Upwards of 90% of women are displeased with their bodies and shift towards dieting to achieve their preferred body shape. From ancient times to modern day, societies have created ideals for individuals to strive to achieve, and George Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, is no exception. The government in the novel requires conformity among its population and manipulates its citizens to believe that an individual can only succeed if he/she follows the official rules set by the leaders of the society. In modern society, popular media depicts a perfect woman, for example, as thin and beautiful. From stereotypes to body image, the publishing and entertainment industries offer an image of perfection that makes us believe if we are not their definition …show more content…
One clear example of the conflict of manipulation appears in George Orwell’s famous piece of literature, 1984. In the novel, although a few members of the society are rebellious to the Government’s controversial plans, many are unaware about their questionable rules. The government has complete control over everything in the society, and that is not even an exaggeration. One example of this type of manipulation appears numerous times in the beginning chapters of the book: “War is Peace, Freedom is slavery, Ignorance is strength.” (Orwell 4). This slogan was created by the government in the book, and although it is obvious that these statements are invalid in our modern world, the citizens would not know this because they are being manipulated constantly by their own authority. The government makes all these slogans and rules and displays them through technology and in public so the entire population will notice its demands and be forced to follow all of them through fear. Although we believe this absurd, if people stop to think, it’s not much of a stretch from our modern world, as some countries use propaganda to try to communicate their ideas to their population. For example, in a recent North Korean video sent to its public, they attempt to depict that Americans eat snow and live birds while a large majority of the population is struggling to survive, (Stanley 1), and what is really unsettling …show more content…
Young children are taught not to label people and assume ideas because of their differences, but stereotypes have a powerful impact that we are unable to control. An article from 2011 observed the different stereotypes of men and women depicted in TV commercials, and the contrasts were quite different. The article stated that women are usually either shown as housewives with their biggest life issue at the moment was what type of food to serve for her family, or they are shown as sexy, seducing and care-free women with no self dignity and are every man’s
Manipulation is something that has embedded itself into society. Much of our lives are and can be manipulated whether we know it or not. In most examples the people who are being manipulated are being manipulated by the ones that they trust the most. Many times use of fear to cause mass hysteria is often invoked. In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible characters take advantage of fear in order to manipulate fellow townspeople and gain an advantage in their community.
Bordo’s primary target audience are females, teenagers and possibly even advertising companies, where she too, creates an effective argument. Bordo claims we are influenced by media to believe that it is imperative to achieve the “slender ideal body” and reflects on how dieting has become normalized. She states “In the late nineteenth century, by contrast, the practices of body management begin to be middle-class preoccupations, and concern with diet becomes attached to the pursuit of an idealized physical body weight or shape” (Bordo 484). Bordo discusses the associations that have been created regarding body weight.
In the entertaining article “Turning Boys Into Girls”, Michelle Cottle enlightens the readers of how unrealistic depictions in media and advertisements are increasing men’s attention to self image in order to show the damaging effects media has when targeting the insecurities of men and women. Michelle Cottle utilizes relatable language to inform the readers of the effects the media has on men’s body image and how it “levels the playing field” for women. Cottle writes words like “beef-cake” and “whippersnappers” to appeal to younger males. The word choice implements a conversational tone that youth will find easier to relate to. She targets young men and boys to reinforce how damaging media and advertisements are.
In “’But Those Are for Boys!’ : Advertising’s Role in Naturalizing Harmful Female Stereotypes” published in the Arak Journal, Women and Gender Studies major Naomi Major is strongly concerned with toy advertising that generalizes boys and girls, in a way that portrays both genders as “two separate, homogeneous groups with contrasting interest.” Naomi expresses her concern by insisting that toy corporations produce products that promote domesticity, and materialism in girls. She argues that it is problematic because it negatively impacts the aspirations and future life hoods of many young females.
