Is Winston sane or insane?
Insanity is defined as a state of craziness or madness. Albert Einstein defined insanity as, "doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." As we read 1984, most of us would agree with Winston's ideas and argue that he is just trying to do good for the country and is definitely in his right mind. However, the society in which he lives would classify him as insane because nobody in their right mind would dare challenge the authority of Big Brother. So while we agree with him, Oceania would classify him as insane and immediately have him vaporized. This is because different societies have different norms and views on what is okay, and views on what is not okay. Winston is definitely not okay, for he is attempting to betray Big Brother, whom everybody adores, or at least acts like they do. Also, if one were to listen to Albert Einsten, he is most certainly insane. He knows that people have tried to overthrow Big Brother before, all of them unsuccessfully. It would be insane to think that he would make any difference. The problem is too great for him to tackle, yet he tries. So while I believe Winston's intentions are good and agree with him, I would have to say that he is indeed insane by Oceania standards.
And insanity is also defined by those in control, whether that is a religion, leader, or other entity. Whatever is different is often labeled as insane. That understanding will become important later in the book.
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