. In the end, the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it.'' This description of Big Brother's persuasive skills is an example of foreshadowing, a literary device used to hint at events that will occur later in the story.
When Winston meets with O'Brien to discuss the Brotherhood, a secret and rebellious sect, he questions O'Brien about Big Brother. O'Brien reveals that it doesn't really matter whether he exists or not; as long as people believe in Big Brother, he serves his purpose.
Once Winston's thoughtcrime and other acts of rebellion are discovered, he's tortured and reprogrammed by the Party. A successful cleansing of Winston's 'ungood' thoughts requires one final step. O'Brien explains to Winston, ''You must love Big Brother. It is not enough to obey him: you must love him.'' In the end, Winston is thoroughly reprogrammed: ''He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.''
Lesson Summary
Let's take a few moments to review what we've learned about Big Brother in 1984. Big Brother is the face of the Party in 1984, and the Party demands one thing above all else: the Party's faithful must love Big Brother.
Winston, the novel's protagonist (or main character), learns that he's able to love Big Brother, too, once he has been tortured into submission after being convicted of thoughtcrime, which is the idea that a crime has been committed by thinking a certain way, especially if it's contrary to the views the Party. We also looked at how Big Brother serves as 1984's antagonist, or the opposite of the protagonist and usually the villain. We also learned that the description of Big Brother's persuasive skills is an example of foreshadowing, a literary device used to hint at events that will occur later in the story, in which case it was that Winston would indeed come to love Big Brother.
To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member.
Create your account
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Big Brother say in 1984?
The most striking quote from Big Brother is "Big Brother is watching you." These words and his image are plastered on posters and telescreens throughout Oceania. While characters regularly quote Big Brother, he himself has no speaking lines in the novel.
Is Big Brother an actual person in 1984?
Characters in 1984 talk about Big Brother as if he is real. He has a history and an extensive list of accomplishments, though these change throughout the course of the book. Big Brother never appears in the book and never speaks, though he is often quoted. Winston Smith questions if Big Brother is a real person or the creation of the party for their own purposes.
What does Big Brother represent in 1984 by George Orwell?
Big Brother represents the face of the party in 1984. He is the symbol of all the good the party has supposedly done. Big Brother is the antagonist of the novel, opposite of the character of Winston Smith who is the protagonist.
Register to view this lesson
Are you a student or a teacher?
Unlock Your Education
See for yourself why 30 million people use Study.com
Become a Study.com member and start learning now.
Become a MemberAlready a member? Log In
BackResources created by teachers for teachers
Over 30,000 video lessons
& teaching resources‐all
in one place.
I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. It’s like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. I feel like it’s a lifeline.
Jennifer B.
Teacher
Back
Big Brother in 1984 by George Orwell | Quotes & Character Analysis
Related Study Materials
Explore our library of over 88,000 lessons
Browse by subject