Inside the World of Big Brother

    George Orwell's 1984 depicts a dystopia unlike anything ever seen by mankind up to date.  The protagonist Winston Smith lives in a world where Big Brother perpetually watches the actions of the citizens of Oceania.  The essence of Winston's world is Big Brother.  As Winston looks out from his watched abode Orwell describes the world he lives in: "Outside even through the shut window pane, the world looked cold.  Down in the street little eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no color in anything except the posters that were plastered everywhere.  The black-mustachio'd face gazed down from every commanding corner" (Orwell 2).  In the world of Big Brother life is completely bleak.  Orwell describes it as having "no color in anything" and the sky as being "harsh blue", and the world as looking "cold" despite the shining sun.  Color is usually a symbol of life, the fact that in a place where there are residents still there is no color implies that the world is barren.  The piece of color found within the sky is described as "harsh" further demonstrating the austerity of Winston's world.  Though color is not clearly evident it is not absent.  It is seen in this very same passage that the posters plastered everywhere are the only color found outside.  This splash of color produced only by Big Brother demonstrates the fact that life in this dystopia is only found in Big Brother and his government.  Orwell also says that "The black mustachio'd face gazed down from every commanding corner" (Orwell 2).  Here Orwell's severe diction in describing the places that carry posters of Big Brother as "commanding" is very important.  In describing the corners as "commanding" Orwell creates the image of  Big Brother commanding all that is in Winston's world.  His poster commands each area reminding everyone of his reign and power.  In essence the world commanded by Big Brother contains no life outside of Big Brother himself.  Life in Oceania is Big Brother.