In the novel 1984, written by George Orwell, the government of Oceania controlled the citizens through a variety of ways, one of the most important being psychological manipulation. 1984, written in the perspective of a man named Winston, told a story of a dystopian society where the nonexistence of privacy lived primal and the society lived in a state of everything, almost everything, being controlled. The man, named Winston, did not agree with the way the government psychologically manipulated people into doing what they wanted. For example, the slogan “WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” (page 4) manipulated the society’s citizens into believing things that were not true. Many other examples of psychological manipulation …show more content…
Most of the citizens that lived in Oceania seemed hypnotized and under the control of the government through psychological manipulation. Some, however, like Emmanuel Goldstein, didn’t agree with the way the government did its bidding. Emmanuel Goldstein had risen to power as a member of the Inner Party of Oceania’s government. The Inner Party of the government of Oceania made Goldstein a powerful figure in the government, instead he had other plans. “Goldstein had been one of the leading figures of the Party, almost on a level with Big Brother himself, and then engaged in counterrevolutionary activities, had been condemned to death, and had mysteriously escaped and disappeared.” (Page 12) As seen by this quote, Goldstein rebelled against the government while in a high government position. The citizens of Oceania began to realize that something was not right with the way the government worked. Goldstein seemed to have realized the government psychologically manipulating the …show more content…
Thought Police, Thought Crime, and Face Crime gave great examples of the topic of psychological manipulation that occurred in the novel. The illusion that nowhere remained safe to live a private life and one’s self being watched was given by these topics. This made the citizens of Oceania scared to show what they truly felt about the government or the society itself or even local things that happen. The citizens then did not want to question anything in fear of
In 1949, an author by the name of George Orwell decided to put the tragedies that were happening in real life onto paper to create a frightening story that would haunt several generations. In the thrilling dystopian novel 1984, tells of a story of a new world that is filled with manipulation, fear, control, and a brainwashed public. This world depicts a government who is everywhere, sees everything, and controls every aspect of every person's life. Not only is the government controlling the public, but they are also in the media. Mainly the news being the source of manipulation, many stories get rewritten and several words get cut out of the news every day.
In George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984, we follow Winston Smith through the challenges of society controlled by the Party; he echoes a warning not to lose your freedom to a higher power. Orwell accomplishes this with many rhetorical devices found in both the book and the current presidential election. Reality control is used to maintain authority over society. In 1984, while Winston is imprisoned in the Ministry of Love, the party slogan,”Who controls the past controls the future.
Aldous Huxley’s text, Brave New World, will leave you questioning your perspective on life and it’s choices. Within the novel, curious readers can see that government control over all in an attempt to create a utopia, can sometimes have a counter effect, creating a dystopia. Wielding it’s tool of conformity, The World State has forced its ideology into the minds of its people at a young age, in hopes of avoiding rebellion. In many ways this is how our society functions in the real world. The genre of Huxley's text may be fiction, but the society fabricated in Brave New World may not be so fictional after all.
In George Orwell’s novel, 1984, Orwell conveys the theme of conformity though his diction, and through his depiction of the “fixing process” employed by the government. After every governmental message in the novel, Big Brother, the leader of Oceania, states the country’s slogan of “War Is Peace, Freedom Is Slavery, Ignorance Is Strength.” (Orwell, 16). Orwell’s diction in this slogan is used to essentially list the characteristics of a conformed society, showing that they do not have free thought, are ignorant towards governmental flaws, and believe that what they are doing is for a good cause. As O’Brien is “fixing” Winston, he has Winston to believe that when he is holding up four fingers, “there are five fingers there.”
Do people really follow the beliefs of a government or are they forced to follow the beliefs? How could this shape the way a government is run? Some may argue that governments always do what is best for the people. Although this may sound like the right thing to do governments do not always follow that way. In the novel 1984, by George Orwell, an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic, the psychological state of manipulation and fear are explored.
