1984 Happiness Essay

Mahatma Gandhi one defined happiness as “when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Barring any better definition of happiness from either positive psychologists, self-help gurus, or any other academic source, I tend to think this is a great summation of the definition of happiness. Gandhi doesn’t say anything about how these things make you feel, rather looks at it from a point of view of harmony between thoughts, expressions, and actions. Since one single accepted definition of happiness doesn’t seem to exist, and happiness is different for everyone, this begs the question; how can you increase your own personal level of happiness?

“1984” is an imaginary novel wrote by George Orwell in 1949. The novel takes place in a fictional country called Oceania. In 1984, the society is a mess in the control of the “big brother”, people are leveled by three three classes: the upper class party, the middle outer class party, and the lower class proles. But the lower class make up 85 per cent of the people in Oceania. Winston is a outer class party member working for the “big brother”. This novel uses Winston as an example to show how the “big brother” takes the control by mind, manipulation and technology.

Success is extremely coveted in the society, however on the path to success, obstacles will stand in the way. Failure is inevitable and the response of an individual towards these obstacles and the failures in their lives determines whether or not they will have success. Failure gives allowance to learn from mistakes and motivates to do better the next time. The Pursuit of Happyness uses lighting, music and camera angles to give viewers an insight into Chris’ journey through the film demonstrating his resiliency, optimism and loving personality. Filmmaker, Gabriele Muccino, uses the protagonist, Chris’ final triumph to illustrate the significance of failure in achieving success.

In the final section of the book, he admits ruefully that they got him a long time ago, and goes on to assert that “the choice for mankind lay between freedom and happiness, and for the great bulk of mankind, happiness was better.” The discourses of O’Brien in this last section strip bare not just the methods but the motives and the intentions of the totalitarian regime that seks power for its own sake. Winston is not just defeated and destroyed but completely metamorphosed in the ministry of Love. As O’Brien promises him, “ ‘Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never again will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves.’ ”(p.206)

People travel through life with what seems like a single goal: to be happy. This may seem like a selfish way to live, however this lone objective is the motivation behind nearly all actions. Even seemingly selfless deeds make people feel better about themselves. That warm feeling experienced while doing charitable acts can be described as happiness. But what is authentic happiness? There is an endless possibility of answers to this question, and man seems to be always searching for the solution. Although one may reach his or her goals, there is always still something one strives for in order to be happy. In the book Stumbling on Happiness, Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert takes the reader through

He ultimately feels alienated by her. He also has no family left. The disappearance of his parents and sister were most likely caused by the “Party”. This fuels his hatred for the “Party”, and pushes him away from the thought of having a “Big Brother”. Having no close family of friends causes Winston to believe that he is different from everyone which is alienation.

Even though Winston contributed to committing acts against the government that are quite courageous, it was all in a discrete manner. Instead of engaging in an open revolt, Winston’s sexual escapades with Julia and journal entries were in secrecy and remote locations that were never repeated twice, also in the room provided by Mr.Charrington. I interpreted Winston’s approach to act in confidence from everyone around him out of the fear of the reactions of people during the two minute hate, telescreens, hidden microphones, and brainwashed, spying neighbours outing you at the first open moment to save themselves very cowardice rather than make an open revolt. The open revolt would have spoken actions of a hero, “ordinary people doing whatever they can to change social systems that do not respect human decency, even with the knowledge that they can’t possibly succeed”. Basically even if Winston’s public revolt to get others to go against rather than conform to the Party’s laws and live in fear didn’t succeed, it would have been the effort that counts for what a hero would do to better a country, people, or even the world. The fear Winston felt and had thought of in the back of his mind that he mentioned all kept him regretting the actions he took part in.

In the novel 1984, written by George Orwell, “Big Brother” is the face of the party in control of the dystopian society of Oceania. Big Brother plays the role of what might be considered the most important character in the novel; without this character, the government would have much less control over the public. It is because of Big Brother that Winston and Julia get themselves a private apartment, and it is also because of Big Brother that they get caught later in the novel. He is shown to be “larger than life” as Winston Smith is told that Big Brother exists as the embodiment of the party, and can never die. In a sense, Big Brother symbolizes the party

Totalitarianism, derived from a society which proceeds without cautiousness towards governmental power, can induce many limitations among citizens and every aspect of their lives including individualism. In George Orwell’s 1984, the artificiality of the dystopian country influenced the protagonist of the novel, Winston Smith, to try and deceive the government in any way possible. Winston and many others view individuality as immensely important, but a large challenge to achieve due to the diminished hope evident in dystopia. Hope is prominent among Winston in his actions towards the totalitarian government, referred to as Big Brother, throughout the novel. From the beginning of the novel when readers are introduced to a dismal setting to

Happiness: a Human Disease -- An Examination of the Allegorical Theme of Existentialism in the Happy Man

All of which brings us to Winston desires and the creature with whom he simultaneously has the relationship that makes his miserable, isolated life worthwhile and the "opeless

In George Orwell’s 1984 Power is gained most effectively through control, fear and violence. Compared to a government like that of America’s, 1984 creates a more threatening structure of government where the public is limited from freedom and happiness. 1984 shows a world of a society where only the upper class has power and freedom from the harsh treatment that the general population receives. The idea of Big Bother makes the population of Oceania believe they are being watched over by a powerful force and oppresses them so they feel powerless and unable to do anything against a “great” force like Big Brother. The well-being of others depends on their willingness to agree with Big Brother and abide by their laws, if you think otherwise then you will be an accuser of thought-crime will be vaporized and removed from society or harshly punished through rigorous treatment and torture methods as was Winston and Julia. Power creates problems for others in which they do not deserve.

1984, by George Orwell, explores the balance of happiness and freedom in human society through the use of Julia, Winston, and the Party. Julia's belief that the government tries to prevent pleasure by restricting freedom differentiates her passion for pleasure from Winston’s craving for freedom. Though Winston himself values freedom over happiness, he lives under the assumption that the Party would claim to govern with the intent to protect the people from reality by placing more value in happiness. Conversely, he does not believe the Party does this in practice sighting all the misery as evidence, but that they would justify

In 1984 people are ruled by their fear of a terrible group of people known as The Party; these people have created an image of a man known as Big Brother, a ‘man’ who will punish without mercy or care. These people view Big Brother in a fearing manner, because of this people are practically mindless animals, doing work without a second thought. This leads people like Winston, the main character, to try to oust They Party from their power. When Winston tries to do so he is caught, and tortured; this shows the true cowardice of The Party, of people who control others through fear and hate for fear of losing control.

The year 1988 was filled with a variety mixed emotions. There were moments when people fell into depression from losing their loved ones, but also moments of happiness because of large achievements that have been reached. Airplane, train, and helicopter crashes played a major role in the depressing portion of the year, but the death of many famous people and the tropical storms that took place in Rio De Janeiro was also included. Some of the happier moments from 1988 were when Barry Sander’s won the Heisman Trophy during his junior in college, and when scientist found a fossil that dated back 390 million years ago.