1984
"He who controls the past, controls the future". This quote illustrates the true nature of Big Brother in the novel 1984. Winston Smith is just a tiny spec in a totalitarian run country. In this publication, he came to many realizations about the government. One of them is that if a person does not have any knowledge of their history, then it may be contorted in order to control the present and future.
Winston holds a position in the Ministry of Truth; his job consists of eradicating the past. Through this duty he comes to the realization of how important history is to the common free man. Winston at one point states that he remembers the person responsible for the invention of the airplane. But, in the records it is clearly shown that Big Brother invented the airplane. At another time Winston's position calls for him to change minute details such as Big Brothers predictions in weather for the week.
Location of different versions of Big Brother
User big brother 1984
Big Brother LogoThe Party has everyone under the assumption that Big Brother is an all-powerful God-like figure. He is portrayed as being all knowing and being the only one smart enough to accomplish anything.
This is the sole reason for Winston's diary. He is making a feeble attempt at revolution. Since he knows that the party is trying to abolish anything in the past that was not done by them, Winston tries to write down simple, everyday occurrences. He holds some small hope that someone down the line, maybe even years from when he wrote it, will read the diary and be able to use it against Big Brother. Winston wants to have solid proof of Big Brother altering the past so everyone could have the knowledge that he already possesses. The Party is built on lies and that is...