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Allegory In George Orwell's 1984

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“War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength” (Orwell 17). The chilling dystopia presented in 1984 exemplifies the malicious nature of totalitarian governments in their pursuit of power and the various methods implemented to achieve control over the population. Using psychological manipulation and fear through war, falsehoods, and torture, Big Brother retains absolute control over one’s thoughts and actions, and thus strips the individual of humanity. Although the society illustrated in George Orwell’s novel seems implausible, Orwell aimed to reflect certain aspects of the time period in which he lived and warn readers of the impending future he foresaw. The rise of tyrannical governments during the 1940s, such as Hitler in Germany and Stalin in Russia, fueled Orwell’s paranoia and thus resulted in Big Brother, the representation of totalitarian government he predicted could arise. This, along with the seemingly constant warfare and the inherent loss of highly valued democratic ideals provoked Orwell’s allegory as a way to warn the general public. As a result of the communist and fascist dictatorships of Orwell’s time, 1984 sought to reflect the tactics of manipulation, fear, and stripping one’s individuality employed to control the population by illustrating the principal theme of totalitarianism. Manipulation, a primary aspect of tyrannical government, reflects the leadership of several dictatorships during the World War II era and manifests itself in the

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