Ministries of Nineteen Eighty-Four omniscience of the state in the society of "Nineteen Eighty-Four" that even a citizen's nightmares are known to the Party. The nightmare, and therefore the threatened punishment, of the protagonist Winston Smith is to be attacked by rats. This is manifested in Room 101 by confronting Smith with a wire cage that contains two large rats. The front of the cage is shaped so that it can fit over a person's face. A trap-door is then opened, allowing the rats to devour the victim's face. This cage is fitted over Smith's face, but he saves himself by begging the authorities
Big Brother (Nineteen Eighty-Four) to describe any prying or overly-controlling authority figure and attempts by government to increase surveillance. Big Brother and other Orwellian imagery are often referenced in the joke known as the Russian reversal. The magazine "Book" ranked Big Brother No. 59 on its 100 Best Characters in Fiction Since 1900 list. "Wizard" magazine rated him the 75th greatest villain of all time. The worldwide reality television show "Big Brother" is based on the novel's concept of people being under constant surveillance. In 2000, after the United States version of the CBS program "Big Brother" premiered, the Estate of George Orwell sued