The Party employs various methods to maintain its power and control over the population. One of these methods is "Newspeak," a language designed to limit the range of thought and eliminate unorthodox or rebellious ideas. Another key aspect is the constant surveillance through telescreens, which monitor citizens for any signs of misbehavior.

Winston hears about a secret brotherhood, and he starts a diary where he expresses his rebellious thoughts. He becomes involved in acts of subversion and attempts to challenge the Party's control. As the book follows his story, you hope he will eventually succeed in overturning the state, but the ending is not a happy one.

The Party claims that past events survive only in written records and in human memories. Therefore they are constantly altering past events to suit their present needs.

Whenever the Party decides a person must be killed, they also erase the person's name from every written record. That person never existed.

They do the same for ideas, and they plan to abolish even the most common ones, such that one should want to have a family.