W12, #4: Friend, Foe, or John Doe?

I'm curious.

Do you think that at the end of the novel that O'Brien is a real friend of Winston?

Seems possible, right? 

• He is 'honest' with Winston.
• He knows everything about Winston.
• Winston seems 'loyal' to him. 
• Oh, and since there aren't typical 'friends' in this society, is it possible that O'Brien is the closest thing that he can have to one?

What do you think?  Friend?  (Foe or John Doe?)

5+ sentences would be great.

Comments

[Student #1]

I think that O’Brien is one of Winston’s true friends. Why I think that he is a true friend is because O’Brien is the only person that has ever been fully honestly with Winston. They aren’t typical friends because they are both intelligent and witty, which is not expected in Big Brother’s society. O’ Brien never lied to Winston, but never told him the truth which is completely different. Winston should have predicted he was not on his side because O’ Brien left many warnings. I believe that O’ Brien is Winston’s friend because he told him of what was coming, but Winston did not open his eyes and realize that he would be the cause of his future.

[Student #2]

I think that O'Brien is actually a true friend of Winston’s in a weird sort of way. Putting aside the fact that he tortured him, O'Brien just wants what's best for Winston. Isn’t that what friends want for each other. He wants to make a Winston a loyal party member like him. In all respects they actually are friends.

[Student #3]

To me, O'Brien is winstons enemy. A friend wouldnt send you into a sickeningly poor state, and denounce everything you stand for. Because O'Brien knows so much about winston, only makes him even more of winstons opposite. Is it worse when a stranger does something that irks us, or is it worse when someone we know well does it? O'Brien was honest with winston because there was no point in lieing to him. Its utterly pointless to lie to someone who already knows your motives, thinking, and workings. O'Brien was by no means Winstons friend, but in truth, his strongest foe. He betrayed Winston. The only true reason that Winston is somewhat loyal to him, is to protect himself and Julia, if not in reality, then in his own mind.

[Student #4]

O'Brien is not a friend of Winstons. Even though he is "honest" with him, that doesn't make them friends. If, for example, a terrorist tells you his plans and is being completely honest, does that make him your friend? And even though he knows everything about Winston, thats his job. And yes, Winston seems loyal to him, but who wouldn't be when hes threatening to have rats eat off your face. Winston thought he was his friend, like Julia, until she betrayed him. Didn't O'Brien technically betray him too? I that even though they may be close to friends, they are also as far away from friends as you can get.

[Student #5]

At the end of 1984, I believe O’Brien is not a friend of Winston. I believe if given the opportunity O’Brien would turn Winston in again. O’Brien is on the thought-police and will always be on the thought-police. Therefore, he will never be someone Winston should want to trust again. I think Winston will act as if he trusts O’Brien to keep out of trouble/punishment, but he will never again truly trust O’Brien. That part of their friendship was ruined when he was turned in and Winston found out O’Brien was really a believer in Big Brother.

[Student #6]

I believe that he is not a friend of Winston. A friend wouldn't trick you into thinking one way and then turn around and take you to prison. Furthermore, whould a true friend be the one to torture you if you did end up in prison? O'Brien is the source of Winston's pain while in the prison. He does everything he can to break winston down into nothing. Winston was stripped of his dignity and punished cruely. Because of what actually took place while O'Brien held him in the prison, there is reason to believe that he was not a friend, no matter how well he pretended in the beginning.

[Student #7]

I think that O’Brien is Winston’s enemy. A friend would not throw you into a position that you absolutely hated and wanted to just get shot right then and there. Even though O’Brien is honest with him, that doesn’t mean that he is his best friend. Winston was nice to O’Brien because O’Brien was the pain giver, but could also take the pain away. I think that Winston will act as if he will trust O’Brien again to take the pain away, but he will never truly trust O’Brien again.

[Student #8]

I personally want to believe that O'Brien is Winston's true friend. O'Brien is everything that a friend should be minus a few things, but in this society thats the closest thing you can have to a friend. O'Brien truly wants the best for Winston, but due to his spot in society he can't help him in the way Winston wants it. He still talks to Winston and makes him feel save. A couple times in the book Winston even talks about how he loves O'Brien even after he just beat him. Winston knows that O'Brien isn't torturing him for the fun of it, but that he actually wants him to change and live the most normal life the way he could in this society even if its not what Winston truly wants.

[Student #3]

I think O’Brien was not actually a Winston's friend. Because the true friend’s never teach each other to betray another person. And I think at the beginning, O’Brien try to help Winston to make and rebellion but after that he turn around and make Winston to be a prisoner. Winston tries to loyal and believes O’Brien but O’Brien totally just want to benefit by Winston. That not a means of the word FRIEND.

[Student #9]

Is O'Brien really a friend to Winston? No. Winston in a single glance tells that O'Brien is different in a sense that he does something that a regular individual in his society wouldn't do. Later throughout the novel Winston's trust for O'Brien starts to grow. O'Brien gave Winston the book because he knew that Winston would keep reading it and shield out everything possible that could happen for instance getting caught by the thought police. The fact that O'Brien betrays Winston and brainwashes him again defeats the purpose of O'Brien being a true friend to Winston. Therefore I declare O'Brien a foe.

[Student #10]

I don't think O'brien is Winston true friend. In some way, he is Winston friend, since Winston thought O'Brien is the only person who can stop the painful alson he put him arm around Winston it made Winston felt like O'Brien is the protecter ,acutually O'Brien knew everythings, he corlloted everythings. He ever know what did write in Winston's dairy. Since Winston wrote that O'Brien seem is the only person who can talk to. So O'Brien made like they were friend before, asked Winston to join the brotherwood. In fact, he is the person who betray Winston. Also they have no frined between the party.

[Student #11]

I think that Obrien is a friend to Winston in the book. I believe this because even though Obrien tricks Winston and turns him into the thought police he saved Winston because if Obrien wouldnt of been the one who torchered Winston and talked to Winston it may of been woprse. Becuase i think that the though6t police or other people in the party would have just killed winston. As oppsed to Obrien who tried to mkae Winston fit in Nad except the type of goverment because in order to live Winston had to obey and believe the party.

[Student #12]

To me, I say that O'brien was truly the closest thing Winston remotely had to a friend. Even though O'brien was torturing Winston and telling him all the lies and explanations, O'brien was only trying to help Winston truly understand this world of theirs... The only way of getting true their lives was following these made-up rules and truly survive. O'brien had so many similarities with Winston knowledge wise. For example, both Winston and O'brien still had memories from the past, they also had some of the same views of the society that they lived in. Everything was the same for Winston and O'brien, its just that one was already brain-washed, and the other was in the process.

[Student #13]

I really dont think he o'brien was really truly a friend he was just being honest about winston and his fate. I think when any thought criminal is about to be brainwashed he is told what they have been dying to know the whole time WHY? However just after the truth about everything is out, the consequence is that in a short time after you'll go back to ignorant. Although there is a possibility that O'brien may be helping winston by giving him the chance to see both side of what he is ultimately opposing "big brother", no one will ever know unless a sequal to the book is written.The glory of this book is that it leaves the reader with and ending that can be potrayed at many different possiblities.