Parsons in 1984: Character & Analysis

Progressing with our look into the characters of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, today we focus on Tom Parsons, Winston Smith's anxious and unlikable colleague and neighbour.
Acting as somewhat of a foil to Winston, he is often intepreted as the typical, unthinking Outer Party member, but is there more to Parsons than first meets the eye? Is he simply the fool of 1984?
Warning: SPOILERS WITHIN (as always).
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[@laurencewinch-furness9450]

I suspect Parsons' "stupidity" was an attempt to hide his rebellious thoughts, or a result of a mental breakdown from trying to repress those thoughts.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

It's a decent approach. Playing dumb is a perfectly reasonable strategy for survival in that society. The Party doesn't like people who are too intelligent like Syme, according to Winston. It's a good way to avoid unwanted attention.

[@JohnJohanson-p2h]

​@@nineteen-eighty-four-lore wouldn't it be true to say that we mostly see Parsons as intellectually challenged because of the assupmtions of Winston based on his very superficial oberservations? His track record of assessing people based on limited contact in the book is not that great. He was intially toatally wrong about both Julia and O'Brien (and also the shopkeeper). Maybe he is wrong in his assumptions about Parsons too? Parsons generally nervous and simple behavior would be perfectly consistent with him beeing totaly aware of the danger he is in and just wanting to survive. A real "moron" would likely be blissful and content (thinking that there is nothing to worry about as Big Brother has everything under controll)?

[@garyturner5739]

Does he tell Winston when they're in cell that he gave himself away by talking in his sleep. That his children denounced him to Thought Police as a thought criminal.

[@mugencc8496]

It's not the book, but film!Parsons' enthusiastic performance in the canteen always felt overcompensating to me.

[@laurencewinch-furness9450]

@mugencc8496 when he was saying, "I don't think there's any meat in this stew," I got the impression he wanted to complain and was hiding his disappointment as praise for the party.

[@jeffreybaird7068]

He's a thought criminal from the beginning. In the movie, in the cafeteria, he takes extra food and says "Looks like meat, tastes like meat, but it isn't meat at all. Double plus good." He's actually saying - we don't get real meat. When the choco ration is cut from 30 to 25 and Winston writes that the ration has gone up to 25, Parson's meets him in passing and say's "Choco rations up. Double plus good." He knows the ration has been cut and it takes away part of his joy in life, so he announces that he fully believes the falsehood to mask his anger. He goes to committee meetings, not hangings. Do committees matter? No, hangings do and Parson should skip work to watch them. He's terrified of the party and doesn't like the gruesome actions he sees every day. Syme likes hangings when the feet kick. Also, in the holding cell Parson's say's he'll get a fair hearing after saying in his sleep, Down with Big Brother. He says they won't hurt you just for thoughts, which you can't help. Actually, thoughts you can't help are the primary focus of the party, more than actions, more than words. He keeps saying "They won't shoot me, will they?" He's broadcasting that he's afraid to be shot, thinking he will fool the party into killing him that way. Of course, he will be tortured until he doesn't have thoughts he can't help anymore.

[@2mado188]

That's a great analysis, Winston never considered that his praise could be misunderstood as sarcasm. He successfully played the thought police by playing the fool until his own children rat him out.

[@jeffreybaird7068]

@@2mado188 Also, he keeps broadcasting to the thought police how he wants to die - shooting. He asks, they won;t shoot me, will they? He knows that's not the worst they can do. He wants them to think it is what he is most afraid of, so he doesn't face torture with what really terrifies him, such as, for him, with desperate joy in small pleasures - castration.

[@Solaar_Punk]

All spot on

[@barbiquearea]

@@jeffreybaird7068 Another thing to note is that by putting up a facade of being a party lapdog. It shields him from being scrutinized by the thought police, which unlike Winston lets him fall below their radar. My guess is, him muttering in his sleep was not the first time he has expressed ill will towards the party or Big Brother, while he was asleep OR awake. For all we know, there could have been hours of video footage and recording from the telescreens of Parson expressing his frustrations and disdain towards Ingsoc and BB when he thinks he's alone. But because he was able to perfectly hide his disloyalty from prying eyes, the thought police saw no reason to investigate him or put him under strict surveillance like they did to Winston. It was only after his daughter ratted him out that gave the authorities reason to finally put him under the microscope, which led to his downfall.

