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1984 By George Orwell

Decent Essays

Brianna White English 1 Mrs. Hickman 29 November 2016 “Good prose is like a windowpane,” (Orwell). In George Orwell’s novel 1984, he made sure that his message would be a clear warning to future generations. Orwell was a man who disliked authority and in turn wanted to warn his readers about how a tyrannical government could arise and be a detriment to our world (Jurma). He uses 1984 to show the types of damage a tyrannical hierarchy could have and how ordinary people can help to prevent it. Orwell uses different aspects of his novel to show future generations what can happen to a society when their social, political, and cultural life is taken over by a totalitarian state (Grobman). Orwell first mentions how people’s social aspects of …show more content…

During the daily Two Minutes Hate, “he [Goldstein] was abusing Big Brother, denouncing the dictatorship of the Party, advocating freedom of speech…” (15). The people did not know if this information was truthful, but they believed it anyway because they were told to. Orwell is warning people that allowing a figure to control them, results in a person losing control for themselves and everything they stand for. It is as if they are a useless piece of matter that is being operated by someone else. A Party slogan is, “Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past.” (271). The Party believes they have complete control over the minds of their members. Winston tells O’Brien that the past exists ‘In the mind. In human memories.’ (272). Orwell depicts Winston as an outsider in the novel, due to how he believes in something different than his comrades. He refuses to become brainwashed like everyone else, because without his individuality he loses his power. Orwell is warning people to not always go along with everyone else, because it causes people to be stripped of their power and become totally complacent with a higher …show more content…

Everyone has different backgrounds and different views and customs, except for those that are members of the Party. Orwell shows that the Proles, who do not live under the rule of a power hungry political party, have ‘the power to destroy the Party’ (77). They can rise up because they are not forced into having certain beliefs or views. They are what Orwell wants the future to be, in contrast to the Party. “Until they become conscious they will never rebel…,” (78) is what Orwell is trying to tell the future. He wants people to know that they need to be involved in their country and be conscious of things that are going on. He does not want people to lose control over themselves, similar to what happened during his time period (Gerasimov). Winston says “The proles are human beings. We [Party members] are not human.” (180) because their life has meaning. The Proles have families and are allowed to express love to whoever they choose, whenever they want. The people have different cultures and backgrounds, unlike the Party members who are all practically the same, because they are puppets in the Party’s game. Orwell is trying to convince the future that being different and speaking up is okay. The more that people are quiet and follow along with everyone else, the more out of control they

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