In 1984, the rats represent Winston's deepest fears because he is more afraid of them than of anything else. On a deeper level, however, the rats also symbolize the extent of the Party's control over the people of Oceania. In Part Three, Chapter Five, for example, O'Brien describes the rats as being "intelligent" and deliberately preying on the "sick and dying." Just like the rats, the Party also uses its intelligence to prey...
In 1984, the rats represent Winston's deepest fears because he is more afraid of them than of anything else. On a deeper level, however, the rats also symbolize the extent of the Party's control over the people of Oceania. In Part Three, Chapter Five, for example, O'Brien describes the rats as being "intelligent" and deliberately preying on the "sick and dying." Just like the rats, the Party also uses its intelligence to prey on and manipulate Party members. The Thought Police, the telescreens, and Room 101 are the instruments of violence and terror (much like the rats' claws and teeth). The rats are a particularly appropriate symbol of the Party's power because they illustrate how the Party has been able to dig deep into Winston's most private thoughts and fears to find the thing that will terrorize him most.
The rats, too, are single-minded in their pursuit of prey. O'Brien, for example, tells Winston that a baby cannot be left alone in the poor quarter, even for five minutes, because the rats are certain to attack it. This is symbolic of the Party's relentless pursuit of power: the Party will never let go of power and control, just as the rats will never relinquish an opportunity to feed or attack.
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