In the afterword, the commentator describes 1984 as “a warning.” Indeed, throughout the text, Orwell plants both subtle and overt warnings to the reader. What do you think are some of the larger issues at hand here?
Describe the role that O’Brien plays in Winston’s life. Why do you think that initially, Winston is drawn to O’Brien? Why does he implicitly trust him, despite the enormous dangers involved?
Discuss Winston as a heroic figure. What qualities does he possess that could define him as one?
Compare and contrast some of the other characters in Winston’s world: Parsons, Syme, O’Brien. How does Winston view each one? How do they differ from Winston? What opinion do you think each one has of Winston?