[@countdowntorevolution9986]

Good analysis and I agree. they are all hiding their dissent. Winston himself (& Julia) also publicly participate in all the party bullsh**. Always thought Parsons' comment about the meat was a brilliant bit of subtlety and character nuance from Orwell..... "show, don't tell" is the first rule of great writing.

[@nomemories130]

To me, Parsons is one of the few bits of hope in the story. I don't think that bit about his kid hearing him talk shit about BB in his sleep is why he was sent away; if it even happened. He probably disciplined them, or even just had to say no to something and they retaliated by denouncing him. I think his real crime was that he loved Big Brother but loved his family even more. His children ruin his life and yet he was still proud of them. He's someone who rebelled against the Party in spite of himself showing that just maybe there's some truth to Winston telling O'Brien that the human spirit won't allow the party's agenda to come to pass.

[@marianotorrespico2975]

--- GEE. I WISH I HAD SAID THAT . . . You are correct, Parsons so tried to please two masters and live his family life, and was punished for that.

[@pavelshliaha1706]

A fantastic thought. Thanks. I think talking with love about your children in front of a death screen should be punishable by death in that soceity

[@egoborder3203]

I love Parsons as a character. To me he symbolizes the utter futility and hopelessness of life in the Party. While Winston engages willingly in rebellion out of emotion, Parsons is trying to survive. He tries to live a "normal" life, but he can't even discipline his children. I suspect in a different world he would admonish them to be kinder, but in this world any attempt to turn them away from their zealous behavior would just get him in trouble. He's sweaty because he's constantly putting up an act, but in the end the stress built up psychologically and manifested in his dreams. I wouldn't say he hates Big Brother like Winston, as he's not disposed towards hate. But tragically, even his kind and easy-going nature is an affront to the Party

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

Yes, the Party has everybody in its grip, even the 'normal' chaps who just want to keep their head down.

[@jlworrad]

Orwell's school memoirs. 'Such, Such Were The Joys' is a great accompaniment to 1984 because you see where a lot of the inspiration for daily Oceanian life came from. There's a proto-Parsons in it, a fat kid who gets low marks in his exams and he weeps and says he wishes 'Sir would have caned me more. I'd have worked so much harder then'. The young Orwell immediately felt revulsion for him, that someone could be so subservient.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

That certainly sounds like a Parsons-type. Lol

[@Paul_M_Bradley]

I always quite liked Parsons in the book and felt sorry for him when he was caught. I feel like if he was in a better society, he would be one of those people who got on with everyone and made his community better with his presence. Your analysts of his struggle being an emotional one seems very apt to me and I think if I ever got a chance to write a spin off novel or novella about a character from 1984, it would feature Parsons as the main focus.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

It is sad. I get the impression that his words to Winston about trying his best and always doing his bit were quite genuine. Like I said in the video, I don't think there was much really wrong with him (ideologically). Some people even believe he never shouted that out in his sleep, but that his daughter lied which isn't impossible. If you want an interesting progression and take on his character and journey take a look at Sandra Newman's re-telling of the novel 'Julia'. I'll say no more as I don't want to spoil anything.

[@Ricky-oi3wv]

The heavy set man getting everyone organised and thinking up ways to spend their time, "making things better" for others is the first hoseman of this this kind of shit. Respect others and let them be. You can offer nothing but imposing your own power, for its own sake. That's the point of the book mate

[@stephenbastasch7893]

Thanks for another penetrating, articulate examination of 1984. One can just imagine Parson's moribund sweat flowing from his conflicted mentality. The harder he works for the Party, the more he realizes that his inner rebellion will eventually be found out and punished.

