It's likely Emmanuel Goldstein doesn't exist, but he symbolizes the power of groupthink. The Party needs to compare itself to something/someone in order to maintain its superiority. Goldstein symbolizes all that is not the Party, which to some makes him an object of hatred and to others makes him an object of hope.
In Book 2, Chapter 3, O'Brien has been explaining to Winston that the purpose of the Party is to maintain power for its own sake, not to make life better for others. He explains that, as time goes on, the Party's power will grow even greater and oppression will increase.
In Chapter 5 of Book 1, Syme brags to Winston that he is working on the 11th edition of the Newspeak dictionary. Being an orthodox Outer Party member, he takes pleasure in knowing that he is helping the Party achieve its goal of controlling consciousness by limiting the people's means of expression.
Winston sees four and refuses to lie about what he sees. "Reality," he says, " is not external. Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.". The false equation also serves as a symbol of Winston's defeat at the end of the book.
In Chapter 10 of Book 2, Winston decides that the regime of Big Brother will fall if enough people stay conscious and believe that 2 + 2 = 4. In Chapter 2 of Book 3, O'Brien holds up four fingers and tries to get Winston to say that he's holding up five. Winston sees four and refuses to lie about what he sees.
These symbols—people or things that stand for ideas— differ from motifs, which are repeated images that help to develop a theme.
The paperweight is a symbol of beauty for beauty's sake. It is also a symbol of Winston's past, a childhood he barely remembers, and a time when people expressed their individuality in the decor of their homes. The paperweight represents not only history but also creativity, art, and love of beautiful things, all obliterated by the Party.
Animal Farm takes its name from the book's setting, Manor Farm, which the rebellious animals rename Animal Farm when they seize control.
This study guide and infographic for George Orwell's Animal Farm offer summary and analysis on themes, symbols, and other literary devices found in the text. Explore Course Hero's library of literature materials, including documents and Q&A pairs.
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