1984 O'Brien Quotes

O'Brien > Winston Smith

Quote 13

"Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past," repeated Winston obediently.

"Who controls the present controls the past," said O'Brien, nodding his head with slow approval. "Is it your opinion, Winston, that the past has real existence?" (3.2.39-40)

To O’Brien’s dismay, Winston continues to deny that the mutability of the past leads to control of the present. However, the prolonged torture has been gnawing away at Winston’s belief in an independent, external reality.

O'Brien

Quote 14

"We are not interested in those stupid crimes that you have committed. The Party is not interested in the overt act: the thought is all we care about. We do not merely destroy our enemies, we change them. Do you understand what I mean by that?" (3.2.99, O’Brien)

The Party ultimately vaporizes captured rebels, but not before converting and reindoctrinating them, through means of torture.

Winston Smith > O'Brien

Quote 15

"You can turn it off!" he said.

"Yes," said O'Brien, "we can turn it off. We have that privilege" (2.8.8-9, Winston and O’Brien)

Privacy away from the telescreens is a privilege afforded only to Inner Party members.