Comparison Of Fear In 1984 And The Time Machine By H. G. Wells

George Orwell’s novel, 1984 and The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, both share fear as a common theme. Fear as a tool can control, change, and force people to do things that do not seem acceptable, such as make people turn on others, become violent, and forgo their belief system. Fear can be used in many different ways, such as controlling a population of people to gain power or wealth. In The Time Machine, a group of people called the Eloi, had direct power over another group called the Morlocks. In 1984, one small group of people called the “brother hood” had complete control of society. This dilemma is shown throughout history and has led to severe consequences. Fear is used as a tool in both The Time Machine and 1984 sometimes for different
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The main character in this story is Winston Smith who in constantly living in fear of what The Party will do to him if he is caught saying something negative about them or about Big Brother, who is the leader of The Party. An example of Winston being controlled by fear is when Julia, a woman who was following him, sent him a letter saying that she loved him. “drew the next batch of work toward him, with the scrap of paper on top of it. He flattened it out. On it was written, in a large unformed handwriting: I love you.” (Orwell 108). Winston thought for sure that the Party was monitoring him and that he would get caught and taken away. Winston was always worried about being punished for thought crime. Mr. Parsons, whose children were spies and informed on their father, was taken away because of what he had said about The Party, “Down with big brother!’ Yes, I said that”’ (Orwell 233). Then a little bit later Winston asked “Who denounced you?” then Parsons said “It was my little daughter” (Orwell 233). This shows how The Party is taking advantage over people so they can have power to do what they want. When Julia and Winston were captured by O’Brien,who was a spy for the Party, he put them in separate rooms, questioned and tortured Winston so he would give up Julia and confess. The Party and O’ Brien wanted to break Winston’s spirit. The only way he knew how to do this was to use fear by destroying whatever strength Winston had. Fear can also brainwash a person into thinking something is right or something is wrong. For example, when he was released by O’Brien he believed in The Party’s teachings and beliefs. “forty years it had taken him to learn what kind of smile was hidden beneath the dark mustache…He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.” (Orwell 298). The only reason that Winston changed his mind was