1984 Reading Journal #2

Winston is having a difficult time believning in Big Brother because he is curious of other ways in which life could operate. All of his life that he can remember, Winston has had to obey whatever rules Big Brother imposes and there has simply been no other way of life. Unlike today where we have democracies, republics, communisms, monarchies, oligarchies and more all of which are varieties of rule and operations for a country. In his world there is just one and he understandably questions whether this way is the right way to run Ocenia. His small protests such as keeping a diary or having an affair are indeed acts of protest. With so much monitoring conducted by the thought police in Winston's life, almost everything he does is normal and not unique in any way. So in an effort to break away from the pack, Winston purchases and writes a diary. This was a way for him to voice his complaints with the party for the first time with no scruitiny. Next he has an affair which is a way to share his hatred of the party with another human. Although mainly for his benefit, both acts are forms of protest. His actions are similar to the Occupy Wall Street movement in the sense that they are both purely demonstrations of discontent rather than actually inconviencing anyone in either scenario. They are dissimilar because Winston's protest is more secretive and doesn't directly confront the government, while OWS is a clear demonstration against corporate greed.