Winston and O'Brien: The Dark Covenant

The strange emotional bond between Winston and the man who tortures him, a mixture of worship, hatred and understanding.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Dream of the Dark Room

The Dream of the Dark Room The Voice Winston remembers a dream in which someone said, 'We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.' Later he identifies the voice as O'Brien's. The Prophecy The dream plants a seed of destiny. Winston feels that O'Brien is not an accidental acquaintance but a figure in a preordained drama. The Longing He wants O'Brien to be the one person who understands him, and the desire shapes every later meeting.

The Shared Glance

The Shared Glance The Flash of Eyes During the Two Minutes Hate, Winston catches O'Brien's eye for a fraction of a second and knows, with absolute certainty, that O'Brien is thinking the same thing. The Message An unmistakable message passes between them: 'I am with you.' It is the most intimate moment Winston has ever known. The Uncertainty Afterward Winston is not sure it happened, but the hope becomes a permanent part of his inner world.

The Wine in O'Brien's Room

The Wine in O'Brien's Room The Alliance In O'Brien's flat, Winston offers himself wholly to the Brotherhood. O'Brien tests him with questions, and Winston feels a wave of admiration, almost worship, for his strength. The Covenant They drink wine, and O'Brien speaks of the Brotherhood, the future, and the place where there is no darkness. Winston is transfixed. The Hidden Lie Their bond is built on a betrayal. O'Brien is playing a role, and Winston loves the actor instead of the script.

The Torturer's Hand

The Torturer's Hand The Kindness in Pain Even after O'Brien tortures him, Winston feels a deep, unnatural tenderness. He wants to reach out and touch O'Brien's arm, to be understood. The Intimacy O'Brien says that Winston's mind resembles his own, except that Winston is insane. The torture is a form of grotesque teaching, and Winston accepts it. The Final Trust In the midst of the darkest pain, Winston still loves O'Brien. The bond is stronger than the suffering.

The Last Meeting in the Cell

The Last Meeting in the Cell The Lesson The last door O'Brien opens is Room 101, and Winston's final scream is a cry to be sent to Julia instead. O'Brien has broken the one bond that was more important than the Party. The Master's Completion O'Brien tells Winston he is 'the last man,' the guardian of the human spirit, and then makes him destroy that spirit. It is a kind of dark redemption. The Silence After the conversion, O'Brien disappears from Winston's life. The mentor and tormentor has done his work, and the disciple no longer needs him.

seven years before the story

the Two Minutes Hate

the meeting at O'Brien's flat

during the interrogation

the final stage of conversion