ipl-logo

George Orwell Politics And The English Language Analysis

1382 Words6 Pages

Perhaps more famous for his literary work, George Orwell should also be renowned as an astute political thinker. In his 1946 essay “Politics and the English Language”, Orwell criticizes the current state of the English language, claiming modern English is full of “bad habits” According to him, such habits consist in the recurrent use of dying metaphors, pretentious diction and meaningless words. Orwell also maintains that the aforesaid habits are even more present in political language, which he characterizes as using too much “euphemism, question-begging, and sheer cloudy vagueness.” Though the essay was written post World War II - and current political language has surely matured and changed since then - Orwell’s essay offers a prudent analysis that is fairly relevant in today’s political scenario as well. One of the point’s Orwell writes about is how the use of euphemism in political speeches and writings serves the purpose of (at least attempting to) cushioning) the audience regarding injurious matters. He states the reason for the use of such euphemism is because “political speech and writing are largely the defence of the indefensible” So when discussing arguments which might sound too brutal or too crass regarding pernicious policies, politicians, not wanting to alienate the public, choose to soften their sentences, thus using euphemisms and vagueness to do so. Orwell follows by giving specific examples, corresponding to when war is called “pacification”, and

Show More
Related

  • A Rhetorical Analysis Of Animal Farm By George Orwell Ap Language

    669 Words  | 3 Pages

    George Orwell appeals to pathos and uses imagery to give a satirical presentation of imperialism, showing it’s negative impact on both those governed and those who govern. Throughout the entire essay, the narrator expresses various feelings of hatred, fear, anxiety, and doubt. He resents the fact that hs is in a position of authority, yet mocked. He resents that he is forced to continue his career despite the fact that he detests British imperialism.

    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

  • How To Read Literature Like A Professor By George Orwell

    1092 Words  | 5 Pages

    Many artists utilize their work to evoke emotion, push political agendas, and spark change. Thomas C. Foster wrote, in his book How to Read Literature Like a Professor, that “writers tend to be men and women who are interested in the world around them. That world contains many things, and on the level of society, part of what it contains is the political reality of the time…” (Foster 122). George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, and Ray Bradbury use their literary works to urge their audiences to be mindful of all-powerful states and rapidly advancing technology.

    Read More

  • 1984 And Brave New World Language Analysis

    1013 Words  | 5 Pages

    Language as a form of mind control in 1984 and Brave New World Although one 's idea of Utopianism is unique to one’s beliefs, the genre of Utopian and Dystopian fiction is commonly tackled in novels, from which the authors convey the idea of a depraved society through detailing inhumane characteristics which would be seen unacceptable to any world citizen. In Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and 1984 by George Orwell authors create tyrannical governments responsible for a set of callous actions such as the eradication of freedom of speech and ideological control over their population’s mentality. These wrongdoings are achieved through the application of methods that obligate people to act as machines, such as the ad campaigns in Brave New World and the implementation of the Newspeak dictionary in 1984. As Orwell creates the ministry of truth as a means to demonstrate the lack of ideological freedom in oceania, Huxley discusses the concept of World Controllers and the use of SOMA as examples of the alienated society of Brave New World.

    Read More

  • 1984 And 1984 Comparative Essay

    508 Words  | 3 Pages

    These circumstances echo the lengths regimes such as Hitler’s Nazi Party and Stalin’s Russian regime went through to maintain control. It is therefore no surprise that Newspeak is an integral political device used in the manipulation of both law + fact. Orwell’s use of Emphatic Spartan diction ‘the chosen lie would pass into the permanent records and become truth” promulgates the obfuscation process that the Party goes through to make history unclear, and thus irrefutable through the lack of evidence and certifiable documentation. EFFECT +

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis Of 1984 By George Orwell

    504 Words  | 3 Pages

    Instead of releasing his anger through rebellion, he realizes that the Party’s ways likely will not be able to be changed. The sly way that the government shapes people’s minds is indicated through Orwell’s use of the word “tacitly” to describe how they block people off from “external reality” (80). Based on this word choice, readers

    Read More

  • Foreshadowing Future Events In George Orwell's '1984'

    887 Words  | 4 Pages

    The rage that the people felt is “an abstract, undirected emotion” of which “The Party” can direct towards anything/one that they want to. Orwell uses this society’s situation to demonstrate how wars can be used as propaganda and how if people are informed about the wars, the government will use their ignorance as an advantage and will be in a continuous state of violence (p.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Devices In Shooting An Elephant

    716 Words  | 3 Pages

    This narrative piece is an effective expository technique that describes the narrator’s thoughts and tone. Orwell uses oxymoron such as “grinning corpse” and paradox phrases such as “the story always sounds clear enough at a distance, but the nearer you get to the scene of events the vaguer it becomes”. Another paradox statement is shown in “I perceived this moment that when the white man turns tyrant it is his own freedom that he destroys”. Orwell’s decisions were briskly altered as he was deciding on whether to kill the elephant or not. His mind altered from “I ought not to shoot him” to “I had got to do it” and also to “But I did not want to shoot the elephant”.

    Read More

  • How Does Squealer Use Propaganda In Animal Farm

    867 Words  | 4 Pages

    But sometimes you might make the wrong decisions, comrades, then where would we be?” (Orwell 21). With the cunning

    Read More

  • George Orwell's Hero Analysis

    924 Words  | 4 Pages

    What is a hero? A hero is someone who has the ability to rise above challenges and is brave enough to sacrifice himself for others. In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, by definition, Winston Smith can be considered the novels hero. This is because of his strength and bravery to go against the party. While reader can admire Winston, they can over exceed his actions.

    Read More

  • Similarities Between 1984 And The Handmaid's Tale

    342 Words  | 2 Pages

    Language is a major themes in both novels “1984” by George Orwell and “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwool. Language are heavily reshape in both novel in order to crave a goal to control individuals. “1984” creates authority over citizens through altering and reducing the English language to its most basic form. To “return” to the root of English, the Party have to eliminate the complexity of the language - synonyms and subtle meaning of words -from the existence of the people minds in the apparent belief that there is no justification from antonyms and ‘shades of meanings’, and only one concept should only subsist . However the true purpose of simplifying language and destroying words is to eliminate concepts that might led to the idealism of rebellion and disobedience; The Party does not want the thoughts of rebellion and disobedience to exist therefore they have to destroy and simplify to a huge extent.

    Read More

  • 1984 Doublethink Analysis

    925 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout the book the slogans of “war is peace, freedom is slavery, [and] ignorance is strength” is a forced acceptance by all citizens (Orwell 16). These particular slogans, that exemplify doublethink, are plastered everywhere. The illogicalness of doublethink completely surrounds the citizens, constantly exposing them to it. The second characteristic of monopoly over mass media is quite evident in Winston 's life. Government employees run the internet, newspapers, and radio/tv announcements.

    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

  • 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

  • George Orwell You And The Atomic Bomb Analysis

    2249 Words  | 9 Pages

    The world felt shocked and wondering after the use of such devastating weaponry and began to wonder what the implications of such weaponry meant for the future. Orwell had experience writing about social injustice and political ideology and presented his qualified opinion on what the ramifications of atomic weaponry. Orwell responds to an emotional situation in a factual and influential way. He supports his opinion that advanced technology, only a few can utilize, creates powerful central powers with examples throughout history. By depicting “the great age of democracy and of national self-determination was the age of the musket and the rifle” and citing how these weapons influenced the American and French revolutions, Orwell supports his argument with factual information (Orwell 5).

    Read More

More about George Orwell Politics And The English Language Analysis

Open Document