George Orwell saw our world with chilling clarity.
Decades after its publication, 1984 feels less like fiction and more like a field guide to modern anxieties—ubiquitous surveillance, malleable truth, and power that rewrites reality itself.
Winston Smith’s struggle against the Party resonates because his fears mirror our own. This collection gathers 50 potent quotes from Orwell’s masterpiece, organized by key themes, complete with context and page numbers for easy reference.
Crucial Note on Page Numbers: The page numbers cited below are from the Signet Classics 75th Anniversary Mass Market Paperback edition (1961, including Erich Fromm’s afterword). Page numbers WILL vary across different editions (hardcover, other paperbacks, ebooks). Use these numbers as a guide to locate the quote’s context, but always verify against your specific edition for academic citations.
Surveillance & Lack of Privacy
Imagine a world where every whisper is heard, every glance tracked. Orwell establishes this suffocating atmosphere immediately, where the omnipresent telescreen and the chilling slogan “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” make privacy an extinct concept.
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator), Part One, Chapter 1, Page 1*
“BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Party Slogan/Sign), Part One, Chapter 1, Page 2*
“Outside, even through the shut window pane, the world looked cold.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s perception), Part One, Chapter 1, Page 2*
“The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator), Part One, Chapter 1, Page 3*
“There was no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any moment… You had to live assuming every sound was overheard, every movement scrutinized.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator), Part One, Chapter 1, Page 3*
“Winston was able to remain outside the range of the telescreen, so far as sight went. He could be heard, of course, but so long as he stayed in his present position he could not be seen.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator), Part One, Chapter 1, Page 6*
“May I see your papers, comrade?”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (The Patrols), Part One, Chapter 8, Page 83*
This constant scrutiny isn’t just observation; it’s the foundation of the Party’s absolute control over reality itself.
Control, Power & Manipulation of History
The Party craves more than obedience; it demands the surrender of the mind. Through Newspeak, doublethink, and the constant rewriting of the past at the Ministry of Truth, Orwell depicts a regime where power is absolute and reality is infinitely malleable.
“War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Party Slogans), Part One, Chapter 1, Page 4*
Analysis: This iconic trio forms the chilling bedrock of Oceania’s ideology. Each slogan is a stark contradiction, designed to short-circuit logical thought and enforce acceptance of the Party’s reality. “War is peace” suggests perpetual conflict maintains internal stability—a disturbingly relevant piece of doublespeak. Its enduring power lies in how effectively it captures the manipulation of language for control.
“The thing that he was about to do was to open a diary. This was not illegal (nothing was illegal, since there were no longer any laws), but if detected it was reasonably certain that it would be punished by death, or at least twenty-five years in a forced-labor camp.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator), Part One, Chapter 1, Page 6*
“Nearly all children nowadays were horrible… they adored the Party… All their ferocity was turned outwards, against the enemies of the State… It was almost normal for people over thirty to be frightened of their own children.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts on the Spies), Part One, Chapter 2, Page 24*
“If the Party could thrust its hand into the past and say of this or that event, it never happened—that, surely, was more terrifying than mere torture and death.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts), Part One, Chapter 3, Page 34*
“To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies… to use logic against logic… to forget whatever it was necessary to forget… consciously to induce unconsciousness, and then, once again, to become unconscious of the act of hypnosis you had just performed. Even to understand the word ‘doublethink’ involved the use of doublethink.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator defining doublethink via Winston’s thoughts), Part One, Chapter 4, Page 35*
“It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Syme to Winston, regarding Newspeak), Part One, Chapter 5, Page 51*
“Orthodoxy means not thinking–not needing to think. Orthodoxy is unconsciousness.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Syme to Winston), Part One, Chapter 5, Page 53*
“Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts on the proles), Part One, Chapter 7, Page 70*
“Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten… History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the Party is always right.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith, reading Goldstein’s book), Part Two, Chapter 5, Page 155*
“In a way, the world−view of the Party imposed itself most successfully on people incapable of understanding it… By lack of understanding they remained sane.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator), Part Two, Chapter 5, Page 156*
“The essential act of war is destruction… War is a way of shattering to pieces… materials which might otherwise be used to make the masses too comfortable, and hence, in the long run, too intelligent.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (From Goldstein’s book), Part Two, Chapter 9, Page 191*
“The masses never revolt of their own accord… so long as they are not permitted to have standards of comparison, they never even become aware that they are oppressed.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (From Goldstein’s book), Part Two, Chapter 9, Page 207*
“Doublethink means the power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (From Goldstein’s book), Part Two, Chapter 9, Page 214*
“Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Party Slogan, repeated by Winston), Part Three, Chapter 2, Page 248*
Analysis: This chilling mantra reveals the Party’s core strategy: power lies in manipulating history. By controlling the narrative of what *was*, the Party dictates what *is* and what *will be*. It’s a profound warning about the dangers of unchecked authority over information and memory, making it one of Orwell’s most quoted and relevant lines today.