[@host_theghost507]

I've always suspected that Parsons's daughter just made it up. In the other cases we hear about, she accused other people on nothing more than a suspicion (or possibly just out of sheer cruelty). Maybe he made her stay home from a hanging or maybe she was just bored. To me the irony of Parsons is that he's so cheerful about his kids being "keen as mustard" without dreaming of the fate that's in store for him. Even after they denounced him, he just can't bring himself to be mad about it. Now that I hear you reading Orwell's description of Parsons, I must say that Winston harps on a little too long about his smelly, sweaty body. The man's got problems, Winston. Nobody's making fun of your varicose veins or gin breath.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

Take a look at Sandra Newman's 2023 re-telling 'Julia' in regards to your second paragraph. It's not cannon obviously, but a decent read. The theory that Parsons daughter simply made it up is a popular one and certainly feasible. Parsons did tell Winston he confronted his son about his shooting Winston with his toy, so maybe he disciplined his daughter somehow and she retaliated. Maybe the rewards of denouncing a parent were too tempting for her.

[@pavelshliaha1706]

You are forgetting doublethink, comrade. You can both make things up willingly and sincerely believe it happened. Which she obviously did. There isn’t a dichotomy there

[@artpiratecollage]

I always took Syme's and Parson's arests/liquidations as being part of O'Brian's long long game against Winston

[@toph8298]

Parsons was broken in Room 101 and subsequently sent to live out his days in Glasgow as a deadbeat alcoholic, roaming the streets in a pinstripe suit jacket and string vest.

[@davidbarton1928]

And forever puffing on cigars after repeatedly failing to take passport photos.

[@2mado188]

Is this a reference to something?

[@toph8298]

@@2mado188 Rab C. Nesbitt

[@anotheruser2527]

@@davidbarton1928 Yes BB punished him with a comb over

[@Harlequin1951]

Life could not have been to bad for Parsons! There was always time for a 'Wee Swallie' 😃

[@captainyossarian388]

Parsons is an expression of the fact that no one is safe, not even those who love the party and are as dumb as a post. Reminds me of other reigns of terror such as Sulla in the Roman Republic or Stalin in the Soviet Union where there was often little logic, rhyme, or reason for many liquidations.

[@robertsansone1680]

He was hopeful that he'd only get 15 years in a labor camp & then be rehabilitated. Who knows, they may have used him to feed the guard dogs. Interesting again. Thank You

[@noneofyoubusiness4895]

The one thing I question is whether Parsons really did say "Down with Big Brother" in his sleep. Isn't it as likely that his daughter just made that story up?

[@nomemories130]

I think she made it up, Parson's struggle with life in Oceania caused him perpetual, barely suppressed fear. That's different from the resentment it inspired in Winston. So I don't think "Down with a Big Brother" is something his unconscious would manifest "I fear Big Brother " would be much more likely.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

There would certainly be an incentive for her to denounce her father. We do see in the novel how articles appear in 'The Times' celebrating this.

[@jlworrad]

That's a really good point! I guess it comes down to how thorough the Party truly is. Would they go by the word of a little girl or would they put mics in his bedroom after she informed on him?

[@pavelshliaha1706]

Again what do you mean by “made up”. She both made it up and sincerely believed it to be true. Are you forgetting your doublethink comrade? No worry. Reported to ministry of love

[@JohnWilliamNowak]

@@jlworrad They don't need to put mikes in his bedroom; he has a telescreen.

[@neildaly2635]

I always found it chilling when he said there was nothing he wouldn’t confess to in the film.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

Those words were the Skull-faced man's in the novel. He was the horribly starved dude who was sentenced to Room 101 and just lost it... It gets worse too, as he even says he would give up his wife and children and watch them being killed in front of him just to avoid Room 101. I think the makers of the film probably felt giving this bit to Parsons streamlined the initial chapter of Part Three better for film. The 1954 BBC version does show Bumstead and the Skull-Faced Man bit. Bumstead tried to offer him some bread and was smashed in the face for it. It is one of the more disturbing scenes in the novel when he begs not to go to Room 101.

