How does 1984 end? In a sense, it ends with the four words that we've all lugged around like a stone in our hearts since the time we first read them in 9th grade: He loved big brother. Silent rebel dies a blubbering totalitarian zombie. Sad ending, right?
If you're primarily concerned with the fate of Winston Smith, then yes. But if you're more concerned with the longevity of Big Brother and the INGSOC regime, then I have some good news for you.
The book actually ends with the "Principles of Newspeak" appendix. And in that appendix, the anonymous author writes both of Newspeak and of Oceania — and indeed, of the whole INGSOC-style system of government — in the past tense. This means that Big Brother's regime no longer exists or is no longer a major presence in the world — at the very least, we know that Newspeak and the INGSOC system are considered curious enough to warrant a 30-page appendix explaining their basic features. Somehow or another, and who knows how far in the future, humanity ultimately prevailed over the black boot stamping on its face — humanity became human again.
So in the same way that Winston Smith describes himself as writing to the future, the Principles of Newspeak appendix is the future writing back.
by [deleted]