Koyie Waples Melton/Schulze British Literature 28 March 2018 Manipulation and Control via the Government in 1984 In a unique dystopia created in the world of 1984, George Orwell establishes a totalitarian government that watches and psychologically manipulates its citizens to be mere pawns. Although there is a Big Brother constantly watching over everyone’s shoulder and influencing them, there are still those who desire nothing more than freedom. This is where the main character comes in, Winston Smith, a man who works for the Ministry of Truth, which is a government run organization that changes and alters history. Winston is tired of the mundane life that he lives, and is already rebeling in his own way by keeping a personal diary that
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.
In 1984, George Orwell depicts the outcome of the implementation of totalitarianism and communism in society. The main protagonist, Winston, resides in Oceania, one of the three nations in the novel, with the other being Eurasia and Eastasia. The Party, short for the “English Socialist Party,” rules with totalitarianism and expects absolute compliance from the people. Written shortly after the Second World War, 1984 describes a government inspired by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. The conclusion of the same war ushered in the Polish People’s Republic, and the nation became a communist single-party state led by the PUWP, an acronym for the Polish United Workers’ Party.
This negative portrayal leads to self-hatred and a negative self-image for women. A major point of this is the idea of excessive thinness for women, which the advertising industry is dominantly influencing how women need to meet this standard. Kilbourne argues that advertising and the media cause women to believe this is the only standard and we must meet it. A recent advertisement in Glamour magazine for Kashi cereal “GoLEAN Crunch”, is a great example of how women are represented and materialized in today’s society. This advertisement supports and contradicts Kilbourne’s argument that advertisers depict women as powerless, in-shape and perfectly beautified to meet the standard created by the media.
In a world where thought is monitored, and actions are watched continuously by neighbors, strangers, and cameras, the conflicts that exist in that type of world are astronomical. This is the type of world that the main character of George Orwell?s book 1984, Winston Smith, lives his life in. So it is no surprise that Winston faces many forms of conflict, mainly within the range of character vs. character and character vs. society. Winston Smith faces many challenges within this novel, starting with the external challenges posed by other characters. One of the most prominent conflicts in this storyline in the beginning, was Winston?s conflict with Julia.
To give one example of manipulation, Flannery O'Connor, Georgia State author of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find", writes that "You wouldn't shoot a lady, would you?"(421). The grandmother is trying to make the misfit vulnerable, even though he has already killed everyone but her. She's begging the misfit for her life. Every one of those people would still be alive if it was not for the grandmother. She did not have much hope left anyways for her life because she annoyed the misfit with her ugly and selfish ways.
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.
Have you ever thought about why women were depicted in media as those who wash clothes, do the dishes, clean the house, cook food, or were shown in any traditional female occupations? They were also objectified as material for sex because of their physical attractiveness and sex appeal, showing them wearing revealing clothes for cigarette and alcohol advertisements. How about men who were depicted as those who hold positions of authority, a hard worker or those who receive the attention of a woman? These were examples of gender depictions that we can observe every day in media, particularly on television commercials. Gender depictions, as one of the principal topics of this paper, are embedded in any context, particularly in media.
Governmental Gaslighting There is no country or state with a perfect government. There are always flaws or corruption in their system no matter how utopic they may seem. In the novel 1984, George Orwell demonstrates how in Oceania’s dystopian society the manipulation of history and the use of a higher being, Big Brother, to promote themselves made their propaganda extremely effective. Changing their nation's history and messing with society's sense of time made it easier for the government to deceive its citizens.
From an early age, we are exposed to the western culture of the “thin-ideal” and that looks matter (Shapiro 9). Images on modern television spend countless hours telling us to lose weight, be thin and beautiful. Often, television portrays the thin women as successful and powerful whereas the overweight characters are portrayed as “lazy” and the one with no friends (“The Media”). Furthermore, most images we see on the media are heavily edited and airbrushed
The representation of gender in mass communications has been a hugely debated topic for years and will continue to be one for many more years to come. The media plays a big role in how they want to portray a gender to the public. They create certain stereotypes through the role of a gender in order to attract a large audience and interest to sell a product, brand or image. Media is so important in today’s society, people spend hours and hours each day watching TV, browsing the Internet and reading magazines. There are so many images of men and women in the media today that it certainly has an impact on the viewer’s thoughts and sense of identity.