The Glass Paperweight and St. Clement’s Church:
The Party mainly attributes its power to its ability to replace people’s memories with its own version of the truth, by brainwashing the population with propaganda and party doctrine. The quote: “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past” really explains this well. It is unfeasible for anyone to challenge the Party’s authority in the present when they must accept the Party’s construed history.
Winston struggles to hold onto the past by attempting to recover his memories that have been corrupted by the Party’s lies. His purchase of a ‘useless’ antique paperweight represents this attempt to construct a true version of the past. The paperweight shatters when the Thought Police arrest Winston, as if his chances of seeking the truth have shattered as well. The picture of St. Clement’s church in the attic of the antique shop is another symbol of the past. Interestingly enough, Winston associates an old song with the picture which ends with the line: “Here comes the chopper to chop off your head!” This foreshadows Winston’s arrest by the Thought Police; it is the telescreen hidden behind the picture that leads to his doom, which symbolizes the Party’s omnipotent control of even the past.
The Telescreens:
These ubiquitously placed telescreens are the most prominent symbol of the Party’s dominance. Not only are they used as televisions to assault citizens with propaganda, their constant surveillance also effectively imprisons people in their own lives. The telescreens symbolize how totalitarian governments tend to exploit technology for their own benefit, rather than to improve the lives of the people. For example, the printing machines in the Ministry of Truth are quite basic, and the bombs used in wars have not evolved over the last few decades. There has been a halt of technological and scientific progress, except for the areas which benefit the party, such as artificial insemination and new methods of psychological manipulation. In general, all developments which further the Party’s power are encouraged, and ones that do not are deemed useless and terminated, presumably to prevent the population from becoming too intelligent and overthrowing the Party.
Big Brother:
Propaganda posters are strewn throughout Airstrip One, displaying a man’s face whose eyes seem to follow your every movement, and the words: “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU”. Big Brother is the face of the Party – the leader of the nation. No one can verify his actual existence, but he nevertheless symbolizes the Party as a figurehead. His name gives off a misleading impression of the man - he sounds supportive and reassuring – but in reality, he represents the enemy as he monitors your every move. The whole concept of “Big Brother” is a parallel to the totalitarian government led by Hitler during WWII. Orwell describes the extent of Hitler’s manipulation and brainwashing of his subjects by swarming them with propaganda and only feeding them his doctored versions of the truth. Any opposition would be decimated, just as the citizens in 1984 who committed ‘thoughtcrime’ would be vaporized.
Julia’s Scarlet Anti-Sex Sash:
This sash is supposed to represent a citizen’s complete dedication to Party doctrine, with sex for pleasure being forbidden. This symbol of chastity instead signifies Julia’s duality; although she is displayed as a symbol of celibacy, the sash is used to veil her true promiscuity.
The Place Where There Is No Darkness:
Throughout the novel, Winston envisions meeting with O’Brien in the mysterious “place where there is no darkness”. He does eventually get there; however, it is nothing like the bliss he had imagined. Instead, it is just a prison cell where the light is never turned off. It symbolizes his imminent doom, and also O’Brien himself. He tricks Winston into believing that he is a Party rebel, when in fact he is an Inner Party member, just like Winston misconceives this place to be a paradise, but is instead the gloomiest and darkest place possible.
Winston’s Varicose Ulcer:
The itching, flaking excrescence bothers Winston the most when he wakes and enlarges when he is away from Julia. It is quite the revolting symbol for sexual repression.
Memory Holes:
The Party demands that all scraps of paper be thrown into the memory holes to be incinerated in the furnace. By destroying the paper, the Party destroys any evidence of the past and the only real link to history. This is the only way they can feed their adulterated version the truth and the past to the public and ultimately maintain their power.