ipl-logo

Euphemism In George Orwell's 1984

736 Words3 Pages

British journalist Paul Johnson once said that ¨Euphemism is a human device to conceal the horrors of reality.¨ Euphemism is a type of language using ¨safe¨ words to substitute mild expressions that are considered harsh when talking about something unpleasant and is used very commonly in today 's society. For example, the idea of death has many euphemistic words used in the English language to replace the words ¨death¨ or ¨dying¨. When a representative from the military comes to a family and has to report to them that their loved one has ¨died¨ it 's considered a harsh and blunt statement. Instead of saying ¨Sir or Ma´am your son or daughter ¨died¨ they would use other terms such as ¨passed away¨, ¨is at peace¨, ¨departed¨, ¨went to a better place¨, ¨is not with us anymore¨ etc. In George Orwell 's novel 1984 the government 's highest class called the Inner Party uses multiple tactics and pressuring mechanisms such as using slogans/propaganda, persuasive surveillance and Newspeak to maintain social control. The Inner Party uses language as means of social control by using ¨doublethink¨ which is a major way the Party controls the Outer Party and Proles. They do not question the elimination of words from the vocabulary from their language, because of the use of ¨doublethink¨ through Newspeak the Party imposes on them.
¨All the beliefs, habits, tastes, emotions, mental attitudes that characterize our time are really designed to sustain the mystique of the Party and prevent the

Show More
Related

  • How Is Diction Used In George Orwell's 1984?

    951 Words  | 4 Pages

    1984 George Orwell’s 1984 created a society that created men that work like machines, this allows for anyone to be submitted to do the unthinkable. George Orwell captured this concept by forming unusually long sentences to give the audience a true understanding of how machine like the people of Oceania are by explaining ideas so in depth. Also the use of connotation and specific diction, gives the reader a chance to really see how different the views and responses of the people of Oceania are, compared to the views and responses today. Along with diction, connotation, and unusually long sentences, George Orwell utilized periodic sentences to help the audience understand how a character was feeling or describe a situation in ‘layman's terms’

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of 1984 By George Orwell

    498 Words  | 2 Pages

    In pages 166-167 in part 2, chapter 7 of George Orwell’s 1984, he uses diction and imagery in order to create an earnest tone to vividly illustrate Winston’s love for Julia. In this passage, Orwell creates an earnest tone by using diction in order to show Winston’s affection for Julia. In this section of the book, Winston and Julia are discussing what they would do if they were caught by the Thought Police. Winston says that they will try to break them and force a confession out of them, however, he says that the only thing that really matters is that they should not “betray one another” (Orwell 166).

    Read More

  • Examples Of Diction In 1984 By George Orwell

    450 Words  | 2 Pages

    In George Orwell's dystopian novel, 1984, the author uses cacophonous and anaphora diction with rhetorical and imperative syntax to convey the fragility and selfish state of human nature; the author further portrays the immense suffering guided by abused power at the hands of a totalitarian government. An analytical and commentary writing on society, 1984 discusses topics such as the exploitation of and total control in the absolutist manner of tyrannic leadership. Written through the perspective of Winston Smith and his conflict between reality and illusion in a deceptive society, Orwell intentionally warns the future society of these topics. While forcefully observing himself in a mirror, Winston notices that “a…skeleton-like thing was coming towards him… [with] a bald scalp, a crooked nose, and battered-looking cheekbones” and under the layer of dirt, “the red scars of wounds, and… the scraggy neck seemed to be bending double under the weight of the skull” (296-297).

    Read More

  • Syntax In 1984 By George Orwell

    286 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1984 by George Orwell, the theme of danger following totalitarianism appears through various literary devices, tone, and syntax. For instance, on page 267 Orwell writes, “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows”(Orwell 267). To elucidate, this citation emphasizes the importance of intellectual freedom and the ability to express thoughts and ideas freely. Specifically, the use of simple mathematical concepts highlights the basic nature of this right and how it forms the foundation of all other freedoms.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of 1984 By George Orwell

    504 Words  | 3 Pages

    During 1984 by George Orwell, the main character, Winston, yearns to remember what life was like before ‘the Party’ took over. However, as the government has brainwashed people and begun to control their minds, Winston finds himself unable to remember or have any proof regarding the truth about the past. In this particular passage, Winston reflects on how the party controls everyone, seemingly hopeless about ever knowing the truth instead of being controlled by the Party. He considers how ‘the Party’ possesses the capability to turn any lie into the truth, just because of the fact that they are the governing force in the society, and they declare how people should think. As people’s minds are what shape our world, when the government controls people’s minds, the government ultimately shapes the world.