[@GrizbyK72]

That’s a shame. The Bumstead and skull-faced man scene was such a powerful one in the book. It was also a peak ahead of what awaited Winston.

[@obelix703]

The line about table tennis is what always catches my attention. If he has an enthusiasm for that game, it means that he loves competition, and individual achievement. That makes him a distraction to the goals of INGSOC. He may be dumb, but he’s VERY visible, and sets a bad example.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

Another take could be that his fervant activity is an attempt to be visible for the right reasons, though this may have meant little given his daughter's actions. By making himself overly active by showing up every night at the community centre, joining committees on sports and in organising marches and hikes, etc, he was trying to demonstrate his usefulness and enthusiasm (even if subconsciously).

[@jromero9795]

​@nineteen-eighty-four-lore and if he constantly busies himself with committees, nights at the community center, and all the rest of the activities he throws himself toward, the less time he has to spend at home with his children who are constantly scrutinizing his and their mother's motives.

[@jeffreybaird7068]

@@jromero9795 Also, he does not realize that he is supposed to care more about the hangings than any table tennis or community outings. In fact, nights at the community center are supposed to result not in better health or team spirit, but in reports to the thought police of any unorthodoxy you see there.

[@erickleefeld4883]

I never thought for a minute that Parsons actually spoke against Big Brother in his sleep. His daughter made it up (or in a maneuver of doublethink, made it real to herself that he’d he said it) and the system rewarded her for such dedication. And as his own act of total loyalty to the system, he made the accusation real to himself, as well.

[@thedoruk6324]

In the end where Parsons said - before he has taken into room 101. Take Wilston not me. I think that implies that he to some degree genuinely thought or considered Wilston as a True friend. Kinda depressing to think about it

[@gouchscowl8601]

parsons never cried out “ down with big brother” in his sleep. His daughter is a liar and a psychopath thriving in dystopia

[@captainpoppleton]

Parsons was the ideal party member. I thought him being arrested was idiotic. The only thing that makes any sense is being a reward for the child who reported him. Someone from the inner party should have just had a quiet word with the child - " your dad is a good guy, go spy on someone else"

[@jeffreybaird7068]

@@captainpoppleton They rewarded the child for reporting him. That's the take away. The children matter more for the party, the furture of power become more complete. Thoughts you cannot help, such as sleep talking, are all that the party cares about, not being a keen guy helping the group spirit accomplishing projects. But Parsons is always a thought criminal because he does not understand doublethink. He is supposed to joyously do everything the party requires, the marches, the hikes, the sex gone sour, the fund drives, while simultaneously, just under the surface, know that the party exists for its own power and that he is not in the inner party. The movie makes it more clear he's always a thought criminal. He goes to committee meetings, not the hangings. Only the hangings matter. Syme relishes the hangings and the legs kicking. That's goodthinkful.

[@kingpaddy9009]

@@jeffreybaird7068 Its especially important to note, that a party member who is loyal ot of fear or to believing the partys propaganda isn't reliable at all. If he loses his fear or should something happen, that let him question the partys propaganda he will be a loose gun immediately. The only true member of the party is a person like a O'brien, who very well knows of the dark secrets of Ingsoc and the reality and truth of the society they live in and is still an absolute believer in the partys cause. Even with no second thoughts from parsons site he can be in best case for big brother only a usefull tool until he outlives his usefullness in showing signs of weakness.

[@pathutchison7688]

Just discovered this channel. Binging it now. This is a lot of fun. Keep up the great work.

[@jlworrad]

I think that his conscious self was loyal to BB but his subconscious dreaming self was braver and more intelligent and more loyal to his family and humanity generally. I think he's genuine when he says he has no idea of his own treason. Which makes for an interesting case. If so, it leaves you wondering how common such cases are and how the Party deals with them. Parsons when awake is a useful citizen after all. Do they suppress his subconscious with drugs maybe? Or is he just seen as faulty goods and disintegrated?

