Examples Of Manipulation In 1984 By George Orwell

Throughout history, power has grown to develop absolute control, leading superior individuals and groups to manipulate their people for selfish gain. After World War II, the disillusionment Orwell felt led him to write 1984, a novel that depicts a strict dystopian world. Citizens in 1984 were led by The Party, a government that manages to regulate its people. Winston Smith, the protagonist, is an ambitious man harboring resentment and dreams of rebellion against the protocols imposed upon the citizens. Throughout the novel, Orwell conveys how totalitarian governments use surveillance and the erasure of history to manipulate citizens, similar to the manipulation of social media today.
The Telescreen is an instrument used by the Party to observe

Orwell introduces a device called memory holes, which was used to delete documents and other significant information that went against the Party. He states that “when one knew that any document was due for destruction… it was an automatic action to lift the flap of the nearest memory hole and drop it” (Orwell 37). Any inconveniences noticed by the Party were permanently erased, impacting the things citizens were able to conceive. By doing this, citizens are never able to recognize the dystopian side of Oceania. They are obligated to accept the brutal, insignificant changes that the Party makes. In addition, O’Brien, who Winston imagined allying with, reveals himself as a member of the Thought Police. The Thought Police were people who punished those who had thoughts of overturning the Party. Winston gets caught while planning to overturn the government, forcing O’Brien to reveal that “‘We, the Party, control all records, and we consider all memories’” (Orwell 248). Winston is faced with the truth of how he and other citizens are monitored physically and mentally. This type of dominance prevents citizens from having their own opinions, demonstrating how effective deleting records and memories were. After manipulating records, it serves as fake news for the citizens, as they believe information that only benefits the higher class citizens. As a result, people in Oceania are compelled

Through Telescreens, the Party leaders are able to spread information and watch their citizens. People are forced to believe what the Party expects them to, as historical information and memories are constantly deleted. Today, social media is one of the strategies used to maintain control over citizens. These services inspect the behavior of users to keep them on their platform. Through these methods, companies have millions of users under control which leads to success in their growth. Many are still seen desiring control as it symbolizes power, allowing a feeling of superiority. Orwell’s imagination of a dystopian world has already started to advance through the impact of technology, illustrating the reality of society