In George Orwell's 1984, why would Winston let the room from Mr. Charrington despite knowing the likely ultimate consequence?

It is no mere
coincidence that the main character is named Winston, name of a famously heroic historical
British figure who epitomized independence, strength of character, a certain rebelliousness:
"Never, never, never surrender!" Indeed, Winston of refuses to
surrender his humanity to the Thought Police. He desires, above all, to be a man--to feel like a
man, to think like a man, to live like a man. 

Winston's heroism is
"heartfelt." He is an "everyman," ordinary--his last name is the commonest
of names, Smith--, but with an independent mind that wishes to have expression; he...