Big Brothers and Little Children

Big Brother is the leader of the Party,  a cruel dictator. But he is also much more than a political figure. Big Brother is the face of the Party, a symbol, and an idea. When he is spoken of in the novel, his name is synonymous with that of the Party. It is true that today, one sometimes speak of the leaders of political parties as if they were their parties, and vice versa. But one is aware of the difference. For Big Brother, the difference does not exist. He has transcended the level of a powerful human so far that it does not really matter whether he exists or not. He, as people think of him, is no longer a human being. As an actual person, if he is an actual person, he is at best a figurehead. But as an idea, he is an extremely powerful tool for the Party. The Party is a large and abstract group of people. Alone, it offers nothing firm or infallible for people to put their faith in. Big Brother is a focus point, a face to put on a concept, and something strong to believe in. The Party has worked hard to cultivate this illusion, to great effect. They alter history so Big Brother is never wrong. They never show an real, flawed, human being, but a handsome face on a poster, giving fantasies of a perfect, strong caregiver. All goodness is attributed to him. The Party does not ask people to love a political group. They ask them to love a man, who will love them in return. Even his name is chosen for this. Big Brother is family, a protector, someone  trustworthy to look after you. It is not a group of politicians spying on you, it is the watchful eye of a protective older sibling.

The name Big Brother also perpetuates a feeling of helpless trust. If the Party is an older brother, than the people are children, unable to look after themselves, relying on older family members. And does not the person looking after them deserve their love and devotion? By putting a face onto the principles of Ingsoc, they appealed to human nature in a way that could not be duplicated. The Party attempts to replace actual family with the figurative family of the Big Brother. O'Brien says "There will be no love, except  love of the Big Brother,"(280). This shows how they want to lodge themselves firmly in the hearts of the people. People cannot survive without love. When raised in an environment where they are deprived of attention, children have serious developmental problems. By taking away all other bonds people would feel, the Party created a need for love and trust. They then established a figure to fill this need. Big Brother could be nonexistent. He could be a useless leader. He would still be the most important figure in the Party, and the best at his job. He fulfils his purpose. He is more a public relations act then a dictator, but an extremely effective one.