Dystopian novels are written in order to prove a point, to communicate an important message, and to bring attention to a problem in society. In order to create a convincing argument, the use of rhetorical devices is critical. In 1984, George Orwell’s purpose was to demonstrate how certain restrictions on language can damage thoughts through creating a totalitarianism “future” community. When writing A Brave New World, Aldous Huxley’s purpose was to warn the world about the dangers of scientific and technological advancements and how they disrupt humanity. Both authors manipulated literary devices in order to achieve their purpose. Although Aldous Huxley communicates his purpose well, Orwell’s use of words, symbolism, and imagery back his idea more effectively and can be used to judge the two novels on.
An Author’s use of words is necessary for creating a sufficient meaning. George Orwell’s use of “newspeak”, an altered and more simple version of the English language, is emphasized within 1984 to mask the truth and mislead the public. Orwell shows how language can be used to deceive and manipulate people which would lead to a society where the people never questioned government publicly due to fear and blind submission. The language was mind control. Winston, the main character, went against this norm. Throughout the novel, Winston wrote in a hidden journal which brought him to realize the suppression and lack of freedom.”Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to
“Newspeak was designed to. . .diminish the range of thought. . .by cutting the choice of words down to a minimum” explains George Orwell, the author of a dystopian fiction novel, 1984 (Orwell 300). Orwell designs a society in which a totalitarian government rules, depriving people of their thoughts. The story gives us a look into the life of the main character, Winston, who seems to face issues with reality control. Today, we will delve into the depths of this novel and explore Orwell’s views on the nature of language. In simple terms, Orwell suggests that language, if used in a certain way, has the ability to influence people and compel them to alter their thoughts. With this statement and supporting evidence, it can be concluded that the effective use of language can give individuals power to modify or reshape opinions that will allow for change in society.
George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 cautions against government having too much/excessive amount of power. Winston Smith lives in a society where a totalitarian government tracks their citizen's every move through telescreens and thought police. The government is divided among the four ministries; the Ministry of Love, Peace, Plenty, and Truth. The excessive censorship in the society leads the citizens to be less individualistic and more alike to one another. Being in an environment where Newspeak is enforced, citizens are unable to express their originality. Orwell's 1984 is a very effective cautionary tale through its characterization of Winston who lacks heroic characteristics, its conflict of man vs society, and its use of dialect.
In 1984, George Orwell utilizes effective allusions in order to convey the main character, Winston Smith, ‘s underlying emotions. Take, for example, when Winston first meets Julia, he fantasizes about how “He would tie her naked to a stake and shoot her full of arrows like Saint Sebastian” (Orwell 20). This reference is able to show Winston’s desire and strong emotions because he compares what he feels to the tragic story of Saint Sebastian. Saint Sebastian was shot to death by his fellow Roman soldiers due to spreading the word of the religion he believed in. Through this intricate comparison, Orwell displays Winston’s stance of resistance to his underlying emotions, the lust he feels for Julia, and how he tries to cover it with fake hatred.
In the texts 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, the regulations and the restrictions imposed by the government leads to decline in the society. Technology plays a major role in both texts, the confidence of the people in these technologies eventually makes them surrender their humanness. In the novel 1984, the everyday lives of the people were monitored around-the-clock. Technology is also used to demolish the past, to make the citizens accept something divergent, a new present and the future. The central direction in the technological progress is not for promoting love between people or for the enlightenment of minds, but rather it is used for industrialization and for humanity to be the
In Brave New World, author Aldous Huxley employs a variety of rhetorical strategies, including Aristotelian appeals, symbolism and figurative language to express that while extreme technological advancements may be innovative, it can lead to government totalitarianism, stripping free thought and self expression from a society.
Some things are neither good nor bad until they are put to use. Aristotle is renowned as one of the greatest philosophers of all time. In Book One of Rhetoric, he teaches the reader how to use words efficiently in order to persuade one’s listener one way or the other. In 1984, George Orwell creates a world where a fictional government has been able to take control of an entire population through propaganda and corruption. The novel follows Winston Smith, who opposes and hates the Party, being arrested and “cured” of his thoughtcrime. Both books are able to open the reader’s mind to how powerful language can be. 1984 takes ideas from Aristotle and shows them being manipulated and used as a means of complete control.
