Blog #9

The Ministry of Love uses various methods of torture to try to break Winston. There was the shock therapy which was used the most often and was fairly effective. Even in the movie though, it's confusing whether it's really shock therapy or what exactly it is, but it is similar. But along with that Winston was also starved and not given water and was constanly being watched by a telescreen which required him to remain completely still in his "cell." The cell is kind of a form of torture as well. These methods of torture, particularly the cage of hungry rats, eventually break Winston. The shock therapy leads Winston to be faithful to Big Brother even though he still hates him deep down, but the rats are what actually caused Winston to completely break and betray Julia. The betrayel of Julia is what O'Brien wanted from Winston, he knows that Winston is finally broken and the previous torture was just weakening him. This shows that Winston's hope for mankind and for himself is also broken and shattered. This shows that even the strongest people have a breaking point or they have one fear that can cause them to betray someone. Everyone is human.