Grace Edwards 4/4/23 Period 2 English 10 H 1984 Final The strength it takes to follow society is minimal, but the strength to create change is unbearable. In George Orwell’s 1984, Oceania is harshly watched and controlled by, what they call “the party” or “big brother,” a profoundly communist government that allows for no individuality or even freedom is thought/speech. Due to this controlling society, my advertisement allows Winston to promote awareness of the party’s power and control over everyone in society.
In the book 1984, Winston’s “safe haven” is the idea of rebellion. Whether it is him dreaming of it, seeing Julia, or writing in his diary, he takes comfort in whatever act he can take against the Party. Much of the narrative has to do with Winston’s thought process. It is not an objective approach to the situation, and is therefore full of personality and opinion. Winston’s hopes and dreams of rebellion become a crucial part of the text, adding insight as well as limiting perspective to that of only one character.
Although America in the 21st century is developing similar dystopian qualities to the fictional society within George Orwell’s novel 1984, the dystopian qualities of constant surveillance, news modification, and dehumanized state demonstrate how dystopian qualities can exist within the United States without becoming problematic. The United States of America passed the Patriot Act because of the government’s obligation to itself and others to become a safer place from both internal and external threats, showing striking similarities to George Orwell’s 1984 where citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance. After being apprehended and locked inside the Ministry of Love for conspiring against the Party, it was made aware to Winston that “for seven years … there was no physical act, no word spoken aloud, that [The Thought Police] had not noticed, no train of thought that they had not been able to infer” (Orwell 276). The secrecy and power of the Thought Police to monitor Winston’s activities is frightening and demonstrates the fear inhabitants of Oceania live under.
Many a literary critic claims that the strongest aspect of the book 1984 by George Orwell is its plot. Indeed, there is some merit in this conclusion, as the entire purpose of Orwell’s writing of this book was not to create a literary classic, but to warn the public about the dangers of communism if it got out of hand, and what better way to do this than to write an engaging plot? Others may claim that 1984’s greatest strength is in its character development. This aspect, too, is quite strong in the book, as not only are the minor characters effected in serving the dystopian theme, but the major characters are believable and very human in their failings. Winston’s transformation from an oppressed office worker to revolutionary and finally
The party hides the truth to “starve the public of the concepts needed to think about the present, remember the past, and consider the future” (Snyder 61). Truth is a needed continuous element that shouldn’t succumb to control. However, when the truth itself is not consistent because it is always being changed and falsified, it is hard to make sense of reality. At Winston’s job, he rewrote history to fit the agenda of the party, so his concept of the truth is twisted. Winston grapples with his understanding of the truth many times.
In George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984," the protagonist Winston embodies both hero and anti-hero qualities, challenging traditional definitions of heroism. While he displays traits such as bravery, selflessness, and a desire for freedom, his rebellious actions against the Party's principles also position him as an anti-hero. By exploring additional facets of Winston's character, we can gain a deeper understanding of the complexities that make him defy easy categorization. Winston's bravery extends beyond mere defiance; it lies in his pursuit of truth and his unwavering determination to challenge the Party's indoctrination. Despite living in a society that actively suppresses independent thought and expression, Winston dares to question
Text Response Essay 1984 by George Orwell George Orwell’s 1984 follows Winston Smith, an individual who lives within a totalitarian society following rules set out by a dictatorship party. 1984 follows Winston’s story as he sets out to rebel against the party, he is a part of. Key theme found in the text is ‘desire to escape’ and an occurring language feature is ‘simile.’ Winston Smith is an intellectual character, it is shown in the text when Winston says, “When there is equality, there can be sanity.”
As noted by the Party,“Who controls the past, controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.” exemplifies an example of what the government wanted; control over the future. Thoughts and language were just some of the everyday rights that were censored and rewritten for the government’s benefit. Winston knew of the censorship and propaganda the government was throwing at the public. “Big Brother is watching” remained a constant reminder of the one in control.
To satisfy the learning outcome of the Part 4: “Analyse elements such as theme and the ethical stance or moral values of literary text”, I wrote a speech as Winston, the protagonist, of 1984 by George Orwell. Winston gives the speech just before Thought-police catches him in the book 2, chapter 10. Therefore, the context is the same dystopian society as in the work itself although the message of the speech is actual even nowadays or in the late 1940s when the work was written. In the speech, Winston refers to the message of the author about the danger of dystopian society, reality control, class struggle and the importance of freedom, showing my knowledge on the thematic level as well as the social significance of the work.
The people of these two dystopias live under similar yet contrasting circumstances. But whether it be by burning books or altering memories, one message these authors were trying to spread prevails: there is nothing more dangerous than the human mind and what lies within it. 1984 follows Winston Smith, victim of the totalitarian
Throughout 1984, Winston is forced to confront a society which rejects the central tenets of humanity and independent thought, and which presides over society through the dissemination of propaganda. Orwell’s novel explores the dangers of totalitarian government and absolute control and is a prophetic tale of power and control that must be heeded in modern times. Totalitarianism is employed to grant absolute power to the Party and ensure the deference of the
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.
George Orwell’s novel Nineteen Eighty-Four depicts a dystopian totalitarian society and explores the interlinking concepts of time, memory and history through the examination of the ability to manipulate by censoring information and via propaganda. It also examines the power of memory and history in influencing and controlling people’s lives. This essay will explore these themes through the disillusioned protagonist Winston and his life under dictator rule. In the novel the Party controls every aspect of their citizen’s lives. They tell them what to think, how to behave and who to love all through the help of the Ministries of Truth, Peace and Love.
In his dystopian novel 1984, George Orwell presents the dismal quality of life under a totalitarian government to illustrate the lack of control individuals have over their existence. Individuality is controlled and influenced by society as a whole. The pervasive influence of societal expectations blurs the line between personal desire and expected aspirations perpetuated by cultural norms. This places a strain on Winston’s relationship with his wife Katharine, as he struggles with her contradictory attitude towards sex. He recalls how “as soon as he touched her she seemed to wince and stiffen,” and describes her as “a jointed wooden image”(Orwell 66).
The novel 1984 by George Orwell reveals the destruction of all aspects of the universe. Orwell envisioned how he believes life would be like if a country were taken over by a totalitarian figure. Nineteen eighty-four effectively portrays a totalitarian style government, in which elected representatives maintain the integrity of a nation with very little citizen participation in the decision-making process of the legislative body. Although the authors ideas are inherently and completely fictional, several concepts throughout his book have common links to today’s society which is somehow a realist perspective. Orwell integrates devices such as irony, satire, and motifs to illustrate the life unfulfilling life of Winston Smith.
