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1984 Marxist Analysis

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Designed over two hundred years ago, Karl Marx’s philosophy defines specific characteristics known today as the Marxist approach. In this critical approach, whomever holds the power and controls the factories or means of production, consequently controls the whole society. Marx’s opinion states that the laborers running the factories and thus holding the means of production should be the ones holding the power. However, this idea rarely holds true in practical society. Frequently, Marx notes, powerful people hire others to carry out the labor. This division of power reflects current culture. Two main classes or categories of people exist, the bourgeoisie and proletariat. The bourgeoisie is the powerful, or those who are in charge of …show more content…

. . ‘the proles’ . . . the proles are the low, for the slave populations of the equatorial lands, who pass constantly from conqueror to conqueror, are not a permanent or necessary part of the structure” (Orwell 185). The word proles itself is a shortened form of proletariat. Essentially, the proles are disposable and the bourgeoisie or government does not care about the proletariat’s existence. In 1984, the proles are the lowest of the low and due to the lack of bourgeoisie surveillance, proles live a less structured and scrutinized life and thus, live a more content and free life. Interestingly, because the proletariat has grown up suppressed, it does not question the bourgeoisie’s ways. The proletariat blindly trusts the government. In A Clockwork Orange, Alex, the protagonist, has just met government-employed doctors who are about to condition him in compliance with governmental ideals. In “Trust us, friend. It’s better this way” the word choice of the doctors shows the way the government disguises its tactics and leaves the proletariat believing that the bourgeoisie have its best interest at heart (Burgess 113). David Waterman describes this idea in his essay by saying “subjects are formed within a certain historical context, under a certain dominant ideology which defines reality in its own interest, and those who resist the norms established by the collective majority find themselves …show more content…

Thus these situations serve as government examples. In 1984, O’Brien, the antagonist. and Winston Smith, the protagonist, compete in a power struggle game. Even though Winston accepts the rules of this game, the Party and Big Brother have already won (Fortunati 144). There is no point of rebellion as even the Party controls rebellion. The game itself is simulated and controlled. In A Clockwork Orange, the government publishes a newspaper article detailing the conditioning technique it uses when curing Alex of his destructive habits and changing him into a peaceful law abiding citizen for the State. “Here was the first graduate from the new State Institute for Reclamation of Criminal Types, cured of his criminal instincts in a fortnight only, now a good law-fearing citizen and all that cal. Then I viddied there was a very boastful article about this Ludovico’s Technique and how clever the Government was” (Burgess 149). The government uses Alex’s experience of an example of how its ability to reverse bad behavior. In Brave New World, Bernard and Helmholtz Watson realize their incompatibility with the system and how this appears as a threat to the government. “A mental excess . . . the result of a physical defect . . . what the two man shared was the knowledge that they were the individuals” (Huxley 67). Once these two men realize their individuality, they become exiled to an

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