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

I would venture to say it's quite common and a primary reason things like the Two Minutes Hate exist, along with the executions, demonstrations, and rallies etc. The leaders of Oceania are fanatical but not stupid, I believe. They know that the subconscious cannot always be controlled and so events and ceremonies like these serve as a pressure valve to turn the innate anger many outer party members will feel outwards towards foreigners and supposed spies and enemies of the state.

[@ZENmud]

I saw a real-life "denunciation" once, driving Taxi up in Vail, Colorado in the mid-1980s,that mimicked the pain felt by the abused parent by the "terrorizing" son. Late night, 24hr Safeway store: one RV was the only other vehicle when i stopped for a snack. Came upon Mom pushing the cart/trolley with her Son, as they approached a tall wire stand full of beach balls. Boy, increasingly strident, demanded: "I WANNA beach ball.!" three times. Mom explained very calmly (like Parsons or his wife) "you already have one, dear..." Out of nowhere, as I approached, that boy shrieked: "STOP HITTING ME YOU *DAMNED* CHILD ABUSER!!!" In an obvious attempt to force a submissive surrender and purchase. 😮😂😂 I think I said softly, "You're going to jail, someday..." 🎉 I should have said, "Are you the Parsons, by chance?" NB ~ their full Texas accents must be included 😂

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

I just had a weird re-imaging of this scene with the boy replying to the rejection coldly: "YOU'RE A THOUGHT CRIMINAL!" Lol

[@CommissarKane]

I believe Parson's wife really loved him, she 100% would've heard him saying "Down with big brother" at night and never reported him.

[@edwardthrelfall1794]

Why does anyone assume his daughter was actually telling the truth about him saying down with big brother in his sleep? I always took it as an inditement that the party breaks what should be sacred familial bonds, turning everyone against each other. That, or that O'Brien knew Winston believed Parsons wouldn't be liquidated, so this was to further damage Winstons sese of certaintity.

[@CaptainUnusual]

It was the chocolate what done it. Take Choco rations away from a fat man, he'll act out one way or another. I speak from experience.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

That may have been the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak. 😆🤣😆

[@VaqueroCoyote]

Dude was just trying to live his best life given the circumstances rip Parsons

[@arielhamm-flores6893]

love these by the way

[@michaelcutler5538]

I like to think thaat whoever was in charge if interrogating/torturing him was just like "Seriously? I could be torturing actual disidents, and I get this guy?"

[@titanomachy2217]

I was the guy with the strange shoes. The Thought Police didn't take me to Miniluv to Room 101 or to be vaporized but they did give me a very stern dressing down over my choice of footwear. Boy, was I embarrassed! I won't be doing anything so hateful and disgusting as wearing strange shoes ever again! Hail Big Brother!

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

Were you parachuted in? It was a good thing they caught you before it was too late. :-D

[@smokeymcbongwater4141]

😂😂

[@jhoughjr1]

Doublepluagood comrade

[@p70581]

Damn you, Titan! You were supposed to wear the footgear we issued you! It wouldn't have given you away you bloody fool! 😅

[@scitchmunkey5587]

Poor bloke never stood a chance against such a society. The fact that he had some physic unpleasantness with his weight and the sweating sows that in all prbabilty if it wasnt his daughter it would be someone judging him based on their disgust of those factors.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

Yes, he is a bit of a tragic character.

[@MechMK1]

I think the important takeaway is that no matter what you do, you lose. It doesn't matrer whether or not you believe, whether or not you're a fanatic, whether or not you'd ever be a threat. You will do something that's considered wrong one day, no matter what.

[@davidbarton1928]

In the unofficial sequel to Nineteen Eighty-Four - 1985 by György Dalos - Parsons became a famous historian and public intellectual following the death of Big Brother. Obviously this was an ironic joke given who he was in Orwell's novel.

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

He was listening at peoples keyholes for information. Lol

[@gregoryclack8439]

I have a very different interpretation of Parsons. I think he was fully orthodox. His comments in his sleep could well be due to some other cause, eg in a nightmare where he's forced to say 'down with Big Brother'. The reason I think this is because 1984, is a novel trying to convey a point above all else. Parsons symbolises the loyal follower. By having him arrested for this Orwell shows us how you cannot guess who will be vanished (Smith gets it wrong in this case), due to the nature of the party.

