O'Brien

"'If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face-forever'."

O'Brien to Winston Smith
O'Brien is the main antagonist in 1984 and a member of the Inner Party.

Role in novel
O'Brien is described as a "coarse, brutal, humorous" man in appearance, and is estimated by the novel's protagonist, Winston Smith, to be around forty-eight or fifty years of age.

Winston, even from the outset, notes in his diary that he feels a certain kinship with O'Brien and that it doesn't matter whether he is a friend or enemy as at least he is someone whom he can talk to. (O'Brien later states that this is a mutual feeling, despite their differences).

O'Brien presents himself as a member of The Brotherhood, a supposed rebellious organisation dedicated to overthrowing the government of Big Brother. He invites Winston and Julia (with whom Winston is having an illegal affair) to his home, where he lends Winston a copy of The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism, written by the nebulous Emmanuel Goldstein, Oceania's public enemy number one and purported leader of The Brotherhood (like Big Brother himself, it is left unclear as to whether Goldstein physically exits).

In reality, O'Brien is completely loyal to The Party and tortures Winston at The Ministry of Love following his and Julia's capture at the hands of the Thought Police. O'Brien states that he seeks to "cure" Winston of his individualistic and anti-government beliefs, in particular, his notion that there exists a separate reality, past and present, which is independent from the pronouncements of The Party. A recurring theme throughout the book is that true freedom is the ability to say that "2+2=4"; O'Brien brainwashes Winston into accepting that 2+2 equals whatever the government and Big Brother decree that it equals, which may differ according to requirements.

O'Brien also states, without apology, that The Party is ruling over the state purely for its own gratification and not out of care or in the hope of doing good to its citizens (contrasting this with previous dictatorships, such as the Russian Communists, whom have purported, and perhaps genuinely believed themselves, to be doing so). O'Brien states that the pursuit of power over another is an end in itself, not a means, and can only be assured if one is making another suffer.

O'Brien eventually pushes Winston to submission and betrayal of Julia (his last mental stronghold against pure love and obedience of Big Brother) through threatening him in the notorious "Room 101", in which detainees are pitted against their worst fear. In Winston's case, this happens to be the prospect of being eaten alive by rats.

Winston is released back into society at some point after this, albeit a completely subservient and defeated shadow of his former self. O'Brien is not referred to again.

Other Information

 * Although O'Brien is a well-known Irish name, no mention is made of any such heritage or accent. His first name is never revealed.
 * O'Brien shows an aptitude for detecting lies and to make a very good guess as to what Winston is thinking. At one point, he studies O'Brien's face (without speaking) and tries to estimate his age, which O'Brien picks up on nevertheless.
 * O'Brien is aware that Winston has noted in his diary that he feels that it doesn't matter whether he is a friend or enemy, as at least he is someone whom he can talk to. O'Brien (perhaps surprisingly, given that this is mentioned just after a session of torture) states that he feels the same and likes talking to Winston, remarking that his mind resembles his own, except that Winston is "insane".
 * When awaiting interrogation in The Ministry of Love, Winston is collected by O'Brien and a guard. Winston is shocked to see O'Brien, remarking that he must also have been captured. O'Brien replies "They got me a long time ago". This may mean that he has been loyal to the party from the moment of its taking power, or that he may have genuinely harboured rebellious views in the past. The matter is not touched on again.
 * Like Winston and Julia, O'Brien is not unfamiliar with smoking and drinking. However, as an Inner Party member, he has access to far better cigarettes and other goods than them. Whilst visiting O'Brien at his home, Winston samples wine for the first time, finding it not to be quite as he had imagined.