W12, #6: How Did O'Brien Get This Way?

How do you think O'Brien came to believe all that he says/does?

• Was he like -- Winston -- just a normal guy in the "party" who eventually was brainwashed?
• Was he more like Big Brother from the beginning, never brainwashed because he always believed what he told Winston?
• Or do you imagine some 'other way' that he developed his view of the world?

5+ sentences would be very helpful.

Comments

[Student #1]

I say that he would have to have been brainwashed. O'Brien is old enough to have memories of the world before BB. Therefore, BB had to force him out of the old world and to start thinking like he wanted his party to think. Once O'Brien was in that mode of thought, there was no turning back. He becomes stuck in this new society.

[Student #2]

I believe that O’Brien has always been the way he now. I think he is that way because he is probably younger than Winston, so he grew up as a member of the Junior Spies. If this were so then he would have the mind set Big Brother wanted everyone to have. I also believe he at one point met Big Brother with his plan to write the book, saying it would be a way to capture more people with thought-crimes. I think because of his ideas Big Brother put up higher in the party and allowed him to become thought-police. I also believe in no way was O’Brien ever like Winston.

[Student #3]

I think that O'Brien has always been a devout party member and has always firmly believed in the party’s principles. If he had been brainwashed like Winston he would not believe in the party as much as he does. He must have had the same train of thought since the beginning. His loyalties will remain to the party like they always have. He is a true believer in Big Brother.

[Student #4]

I think that O'Brien was one of the starters of the Party. They tried to create the perfect society, and chose Big Brother to be their "image". He put the perfect amount of fear in the world, but had to have a way to protect the party by stopping people that would rebel. He knew these things would happen, and figured out how to stop them. So O'Brien was more like Big Brother from the beginning. He started everything, and was never brainwashed.

[Student #5]

I don't think O'Brien have ever brianwashed. I think O'Brien is part of the Big Brother. Since Big Brother is not a real leader in the party. He is only a "image" picture=,so there must have lots of people to make a Big Brotherthat's why BB never die. Since you know that O'Brien is older than Winston. He must know more things before the party.I think he may the one who want to control the whole soicety so he is part of the memeber who make the party. He also write the book to capture more people with though-crimes.

[Student #6]

I believe O' brian is like Hitlers followers. I believe that O'brian needed something or someone to believe in and to follow becuase he need something desperatly. I think that big brother didnt even have to brain wash him becuase he already did what he was told. When people are in a poor state and have nothing to loose they take hold of what ever comes there way hoping that their luck will change. I believe he watched winston becuase he was just like him.

[Student #7]

I believe that o'brien was this way from the very beginning.I believe that big brother created him this way so that he could single out more advance thought criminals by thinking the way they might think. By doing this big brother can use o'brien to seek out those who oppose him that are thinking deeply and use it to his advantage.O'brien is like an inside man who passes info to the thought police. If this is true anyone like winston may trust o'brien and end up getting caught as well.