“We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (O’Brien to Winston), Part Three, Chapter 2, Page 253*
“The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake… Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (O’Brien to Winston), Part Three, Chapter 3, Page 263*
“Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (O’Brien to Winston), Part Three, Chapter 3, Page 266*
“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face—for ever.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (O’Brien to Winston), Part Three, Chapter 3, Page 267*
Analysis: Perhaps the most brutal and unforgettable image in the novel. O’Brien dismisses any pretense of a utopian goal, revealing the Party’s future as pure, unending oppression. This quote’s raw violence and finality make it a powerful symbol of totalitarianism’s ultimate aim – the complete subjugation of the individual.
“The past was alterable. The past never had been altered. Oceania was at war with Eastasia. Oceania had always been at war with Eastasia.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s final acceptance), Part Three, Chapter 4, Page 277*
“If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith, reflecting on doublethink), Part 3, Chapter 4, Page 281*
Against this overwhelming force, Winston’s struggle to hold onto objective truth becomes an act of profound, if ultimately doomed, rebellion.
Freedom, Truth & Sanity
When reality itself is under attack, what does it mean to be free, or even sane? Orwell explores Winston’s desperate attempts to cling to objective truth – like 2+2=4 – as the ultimate form of resistance against the Party’s pervasive doublethink.
“We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (O’Brien’s voice in Winston’s dream), Part One, Chapter 2, Page 25*
“He was a lonely ghost uttering a truth that nobody would ever hear. But so long as he uttered it, in some obscure way the continuity was not broken. It was not by making yourself heard but by staying sane that you carried on the human heritage.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston Smith), Part One, Chapter 2, Page 27*
“Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimetres inside your skull.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston Smith’s thoughts), Part one, Chapter 2, Page 27*
“To the future or to the past, to a time when thought is free… to a time when truth exists and what is done cannot be undone: From the age of uniformity, from the age of solitude, from the age of Big Brother, from the age of doublethink — greetings!”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith writing in his diary), Part One, Chapter 2, Page 28*
“Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith writing in his diary), Part One, Chapter 7, Page 81*
Analysis: This simple equation becomes Winston’s ultimate symbol of objective reality and intellectual freedom. In a world demanding acceptance of contradictions, the ability to state a basic, verifiable truth is the foundation upon which all other freedoms rest. It’s a powerful assertion of individual sanity against systemic gaslighting.
“The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts), Part One, Chapter 7, Page 81*
“For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable?”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts), Part One, Chapter 7, Page 80*
“If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable – what then?”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts), Part One, Chapter 7, Page 80*
“Perhaps a lunatic was simply a minority of one.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts), Part One, Chapter 7, Page 80*
“The best books… are those that tell you what you know already.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston Smith’s thoughts while reading Goldstein’s book), Part Two, Chapter 8, Page 200*
“There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts while reading Goldstein’s book), Part Two, Chapter 9, Page 217*
“Sanity is not statistical.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith, reading Goldstein’s book), Part Two, Chapter 10, Page 218*
“Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (O’Brien to Winston), Part Three, Chapter 2, Page 249*
“‘How can I help it? How can I help but see what is in front of my eyes? Two and two are four.’
