1984

           Youwereright.Ienjoytalkingtoyou.Yourmindappealstome.Itresemblesmyownmindexceptthatyouhappentobeinsane. Beforewebringthesessiontoanendyoucanaskmeafewquestions,ifyouchoose.’ 

           ‘AnyquestionIlike?’ 

           ‘Anything.’HesawthatWinston’seyeswereuponthedial. ‘Itisswitchedoff.Whatisyourfirstquestion?’ 

           ‘WhathaveyoudonewithJulia?’saidWinston. 

           O’Briensmiledagain.‘Shebetrayedyou,Winston.Immediately—unreservedly. Ihaveseldomseenanyonecomeovertoussopromptly. Youwouldhardlyrecognizeherifyousawher. Allherrebelliousness,herdeceit,herfolly,herdirty-mindedness—everythinghasbeenburnedoutofher.Itwasaperfectconversion,atextbookcase.’ 

           ‘Youtorturedher?’ 

           O’Brienleftthisunanswered.‘Nextquestion,’hesaid. 

           ‘DoesBigBrotherexist?’ 

           ‘Ofcourseheexists.ThePartyexists.BigBrotheristheembodimentoftheParty.’ 

           ‘DoesheexistinthesamewayasIexist?’ 

           ‘Youdonotexist,’saidO’Brien. 

           Onceagainthesenseofhelplessnessassailedhim. Heknew,orhecouldimagine,theargumentswhichprovedhisownnonexistence; buttheywerenonsense,theywereonlyaplayonwords.