[@robkeeleycomposer]

George Orwell understood all too well the importance of how powerfully bad smells can affect one’s general mood.

[@grahamblack1961]

I'd always thought Parson's daughter was lying but the party rewarded her by acting on her lies.

[@trekkienzl2862]

A real world example of Oceania is Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge.

[@AndDiracisHisProphet]

i always thought the party sacrificed parsons to further toture winston. so that it is not true that he commited the crimes he is accused of

[@GrizbyK72]

You think Winston was so important to the party that they would sacrifice the most orthodox of their own?

[@MikeHunt-zy3cn]

​@@GrizbyK72 it's possible. INGSOC is repression incarnate.

[@zombiedude101z]

I thought the implication was that Parsons' kid was lying about him naligning BB and the larty just used him to validate its methodology.

[@rubensano4860]

Perhaps Parsons was a Thought Criminal in his subconsciousness. Perhaps he dreamt of subversion. Perhaps that is why he was such an ardent lover of the Party, a keen community activity attendee. Perhaps it was his way of compensating for the the things his mind thought about when he slept. That constant inner conflicted turmoil would explain the nervousness and the heavy sweating. The appearance of stupidity may have been an attempt to not stand out and draw attention to himself. Just repeat irrational slogans and praise for the Party's gifts of abundance even though it was obvious that things were getting worse. It is tempting to think of his daughter as just a psychopath that would betray even her own father for praise from the Party, but perhaps Parsons did indeed vocalise the aforementioned subversive thoughts accidentally in his sleep.

[@pavelshliaha1706]

The bizzare thing about the comment section is people are discussing if Parsons daughter made the story about him up or she sincerely believed it to be true (I don’t think anyone takes the idea of him actually denouncing BB seriously). It’s like people haven’t read the book. She both deliberately made it up and sincerely believed it true. It’s called doublethink.

[@pavelshliaha1706]

It would be a stretch to suggest he had any outburst. Clearly his daughter made this up just as she did allegations in all other cases listed in the video

[@leeosborne3793]

I always assumed Parsons was arrested because he was associated with Winston.

[@NIL0S]

A tragic character, but I empathize with him, maybe even more so than I do with Winston.

[@SuperImmunologist]

Parsons knew what was up just like syme did

[@mitchellline4242]

When could you do a video about Winston's wife?

[@nineteen-eighty-four-lore]

Very soon. Watch this space. :D

[@p70581]

Winston's wife Katherine. Boy, that'd be a video worth watching.

[@tillthewheels]

Is that Rab c nesbitt

[@jlworrad]

Indeed it is.

[@chrisholland7367]

Gregor Fisher.

[@rubensano4860]

Yes. Typecast as an alcoholic Glaswegian degenerate, but actually a fantastic actor.

[@albertarthurparsnips5141]

It’s simply impossible for me, at least, to accept the notion that a bumbling, well-meaning, ‘ silver lining in all clouds ‘ type like the sweaty, cheery Parsons harboured thought crime. Even subconsciously. Thus, it sounds to me like a preposterous notion,..that his dreadful daughter heard him denouncing BB in his bed. The closest he’d ever have come to griping, let alone heresy, would’ve been to wail about a desire for a piece of cake. Or a decent shave. His daughter simply denounced him on a fanatical whim. Or grudge, because he told her to, say, stop hurling rocks at the lady downstairs.

[@JohnWilliamNowak]

I have to wonder if that was the point of the character. Yes, even though Parsons was annoying and sweaty, he still was unorthodox.

[@kalles8789]

It is not important what Parsons thinks. Parsons is a thought criminal. Because the Party thinks that he is one. The Party defines what everyone is.

[@Maxfromohio2155]

I feel bad for parsons

[@DarkFutures-101]

I believe Orwell included Parsons to drive home a point: totalitarian systems require dumb masses.

[@Maxfromohio2155]

Poor parsons