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1984 George Orwell Freedom Analysis

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Eric Arthur Blair, otherwise known as George Orwell, a popular dystopian novelist and critic once said, “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act” (Orwell). In the book 1984 by George Orwell the community is made up of oppressed individuals living in Oceania. The main character Winston is one of these individuals. He is a low ranking member of the party and is employed at the ministry of truth, where he alters historical records. From the beginning of the novel one can see that Winston is troubled with conforming to the ideas of the party and its leader Big Brother. He illegally buys a journal and records rebellious thoughts and opinions that show and explain his motivations throughout the novel. Winston meets …show more content…

As Winston was resting in his home, Orwell acknowledges the Telescreens, he declares, “There was no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. . . It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to” (Orwell 3). Telescreens are used for propaganda purposes and are constantly watching and listening to the citizens of Oceania. They can never be turned off and if you are caught doing anything unorthodox it will be monitored. Winston and his fellow citizens cannot declare their opinions out loud unless they conform to the ideas of the government. If they disagree they will face violent retribution. Another main component of freedom that seems to be diminishing in this society is the freedom of speech and ideas. As Winston is consuming his lunch Syme explains to …show more content…

In the end we shall make thought-crime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.” (Orwell 52) Newspeak is the official language of Oceania. The aim of this language is to cut down vocabulary and eliminate many words in the English language. By eliminating certain aspects of the vocabulary of Oceania, the government is also cutting down the intelligence of many individuals. The government is taking away freedom by eliminating words such as “rebellion” or “revolution” that could be used negatively against them. By taking away their vocabulary the government is taking away the opposition and giving more authority to Big Brother and the party. Along with the scarcity of true freedom Orwell demonstrates that there is also a lack of individuality in the novel. As Winston is reflecting in his journal he

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