Oceania, where war is peace, slavery is freedom, and ignorance is strength. In this dystopian society the majority is controlled by the minority and they have complete authority over not only the people but the past future and their minds. Oceania does many things to control the minds and actions of its population. These issues include the hiding of history, the creation of enemies, and the control through silencing and tricking the people.
Physical versus Psychological tactics in 1984 Is it possible that the nursery rhyme “Sticks and Stones” is a common misconception? The children’s rhyme states that “ 'Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me”. Although sticks and stones may break bones, the bones usually heal. However, words can have a lifetime impact on people. In 1984, slogans and manipulation of language scar citizens more than the Party’s physical control.
The people of Oceania blame their enemies for their problems. Whenever there is a problem like low resources the people, also known as the proles, start blaming others over their own government. For example during hate week a orator was giving a speech and had to change who Oceania was at war with in the middle of the speech. The proles then started tearing down all the anti- Eurasia signs saying that it was sabotage by Emmanuel Goldstein’s agents or spies from Eastasia. “The next moment there was a tremendous commotion.
George Orwell’s 1984 has resonated with many who have experienced first-hand what life is like under a dictator. The novel describes how everything is controlled and monitored by the government and how even mere thoughts can be detected by ThoughtPolice. Readers get to experience Oceania’s system of ruling through the eyes of an Outer Party member, Winston Smith. At first, Winston is adamant to destroy The Party and its figurative leader Big Brother, but eventually is captured and converted into a lover of Oceania’s system of government. Children, although not playing a significant role in this book, are mentioned as devious little spies.
Government Manipulation in 1984 People generally rely on the government as a source of protection and stability. However, the government does not always have the citizens’ best interests in mind, as shown in 1984. The government has the power to distort realities and the ability to detect the truth. They can manipulate, or influence people’s minds without them even knowing. George Orwell’s 1984 uses a futuristic dystopia to show how the government is able to manipulate human values through the use of fear.
1984’s Oceania was a fictional place, but it had shocking similarities to a place all too real. The USSR or the Soviet Union is the real life Oceania. 1984’s Oceania was similar to the USSR in many ways. The USSR and 1984’s Oceania both used many form of propaganda to insure fear within the people, keeping them civil. Both the USSR and Oceania were also known to kidnap anyone who went against their government, through their secret police.
In the novel 1984, by George Orwell, he uses truth and reality as a theme throughout the novel to demonstrate the acts of betrayal and loyalty through the characters of Winston and Julia. Orwell expresses these themes through the Party, who controls and brainwashes the citizens of Oceania. The party is able to control its citizens through “Big Brother,” a fictional character who is the leader of Oceania. Big Brother is used to brainwash the citizens into whatever he says. Orwell uses truth and reality in this book to reflect on what has happened in the real world such as the Holocaust and slavery.
In Aldous Huxley’s dystopia of Brave New World, he clarifies how the government and advances in technology can easily control a society. The World State is a prime example of how societal advancements can be misused for the sake of control and pacification of individuals. Control is a main theme in Brave New World since it capitalizes on the idea of falsified happiness. Mollification strengthens Huxley’s satirical views on the needs for social order and stability. In the first line of Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, we are taught the three pillars on which the novels world is allegedly built upon, “Community, Identity, Stability" (Huxley 7).
There are numerous physical methods of control they employ. Everyone is under complete surveillance as their every move is watched. The thought police also known as the secret police of Oceania, keep surveillance on the inhabitants of Oceania and physiologically manipulate them by placing telescreens in their homes, devices similar to
The book 1984 describes a totalitarian society where citizens are forced to renounce all liberties for the sake of social order. They are guided by the rule of a single figurehead called Big Brother, whom the they are manipulated to entrust their lives to. This figurehead exercises his powers of governing every aspect of the people 's lives by observing and manipulating the populace. Big Brother also divides his subjects into classes as a means to keep the populace oppressed. Throughout this literary narrative the main character, Winston Smith, struggles to survive in this society as he struggles to fit the conventional mold that is preached.