    Read More

  • George Orwell 1984 Figurative Language

    1130 Words  | 5 Pages

    Language: “The voice came from an oblong metal plaque like a dulled mirror which formed part of the surface of the right-hand wall.” (2) “Day and night the telescreens bruised your ears with statistics proving that people today had more food, more clothes, better houses, better recreations... Not a word of it could be proved or disproved... It was like a single equation with two unknowns” (74) L(1) George Orwell, the author of 1984, uses figurative language within this quote with a perfectly crafted simile.

    Read More

  • 1984 George Orwell 1984 Analysis

    968 Words  | 4 Pages

    Fahad Alrebdi Mr. John Smallwood ENG4U September 6, 2014 Julia and Winston In Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell presents the protagonist, Winston Smith and his lover Julia in Oceania, under the rule of Big Brother. Under this totalitarian regime, both characters are Party members. Winston works in the Records department of the Ministry of Truth while Julia works in the Fiction department of the Ministry of Truth.

    Read More

  • Idioms In George Orwell's Politics And The English Language

    836 Words  | 4 Pages

    Idioms An idiom is a phrase or a fixed expression having a figurative, or sometimes literal, meaning. Categorized as formulaic language, an idiom 's figurative meaning is different from the literal meaning. In linguistics, idioms are presumed to be figures of speech contradicting the principle of compositionality.

    Read More

  • George Orwell Use Of Propaganda In The Novel 1984

    1052 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Party is working on their Newspeak dictionaries. Newspeak is a limited language, intending to include only words that the Party deems acceptable and which works for their prerogative. When speaking about the Newspeak dictionary to Winston,

    Read More

  • Allusion To Shakespeare In 1984 By George Orwell

    101 Words  | 1 Pages

    In 1984, George Orwell allusion to Shakespeare is intentional. Shakespeare comprises on the complexities of feeling and the ambiguities that exist inside of the human quandary. Shakespeare composes of a world where there is finished disunity and a feeling of complexity in everything human. In 1984, it is not the same world of the Big Brother, there is less freedom and human achievements. Shakespeare depicts our current reality on which sad collisions build what it intends to be mankind.

    Read More

  • How Does Orwell Use Language In 1984

    421 Words  | 2 Pages

    By limiting the vocabulary, Newspeak is essentially “unintelligible” and hence controls the people’s understanding of the real world. Orwell emphasises that language is of utmost importance as it structures and limits the ideas individuals are capable of formulating and expressing. In 1984, language is used as a ‘mind control tool’. The party slogan, “war is peace, freedom is

    Read More

  • Satire In George Orwell's 1984

    513 Words  | 3 Pages

    In George Orwell’s 1984, a future totalitarian government is presented to the audience with the heavy use of satire. This government serves two purposes: mocking Communism and demonstrating the effects of government control on its citizens and society. Through his ominous tone, Orwell satirizes the relationship between citizens and members of government authority. He portrays O’Brien as Winston’s friend, rather than his enemy.

    Read More

  • Proles In George Orwell's 1984

    853 Words  | 4 Pages

    In 1984, a dystopian novel written by George Orwell, proles are represented as being generally incompetent in the ability to think and rebel against their stolen rights. However, as the story progresses, Winston comes to a realization that proles are the only ones with the character of human beings and the strength to gain consciousness to overthrow the party. Through this characterization of the proles, Orwell satirizes the detrimental effects of Stalin’s totalitarian government in employing total control and perpetual surveillance of the people in USSR to maintain an established hierarchy. The nature of how the system views the proles is clearly visible through the treatment and description of the proles in the eyes of Winston.

    Read More

  • Language And Thought In George Orwell's 1984

    1563 Words  | 7 Pages

    Language and thought were always seen as two different processes, where thought was always taken as the main process. Language was just seen as means of communication, a process of expressing our thoughts to other people, and so, a thought came first, which means that language was developed as that thought was put to words. But then, we later realized that the way a person speaks affects the way they think, and that people of different languages think in different ways. That is why in George Orwell’s 1984, the INGSOC Party used language to manipulate and eradicate personal thought for political purposes; they developed a new language called Newspeak, with the intention and aim of obtaining total control and make any other thought impossible. The Party’s replacement of Oldspeak by Newspeask made many thought words impossible and was therefore used as a mechanism of control.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Language In 1984 By George Orwell

    1413 Words  | 6 Pages

    In Politics and the English Language, Orwell writes, “In certain types of writing, particularly in art criticism and literary criticism, it is normal to come across long passages which are almost completely lacking in meaning. Words like romantic, plastic, values, human, dead, sentimental, natural, vitality, as used in art criticism, are strictly meaningless, in the sense that they not only do not point to any discoverable object, but are hardly ever expected to do so by the reader” (Language that Manipulates, 238). Orwell asks the reader to evaluate a scenario in order to point out one or more of the ways society takes words for granted. Orwell carefully exaggerates the issue of vocabulary apprehension and usage, thereby drawing light to the impending consequences of a seemingly small societal issue.

    Read More

More about Euphemism In George Orwell's 1984

Open Document