The Place Where There Is No Darkness

“We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness.” (Page 111)

This excerpt, though vague when out of context, is very revealing of the protagonist. When it is first mentioned in the plot, it presents a mystery, especially since it is part of a dream that Winston has. When first read, this statement suggests a positive place void of any evils; a place without war or hunger. Later in the story, however, this statement takes on a different meaning. Rather than representing peace, “the place where there is no darkness” can be regarded as a place without shadows and thus an area where there is no secrecy. Contrary to Winston’s hopes of it being a place where he will be rid of Big Brother, the words from his dream coincide with the well-lit and heavily monitored cell that he is imprisoned in at the end of the story. Orwell includes this statement in order to give Winston not only a reason to question himself and the meaning of the statement, but also his relationship with O’Brien. Along with this quote, Orwell creates a society full of double meanings. This alone leads the reader to believe that, since he is immersed in a constant paradox, Winston should have had some sort of inkling about the implications of O’Brien’s words; good could have meant bad, a friend could have been an enemy, etc.