George Orwell incorporates many examples of literary devices in his book 1984. These devices provide a more detailed, intriguing mental image for the reader. They also keep the reader interested. In this book, the literary devices cause the reader to wonder what will happen to Winston, if he will get caught, or whether he will overthrow The Party. Literary devices such as foreshadowing, irony, and symbolism are prevalent throughout 1984.
In the 1930s and 1940s, the dystopian novel came into its own, spurred on by the advent of communism and the rise of the Soviet Union. George Orwell’s 1984 and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World are two of the most influential of these novels. Huxley, a former teacher of Orwell’s, took issue with 1984’s use of torture, constant surveillance, and enforced poverty as a means of control over the masses; he believed the secret to uncontested authority was to make people believe they were happy. Though Orwell and Huxley were at odds regarding the philosophy of a successful authoritarian regime, both of their societies model suppression of free thought through destruction of history and literature, discouragement of emotions and relationships, conditioning
George Orwell’s 1984 is probably one of the most famous political novels in History. It´s strong criticism to authoritarianism, government abuses and sameness makes it one of the most analysed novels of the twentieth century. Hence, Orwell uses a lot of literary devices such as vivid imagery, symbolism of color and all sorts of allusions to convey the reader into his powerful criticism of authoritarian societies and how the promote the decay of free-thinking and individualism, which his the meaning of his narrative prose.
Huxley and Orwell manage to depict a world where each individual’s life has been predetermined by the government. Despite being written over a decade apart, the authors implement similar techniques in their works to maintain an orderly society. These three tactics include the controlling of information, the silencing of the common people, and the manipulation of the mass population. Both leading parties strive to develop and foster their citizens to comply and work in their favor to exemplify the significance of uniformity. Moreover, the novels include protagonists, who initially counter and threaten the values of the World State and Big Brother, but conclude with them being morally defeated.
In the novel 1984 the author, George Orwell, tells us a story about Winston rebellion against the Party by having a secret relationship with Julia. They found a hiding place in Mr. Charrington’s building, by which they spend months together. Being unaware that there was a telescreen hidden they were found and imprisoned in the Ministry of Love. In a chapter of the novel, Julia and Winston experience a rocket bomb giving him the impression that she was dead.
Rhetorical strategies help writers organize evidence, connect facts and provide information to convey a purpose or message. This story can also be a rhetorical piece because Orwell uses effective language to persuade readers to understand the dangers of tyranny and uses it as a warning to people to beware of a totalitarian government who manipulates its people to their benefit. Orwell uses foreshadowing to express doubt of a successful revolution, he uses animals to represent people and hides messages and meanings within his writing. The use of allegory as a rhetorical device is different from laying out a non-fictional account, or an historical analysis of the period because it helps the reader understand the reality of a “perfect”
In his novel 1984, George Orwell writes of a utopia-gone-wrong with many things resembling that of life under a dictatorship. Throughout the novel, the readers follow the main character, Winston, on a journey of self-discovery while finding out the truth behind the forever watching eyes of Big Brother. In this dark and twisted dystopia, there is an organization entitled The Junior Anti-Sex League, which is an organization to promote celibacy. Julia, Winston’s love interest, proudly displays the scarlet sash, an indicator of a member of the Junior Anti-Sex League, around her waist to make her devotion to the party known. Of all the symbols in the novel, the scarlet sash representing purity and celibacy worn around the waists of the Junior Anti-Sex League youths is the most puzzling and intriguing.
George Orwell, the writer of many highly regarded literary works, is extremely interested in the power of language, mainly how it is abused. By analyzing two of his works, 1984 and Politics and The English Language, it is clear that Orwell is using his writing to bring awareness to the dangers of the manipulation, misuse, and decline of language. In 1984 he demonstrates how language can be used to control thought and manipulate the past. This is proven throughout the novel by examining the language of Newspeak and how it is key to controlling the totalitarian state, and how using language to alter and manipulate history can shape reality. In his essay Politics and the English Language Orwell
The novel of 1984 by George Orwell, takes place in Airstripe One, providence of Oceania. There is an idea called Big Brother and a telescreen that also watch everyone 24/7, 365 days of the year. In the novel the government is corrupt, leaders change people's perception of things. The government is totalitarian, people are manipulated, memories are changed or forgotten, language is changed and dumbed down, and the past is always changing. These are just a few themes that are found in the novel 1984. Writers can have plenty of ideas for characters, but will need theme before actually writing the story. Theme is a very important element it's an author's heart and soul of their work and without a theme there is no dialogue, or subject of talk.