George Orwell's '1984' and the Defeat of Subjectivity

Although this is a fantasy novel about the final days of the protagonist Winston, it is a book that heavily reflects the author's observations of modern society. I believe it is a rare book that goes beyond mere criticism or anxiety regarding politics and society, enabling readers to grasp social issues on a sensory level.

While famous for its highly polished worldview and immersive descriptions, it is also an interesting story. The simplicity that allows one to follow the plot just by tracking the characters is, in this context, nothing more than a scandalous simplicity. The way the protagonist's story fits into the narrative as a supplement to the worldview only serves to highlight the negative climax, and the perspective that this clarity accelerates dystopian values is also compelling.

This book is often analyzed through the theme of a totalitarian dystopian state, but I think it can be read with different themes today, some 80 years after its publication.
Personally, a theme I would like to read it through is 'the defeat of subjectivity in a consumer society.'

Early in the novel, there is a scene where the protagonist, Winston, desperately writes abusive language in a notebook. While the incoherence is surprising, for Winston, it represents the last remaining emotion that no one can interfere with, and it is also the pivot point upon which the story unfolds.
In the ending, Winston ultimately accepts the Party's words completely, and the story ends there. One can read into this the limitations of a narrative where the progression of the story is constantly linked to the interval before the protagonist loses their subjectivity while resisting; the story cannot unfold unless the protagonist's subjectivity is maintained.

There are several other stories where the narrative ends because the protagonist's subjectivity is lost.
Salinger's 'The Catcher in the Rye' is one such example, and the Evangelion series also suggests the defeat of subjectivity.
All of these are very sensational works, and I believe it is not unrelated that they suggest themes that fundamentally overturn the premise of strengthening the subjectivity of a book.

It is well known that the author of '1984,' Orwell, pushed for another rejected title, 'The Last Man.'
Since that title would have made the protagonist's inner conflict the main axis rather than the worldview, and because the adopted title is interpreted as being for commercial purposes using sensationalism, one can read that the defeat of subjectivity is the conclusion of the worldview rather than the intent of the story or the author, and such an interpretation is generally accepted.

It is said that the younger generation is losing its agency, but I think the loss of agency is just one step before the defeat of subjectivity, a much more gradual process.
The fact that another title for this work is known acts as a safety valve, allowing one to enjoy the theme of the defeat of subjectivity, which tends to be sensational, relatively safely.
One can read from Winston's final moments that it is impossible to accept an intervention into psychological safety that exceeds one's capacity, but I want to keep in mind that the premise of his defeat was that Winston had not clearly recognized his own subjectivity.