Eric Loop
How does social class define characters in 1984?
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WinstonThe protagonist, Winston Smith, is a member of the Outer Party class. This is still a privileged class but not quite as elite as the Inner Party. The Outer Party is made up of loyal Party citizens who abide by the law and do not question authority. It is equivalent to the middle, or upper middle class of Oceania's society. They go about their business daily, controlled by the government in every aspect of their life. The members of the Outer Party are oblivious to the mind-controlling propaganda and restrictions placed on them by the Inner Party because they don't know any better. Winston describes Parsons, another Outer Party member as a dutiful member of the working class and the perfect citizen of Oceania, swallowing their announcements "with the stupidity of an animal" (Orwell 35). This shows that the Outer Party is what makes the Inner Party so powerful. It is obvious that the class division in 1984 is what makes the government untouchable.
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