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Syme is friend of Winston’s who works as a philologist, or expert in Newspeak, in the Research Department at the Ministry of Truth. His primary responsibility is assisting in the development of the Eleventh Edition of the Newspeak Dictionary, a task which he finds fascinating and incredibly rewarding. Through Syme’s character, Orwell offers the reader a more detailed explanation of Newspeak and its functions as well as a glimpse into the world of an overzealous Party member. Syme’s primary scene in the novel occurs when he runs into Winston in the cafeteria at the Ministry of Truth. During the ensuing conversation, Syme’s devotion to the Party and its mission becomes increasingly evident. He speaks highly of the hangings that occurred the day before, for example, and this perspective reflects his inherent approval of the Party’s brutality.
Winston quickly changes the subject to Newspeak, a topic about which Syme is even more enthusiastic. He goes on to give his friend a thorough update on his work which, as a result, sheds light on how the Party goes about destroying language. The idea that simplifying and eliminating words will make thoughtcrime impossible emphasizes the extreme lengths that the Party will go to in order to maximize its control over the population. By taking advantage of the link between language and thought, Newspeak aims to strip individuals of their personal agency. Syme describes this process as “a beautiful thing” and takes great pride in contributing to such a massive political operation. This perspective, however, is rather ironic given that he is actively disempowering himself by carrying out the Party’s mission. As Winston suspects, Syme’s commitment to his work and deep knowledge of the Party’s goals ultimately work against him. He is as orthodox as they come, yet the Party vaporizes him because of his intellectual nature. This choice reflects the notion that any kind of thought, even if it supports the Party, is inherently a threat to their control.