‘Sometimes, Winston. Sometimes they are five. Sometimes they are three. Sometimes they are all of them at once. You must try harder. It is not easy to become sane.’”~ George Orwell, 1984, (Dialogue: Winston Smith and O’Brien), Pages 250-251*
“Perhaps one did not want to be loved so much as to be understood.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith, reflecting during torture), Part Three, Chapter 2, Page 252*
“I enjoy talking to you. Your mind appeals to me. It resembles my own mind except that you happen to be insane.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (O’Brien to Winston Smith), Part Three, Chapter Two, Page 259*
“To die hating them, that was freedom.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith, contemplating final resistance), Part Three, Chapter 4, Page 281*
Even in this oppressive state, the human desire for connection and shared experience flickers, offering fragile moments of rebellion.
Human Connection & Rebellion
In a regime designed to atomize individuals, any genuine connection becomes a political act. Orwell shows how love, loyalty, shared moments, and even simple physical desire represent cracks in the Party’s control, offering fleeting glimpses of humanity.
“Tragedy, he perceived, belonged to the ancient time, to a time when there were still privacy, love, and friendship…”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts), Part One, Chapter 3, Page 30*
“If you kept the small rules you could break the big ones.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Julia to Winston), Part Two, Chapter 3, Page 129*
Explore Julia’s pragmatic rebellion: Julia’s Defining Quotes from 1984.
“‘You’re only a rebel from the waist downwards,’ he told her.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith to Julia), Part Two, Chapter 5, Page 156*
Contrast their approaches: Winston Smith’s Key Quotes on Resistance.
“If you loved someone, you loved him, and when you had nothing else to give, you still gave him love.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator reflecting on Winston’s mother/Julia), Part 2, Chapter 7, Page 164*
“Confession is not betrayal. What you say or do doesn’t matter; only feelings matter. If they could make me stop loving you-that would be the real betrayal.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Winston Smith to Julia), Part Two, Chapter 7, Page 166*
“It was curious to think that the sky was the same for everybody… people ignorant of one another’s existence, held apart by walls of hatred and lies, and yet almost exactly the same…”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts), Part Two, Chapter 9, Page 220*
“The choice for mankind lies between freedom and happiness and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness is better.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (From Goldstein’s book, interpreted by Winston), Part Three, Chapter 3, Page 262*
But this fragile humanity is constantly under threat, prey to the pervasive fear the Party cultivates.
Fear & Defeat
Orwell masterfully depicts the psychological toll of living under constant threat. Fear isn’t just an emotion; it’s a tool of control, and pain is the ultimate argument. These quotes trace Winston’s gradual breakdown and the chilling reality that heroism has limits.
“Your worst enemy, he reflected, was your own nervous system. At any moment the tension inside you was liable to translate itself into some visible symptom.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts), Part One, Chapter 6, Pages 63-64*
“The consequences of every act are included in the act itself.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts after writing in diary), Part One, Chapter 2, Page 28*
“In the face of pain there are no heroes.”
~ George Orwell, 1984, (Narrator describing Winston’s thoughts during torture), Part Three, Chapter 1, Page 239*
The resonance of these themes explains why 1984 remains a vital, unsettling work today.
Why 1984 Still Matters Today
Do Orwell’s telescreens remind you of your smartphone? Does the manipulation of news headlines echo the Party’s control of the past? 1984 endures because its warnings about surveillance, misinformation, and the erosion of individual thought feel perpetually relevant.
These quotes aren’t just literary artifacts; they are lenses through which we can examine our own world. Asking “Who controls the past?” isn’t just about Oceania—it’s about understanding the power dynamics shaping our present reality. That’s the chilling, enduring power of Orwell’s vision.
Sources and Citations
Orwell, George. 1984. Signet Classics (75th Anniversary Mass Market Paperback edition, includes afterword by Erich Fromm), 1961.
Reference Note on Page Numbers: Page numbers cited are from the specific Signet Classics edition mentioned above. They WILL vary across different editions, formats (hardcover/paperback/ebook), and printings. Use these numbers as a guide for context and always verify against your own copy for academic citations.
What’s Next? Explore Deeper
Orwell’s warnings linger. Perhaps “Who controls the past…” has you rethinking history, or “War is peace” feels disturbingly familiar. Which quote resonates most with you in today’s world?
Dive deeper into the characters shaping this dystopia:
Share your thoughts or favorite overlooked quotes in the comments below!
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the AAM framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.