What is the goal of the Brotherhood?
Select one:
a. to overthrow the State.
b. to overthrow Eastasia.
c. to produce many books.
d. to confuse Winston.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is a. to overthrow the State.
In George Orwell’s 1984, the Brotherhood is presented as a secret organization whose purported goal is to overthrow the totalitarian regime of the Party, led by Big Brother. Winston Smith, the protagonist, becomes obsessed with the idea of joining this underground resistance to fight against the oppressive government. He believes the Brotherhood is the last hope for freedom and the restoration of truth in a world where the Party manipulates information, history, and even thought.
However, the existence of the Brotherhood remains ambiguous throughout the novel. Although it is frequently mentioned in whispered tones and feared by the Party, there is little concrete evidence of its activities or structure. Winston comes to know of it through rumors and O’Brien, a high-ranking Party member who pretends to sympathize with Winston’s rebellious thoughts. O’Brien gives Winston “The Book” (written by Emmanuel Goldstein, the supposed leader of the Brotherhood), which outlines the mechanisms of the Party’s control over society and offers a theoretical foundation for rebellion. But later, it is revealed that O’Brien is part of the Party’s inner circle and was using the illusion of the Brotherhood to trap dissenters like Winston.
The Brotherhood thus represents a symbol of hope for resistance, but also an instrument of the Party’s control. Its primary purpose, whether real or fictional, is to keep individuals like Winston distracted, believing they can overthrow the State. In this sense, the Brotherhood serves not only as a potential vehicle for rebellion but also as part of the Party’s elaborate mechanism for identifying and eradicating dissent. It is a key element in the novel’s exploration of totalitarianism and the futility of resistance in a world dominated by absolute power.