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1984 Totalitarianism Analysis

Decent Essays

In his novel 1984, author George Orwell warns against the dangers of totalitarianism through the life of one man living in a dystopian society. The novel follows Winston Smith, a man who tries to rebel against the ruling group of the nation of Oceania, know as the Party, and its leader, Big Brother. Through his quest, readers are exposed to a world in which the past is consistently altered to match the present, a person can commit a crime by having thoughts against the Party, and continuous war creates “peace”. With his novel, Orwell makes it clear that he wishes to modify the rise of consolidated power and controlling government. Through literary techniques such as point of view and variances in language, Orwell warns of the dangers presented when a small group holds power over a mass of people. It is clear that Orwell is advocating against totalitarianism in 1984. The novel is set in a dystopian world where the Party controls all aspects of government and life. One aspect of the nation is the Thought Police, which vaporize those who have thoughs different than what the Party dictates. The Party frequently alters the past in order to coincide with their current actions, and citizens are required to alter their memories and thoughts based on the Party. With his extreme depictions of the effects of the Party, Orwell is warning of the consequences of totalitarian rule. He writes, Do you begin to see, then, what kind of world w are creating? . . . A world of fear and treachery

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