In 1949 George Orwell had the mentality to envision the future. Orwell wrote the book 1984 visioning A dystopian society which takes place in Oceania. The government makes sure that everyone has no freedom and every single part of their life can not be controlled by themselves but by the government. Winston Smith is the main character who is against Big Brother.
Totalitarianism in 1984 and the Real World The concept of a totalitarian society is a major theme throughout the novel 1984. This theme of totalitarianism can also be applied to the world today. The definition of totalitarianism, a concept used by some political scientists, is a state which holds total authority over the society and seeks to control all aspects of public and private life wherever possible. Totalitarianism can be related between the novel 1984 and current events in the real world. George Orwell incorporated the theme of totalitarianism into his novel 1984 to display the ever changing world around him during the time it was written.
1984 , a novel based upon a society where there is hardly any privacy. Big Brother has surveillance all over the place so he can keep eyes on every person in Oceania. George Orwell, the author of the novel states about how technology is used for surveillance purposes and getting into people 's personal lives. That is also how our society works as well and we are living in it. Imagine being watched all day and night.
Even though Nineteen Eighty-four and One Flew Over The Cuckoo 's Nest differ in their dystopian society, the two novels carry out their rules in a similar fashion. In the novel Nineteen Eighty-four by George Orwell a dysopian society controlled by a totitalitarianism regime called the Big Brother monitors every aspect of the citizens which reside in Oceania. Below Big Brother are the inner party who limits the freedom of speech, communication, personal belief and individuality and controlls thought, action and speech in various ways. Newspeak is a language the inner party implemented by means of controlling the citizens to prevent them from obtaining individual thought.
The book, 1984 by George Orwell is a fictional story that begins by introducing the main character Winston Smith, who is a low-ranking, Outer Party member of the totalitarianism government Party that controls London. Privacy is a privilege that few individuals know. Nearly every home in Oceania has a telescreen which allows the government to have an inside view of the lives of citizens. Not only this, but posters depicting the symbol of the Big Brother Party are pasted throughout the city to remind people that they are constantly being observed. Oceania is completely government controlled.
Thesis: In George Orwell’s 1984, symbolism of Big Brother is used to illustrate the recurring motif of propaganda used to control reality through the rise of surveillance, ultimately instilling a sense of devotion through fear in the citizens of this totalitarian government. Throughout the novel, these effects result in complete government control, thus illustrating how surveillance ultimately leads to tyranny. Body Paragraph 1: Big Brother is the symbolic figurehead of Oceania, a totalitarian state wherein the Party has complete control over all citizens. The citizens are taught that Big Brother is the leader of the Party, and will administer the torture of anyone who rebels. Winston Smith, the main character of the novel, learns that Big Brother is not a real person, but an invention of the Party that functions as a focus for the citizen’s inherent feelings of fear and terror.
In 1984, Orwell paints a nightmarish picture of a totalitarian system gone to the absolute extreme. He believed that totalitarianism and the corruption of language were connected and he integrated it into the novel by using language as the ultimate weapon of destruction. Big Brother uses the power of language to oppress, persuade and control the people of Oceania. The official language of Oceania is Newspeak, which the party use to control its subjects and outlaw subversive thoughts.
According to The Merriam Webster Dictionary, the definition of totalitarianism is “a system of government in which the ruler has unlimited power (Merriam-Webster).” The unscrupulous, deceitful government portrayed in George Orwell’s 1984 is an example of this kind of regime.. During his lifetime during the early 20th century, Orwell lived to see the rise of many all-powerful governments. The influential writer devoted himself and dedicated his work to the cause of socialism. In his most persuasive work, George Orwell uses a totalitarian government in that may be compared to numerous existing and inactive governments to alert individuals about the dangers of total conformity.
Eric Wills Themes Easily, the largest theme that comes through in 1984 from start to finish is psychological control is the way to a totalitarian government. By controlling the minds of the people who are in their country, they can keep everyone in check with no chance of revolution. The Party, or the main government has a motto. It goes, “Those who control the past, control the future: who controls the present controls the past.” (32).
In George Orwell’s novel 1984 Orwell gives the reader a preview of a negative utopia. Big Brother, being the Government of Oceania holds all the power. Orwell conveys Big Brother to the Governments today. Orwell also shows the reader to rethink how their government is being run and or if they 're having too much power. Orwell makes the reader realize that their government has power it should not be having.
In Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, Big Brother is able to utilize technology, primarily the telescreen to reinforce, punish and surveil dissenters. In addition, Big Brother uses the memory hole, speakwrites, and as well as hidden microphones across the city. Wouldn’t you think that’s too much power for one person to have, as well as the ability to have thoughtpolice watch you as well as your facial expressions to secure total control. Well, Big Brother uses all of this to secure control over comrades.
Alice Walker once said, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” Walker’s quote accurately describes George Orwell’s overall atmosphere in 1984, which is depressing, dark, and lonely. Orwell first creates suspense in the novel by leaving the readers questioning what is going to happen to Winston Smith, the protagonist. Secondly, he uses descriptive imagery to show the complete control the Party has over its members.
In 1984, Orwell creates a dystopian world where everyone is constantly being monitored and watched. There are cameras in every room, and even their thoughts aren’t private. If a person so much as thinks about committing a crime, the thought police can catch them and bring them to Ministry of Love where they will be punished. The government, also known as Big Brother, is so corrupt in this society that they have full control over people, places, history, books, and everything else. Language plays a big part in this domination.
In the world of Oceania, the government controls every aspect of their citizens lives. In this totalitarian state, the ‘party’ wants ultimate power over every one of it’s citizens. They control the past, present and future. To maintain this status, through very extreme means they make sure to remove any possibility of citizens rebelling against the government. With methods of manipulation and reality control, the people of Oceania have weak perceptions of reality and can not have the ability to decipher what is reality and what is not.