1984 #2

"Even from the coin the eyes pursued you. On coins, on stamps, on the covers of books, on banners, on posters, and on the wrapping of a cigarette packet- everywhere. Always the eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you" (27).

            The eyes of Big Brother are a motif throughout the novel. The sense that someone is always watching them instills fear in the comrades of Airstrip One. The main character of the novel, Winston Smith, is never alone. He is watched whether asleep or awake, working or eating, indoors or outdoors, and in the bath or in bed. There is no escape. The eyes of Big Brother somehow make their way into his brain too, looking and listening into Winston’s deepest thoughts. In this alternate society, there is no such thing as privacy. The telescreen in each citizen's room is another source of Big Brother's eyes. The government can watch each person's every move and reaction. This constant stream of propaganda is unavoidable. The eyes, however, are representative of a larger theme. Psychological manipulation is a common technique that the government uses to control its citizens. The eyes root constant fear in the citizens, therefore making them vulnerable to brainwashing. Their fragile perceptions of their world are readily manipulated by Big Brother to produce an unopposed powerhouse.