1984

1984 Brilliant authors use symbolism in their works so that readers have a better understanding of the concepts they are trying to portray. In George Orwell’s novel 1984, Orwell uses symbols to provide an easier way of understanding his genius ideas of what occurs in Oceania, the setting of the novel. The Ministry building show us the strength of the party and also the social structure of Oceania. Winston and Julia’s forbidden escape from the party is symbolized by the paperweight. Although George Orwell uses multiple symbols in his novel 1984 the three that develop plot and theme and therefore are most important are the Ministry buildings, the glass paperweight, and O’Brien’s boot stomping on a human face. The structure of the Ministry buildings symbolize the strength of the hierchy government in Oceania as well as the levels of social status in the novel. The four Ministry buildings have, “enormous pyramidal structure of glittering white concrete, souring up, terrace after terrace, three hundred meters into the air.” (Orwell 5) The shear size of the Ministry buildings compared to the condition of the living quarters of Winston which are, “notting nineteenth-century houses, their sides shored up paperweight, ministry, winston, orwell, buildings, party, oceania, strength, relationship, novel, julia’s, glass, understanding, transparent, three, symbolize, structure, social, world, terrace, symbols, symbolizes, pyramid, outer, levels, julia, inner, hierchy, government, george, even, end, better, because, air, 1984, yet, works, windows, white, way, vast, trying, top, timber, thought, therefore, theme, table