An Analysis On Winston’s Alternative Oedipus Complex

George Orwell (1903-1950), a well-renowned English novelist and essayist, ismost famous for his last novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. His unique insight and sharpstyle of writing make his works different from others. His masterpiece NineteenEighty-Four is regarded as a significant political novel in the English literature, inwhich Orwell expressed his political thoughts and views reflecting the socialbackground. Most critics stressed the political and social aspects of this novel, butthere was still a few research focused on the perspective of psychological analysis. Inorder to fully understand Nineteen Eighty-Four, the protagonist Winston Smith’spsychological development cannot be neglected because it is the central structure ofthis novel. This thesis intends to study Winston’s character from the Freudian theoryof Oedipus complex and the psychological theory of the structures of the mind, whichwill give a more thorough and accurate interpretation of Nineteen Eighty-Four.Following the introduction of the author and literature review on NineteenEighty-Four, this thesis attempts to study the novel from the perspective ofpsychological analysis. Applying Freudian theory of Oedipus complex and thestructures of the mind, Chapter One offers a detailed discussion about Winstontransferring his feelings for his missing mother to other figures. Chapter Twodiscusses Winston’s revolt against father authority, which is portrayed as the figureBig Brother. Winston has not seen his real father since his childhood, therefore hishatred toward his father is transferred to Big Brother, the absolute authority. As to thereasons for Winston’s oedipal psychological disorder, Chapter Three conducts an in-depth analysis of Winston’s growing experience. Through all discussed above, thisthesis intends to reach the conclusion that Winston is a man of alternative Oedipuscomplex who keeps searching for surrogates for his parents to transfer his depressive emotion, and this character affects his individual personality which finally leads to histragic destiny.