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1984 Symbol Essay

In: Novels

Submitted By banisha
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Pages 3
2009. A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Analyze a symbol in George Orwell's 1984, and write an essay demonstrating how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot. In 1984 George Orwell uses many symbolic objects such as the paperweight, the prole's, big brother, and telescreens to assist the readers in a deeper understanding of the book and its purpose. When Winston Smith, the main character, purchases the glass paperweight he represents the struggle in reconnecting with his past. This simple object essentially defines Winston's development as a character and symbolizes his unpleasant fate throughout the novel. This object is perhaps the most important symbol that resides throughout 1984. It represents many aspects of Winston's rebellion towards the party, symbolizes many characteristics of his secret life, and represents the perfect world Julia and Winston envisioned. Throughout the novel, Winston becomes very intrigued with Mr. Carrington's antique shop and the coral. Orwell states that the object "is a little chunk of history they forgot to alter", just like how rocks are unaltered object as old as earth itself. That being said, the paperweight symbolizes his desire to return to a simpler time, one in which man's only relationship was to earth itself. At the present, human nature relations have been supplanted by a strictly human to human relationship. Therefore, man only lives according to how man dictates he should. The paperweight also represents the delicate and fragile relationship between Winston and Julia. The glass symbolizes the life that they have fabricated together,

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