Winston finds himself in a brightly lit cell in what he assumes must be the Ministry of Love, where political prisoners are taken for interrogation and torture. Common criminals in the cell act normally, but the political prisoners are terrified of the unknown terrors ahead for them. Winston recalls that the Brotherhood never rescues its captured members, and suicide isn’t a viable option; he knows he will be tortured into confessing his anti-Party crimes.

Parsons arrives in the cell, reported by his own spy-daughter for having uttered “Down with Big Brother!” (295) in his sleep. Parsons remains the loyal Party member, though, readily confessing his guilt and thanking the Party for saving him from his own thoughtcrime. Winston is hopeful when O’Brien arrives in the cell, although O’Brien confirms that the Party got him a long time ago (301). Guards come in and hit Winston sharply on the elbow before he is taken away from the holding cell.

O’Brien is Winston’s torturer, meticulously administering pain as Winston confesses his thoughtcrimes. O’Brien compares the Party’s torture tactics to those of the Inquisition, the German Nazis, and the Russian Soviets, explaining that the most effective way to destroy a Party enemy is to wear them down with torture and solitude (320).