no heroes (1984)

         In 1984, a novel written by George Orwell, Winston Smith; the main character is put in the ministry or love. Where ironically he gets tortured and not loved. Smith overhears terrifying stories and fearful conversations about room 101. Smith is desperately hungry and thirsty. Winston see’s the doors open, and O'Brien walks in. Winston thinks O'Brien has also been captured. O'Brien explains that they got him a long time ago...Winston should have known. He shouldn’t deceive himself. He did know it and that he has always known it. The guard hurt Winston’s elbow, as he buckles in pain. Winston realizes that in the face of pain, there are no heroes. Nothing is worse than physical pain.

As the reader one can believe that “in the face of pain, there are no heroes.” Meant that O’Brien was a liar. That not everyone is who they say they are. One should not ever judge a book by its cover and one should not believe everything they are told. Personally, as a reader one may also believe, one likes or enjoys the pain. One enjoys it because one believes it’s deserved, and the fact that one’s putting themselves through pain means they are doing what they want to be done. Ones ability to withstand pain is ones claim to fame, it is self-control.

In Winston’s situation he didn’t break when being tortured. Winston kept his word to Julia until his worst fear came along. Winston was going through a lot and needed a hero; he found O’Brien and thought he had found his hero. But in the face of pain there is no hero. Not everyone is who they say they are.