Control takes place through cameras that observe individuals everywhere: in their homes, on the streets, in offices, in transport, in schools. There is no privacy and there is no form of individual freedom. His armed wing is the psychopolitician, who intervenes to a minimum sign of rebellion or in front of behaviors that are considered suspect. Propaganda is constant and in every corner of the city there are posters that portray the Big Brother that is accompanied by the slogans "freedom is slavery" and "war is peace".

The protagonist of the novel is Winston Smith, a member of the party whose task is to constantly update the news in newspapers and books, so as to make the strategy of the party infallible. Smith, who seems to validate the party's rules and its suffocating control over society, does not really tolerate this lack of freedom.

The embryonic expression of this rebellion is a diary that Winston begins writing on April 4, 1984, in which he collects his thoughts and reflections on the Party, society and himself. Winston has two people who influence his life: Julia who is in love and who frequents despite the party does not want relationships that have no other purpose than the procreation and O'Brien, a friend of his.

Julia and Winston live their illegal relationship as they can and together they decide to rebel against Party rules, by joining a clandestine association "La confraternita". O'Brien, however, is not just a Party official but a member of the secret police. And he betrays Winston by having him arrested.

During the prison, Winston suffers a three-phase torture: learning, understanding and acceptance. In the first phase, the pain is intense but Winston resists and does not betray Julia keeping a glimmer of will.

In the second phase the pain is unbearable and the appearance of Wiston changes, the body yields but still manages to resist. In the third phase, Winston is brought into room 101 where the most absolute fear of each condemned materializes: in this case two rats are placed in an envelope, the worst fear of the protagonist, and while O'Brien tries to put it on his head Winston gives away Julia.

At this point he understands that the Party wants its unconditional loyalty, essentially wants its soul, so that there is no form of independence. O'Brien himself explains to Winston that the rebel association he belonged to was set up by the police just to capture any dissidents: the regime has no flaws, is perfect and wants the unconditional love of its subjects.

In the end Winston is convinced and for this very reason he gives himself to the executioner aware of having committed a serious fault: having challenged Big Brother.