2+2=5??

In part three of the book, Winston and Julia are arrested, and are put into jail to await his interrogator. In the end, he doesn't know how long it has been since his capture, guessing it to have been several months. After a couple of months of endless torture, Winston is picked up by O'Brien. Believing O'Brien to still be on his side, Winston rejoices -- and is immediately horrifyingly tortured by O'Brien himself. Again, O'Brien brainwashes Winston, this time making Winston to believe that all along, he was the one that was insane, that he had a mental disability, and had imagined, hallucinated, and believed it to be true, in the past few years. He also asked how many fingers he has, torturing Winston to no end if he answered 4 and making him truly believe he held up 5 fingers (with his thumb concealed).

When Winston was being interrogated, it sounded like O'Brien was able to read Winston very clearly. Whenever Winston had a thought that went against Big Brother, O'Brien would always voice Winston's thoughts, and then perhaps torture him. Perhaps this, as well as the other things happening to Winston, was what finally brainwashed Winston to love Big Brother.

How EASILY these people can brainwash, and how EASILY those people can be brainwashed is scary. When Winston had finally agreed with O'Briens views, it was only after being drugged. It sort of reminded me of hypnotism. This "believing" that Winston had didn't last for very long, though. It was only after a few years of endless torture, and repeated words, that Winston could finally believe. After being attacked with his worst fear, and truly wishing it on Julia instead, only then was he able to be free. He truly believed that 2+2 can equal 5.