O'Brien

O'Brien, an Inner Party member, sits near Winston during the Two Minutes Hate. During the Two Minutes Hate O'Brien makes brief eye contact with Winston, removes and readjusts his spectacles, and appears to silently affirm Winston's dissent before returning to a neutral expression. Winston reflects on a past dream where O'Brien promised a meeting in a place without darkness, deepening his uncertainty about O'Brien's loyalty. Winston imagines confronting O'Brien, possibly declaring himself an enemy to seek help. O'Brien covertly contacts Winston in the Ministry corridor, offers an advance copy of the 10th edition Newspeak Dictionary, and hands Winston a scrap with his home address, indicating future summons. O'Brien recruits Winston and Julia into the Brotherhood, reveals his ability to control the telescreen, and provides detailed instructions and resources. O'Brien appears in the Ministry of Love, confronts Winston, and severely beats him with a truncheon, confirming his role as an executor of torture. O'Brien conducts Winston's interrogation, controls the pain-inducing dial, explains Party doctrine about reality, and claims the Ministry of Love's purpose is to cure dissenters rather than merely punish. O'Brien delivers an extensive ideological monologue asserting that the Party seeks power for its own sake and explains the nature of collective power, while physically appearing aged and exhausted. O'Brien interrogates Winston, asks about his true feelings toward Big Brother, declares Winston must love Big Brother, and orders him to Room 101. O'Brien conducts Winston's torture in Room 101, introduces a cage of rats and explains their significance as Winston's worst fear. Winston recalls O'Brien’s earlier quote about inevitable change.