The novel “1984” by George Orwell explores the meaning of humanity and the tactics that a totalitarian government may use to strip humanity from the people in order to maintain power. The main character Winston strives to preserve his humanity throughout the novel in his ability to think freely. The government tries to control its constituent’s thoughts, through tactics of propaganda, regulation, telescreen monitors, the thought police, and five ministries. These tactics are to control the constituent perception of reality which is similar to how governments in our modern society try to control people’s thoughts. Moreover, constituents of the government are prevented from exploring their most basic desires, such as the desire to love and be loved. Winston is a character that knows what the government is doing but is trying to maintain freedom by rebelling through his thoughts and actions. Freedom is central to what it means to be human and is the main theme of the story. Orwell demonstrates through “1984” that humans must strive to prevent governments from removing freedom because freedom is central to what it means to be human. The government in “1984” goes to great measures to control the perception of its constituents. The goal of the Ministry of Truth, where Winston works, ironically is to alter the records of history (26). Winston says that thousands of people work here and that there are other giant government organizations such as the thought police whose sole
The main character in George Orwell’s 1948 novel, 1984, Winston Smith can be seen as many things. To some, he may be a hero, but to others he is a coward and a fool. Throughout the novel, Winston’s characteristics are explored, and readers are shown the reasoning behind Winston’s twisted mind. It is evident that although Winston thinks he had control over his own mind and body, this is an imagined factor. The world of 1984 is one of a totalitarian society, where no one can be trusted, and no one is safe, Winston being the primary example of one who trusted thoughtlessly.
The fictional novel, 1984 by George Orwell is about a world run by a totalitarian government, called the Party, which takes away all the freedoms of its citizens by watching over them with high surveillance technology. In addition, the Party uses dishonesty and betrayal to expose people’s true feelings of Oceania, the country where the story takes place. Betrayal is seen throughout society in Oceania through government manipulation and actions made by Winston, Julia and O’Brien, the main characters. Winston’s true self-betrayal comes when he realizes his new passionate love for Big Brother, the leader of the Party and Oceania. The Party fears a rebellion against them, as a result they use different methods to eliminate trust between
During Joseph Stalin’s regime of the Soviet Union, 1984, the Classic Dystopian novel by George Orwell, was burned and banned, because the book shone a negative light on communism. The book, 1984, follows the life of Winston Smith, who lives in a country called Oceania. Oceania is a totalitarian society, ruled by a government known as The Party, whose leader is called Big Brother. In Oceania, every movement and sound every person makes is constantly surveillanced, and one wrong facial expression, statement, or action can cause the ‘Thought Police’ to take the person away to never be seen again. A small percentage of the population questions The Party’s dictatorship, and the novel follows Winston’s struggles to keep his hatred of The Party
In 1984, the last and largest work of Orwell’s life, the oppression becomes even more sinister. Winston, a member of the “party,” decides to break away from the melancholy lifestyle in which “freedom is slavery” and rebel against the government that restrains him. The party even erases all of history and claims that reality is within the mind; “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.” He becomes conscious of all the trickery and lies of the party and joins a secret organization to fight for freedom. The organization, however, is a lie and Winston is tortured until he learns to truly love Big Brother. 1984 makes prominent stabs at the
“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.
The novel “1984” by George Orwell exemplifies the issues of a government with overwhelming control of the people. This government controls the reality of all of their citizens by rewriting the past, instilling fear, and through manipulation. This is an astounding story because of the realistic qualities that are present throughout the text about an extreme regulatory government and its effects. This society is overwhelming consumed with the constructed reality that was taught to them by Big Brother. George Orwell brings significant aspects to the novel like the complexity of relationships during a rebellion and The Party’s obsession with power. The main character Winston struggles throughout the story trying to stay human through literature, self-expression and his individuality. The party uses human’s tendencies, weaknesses, and strengths in order to dehumanize their citizens to gain control over them.
In a world where manipulation is required, thought is crime, and love is forbidden, it is questioned how much of a person is left once his or her life is stripped of such basic freedoms. This is the question a reader asks as he or she is immersed into the world George Orwell created in his classic novel, 1984. As Winston Smith, the main character in Orwell’s novel, navigates through the cruel and oppressive society of Oceania, readers are allowed to see how the oppressiveness of the world in which he lives affects the lives of not only Winston but also the society as a whole. However, as time passes, Winston becomes a character that starts to inwardly question the world around him while being forced to outwardly conform for his own safety. Throughout the novel, a reader can begin to compare the feelings and thoughts of Winston to the mass majority of the population that continues to blindly conform to the government of Oceania. In this contrast, one can begin to understand how the relationship between outward conformity and inward inquisition contributes to the theme of oppression and the meaning of the work as a whole by showing the oppression that Winston feels through his inner thoughts.
When George Orwell wrote his novel, 1984, Hitler and Mussolini had recently been defeated in World War II, the nuclear arms race was warming up and the Soviet Union was a threat to the world. Although these are not problems in today's society, 1984 is still very relevant in current time, "The twentieth century will soon be over, but political terror still survives and this is why Nineteen Eighty-four remains valid today” (Ricks 5). In the novel 1984 the main character Winston is faced with challenges when he meets a woman named Julia. Julia makes him question his loyalty to the government. They are living under a totalitarian government that sees everything you do, hears everything you say, and knows everything you think. George Orwell’s novel 1984 is still relevant in today’s society.
Throughout history, the concepts of fate and free will have been questioned and continuously sought after. As a result, many films have been introduced to allow audiences to further question the matter. The movies 1984 and Pleasantville are two exceptional examples. However, only one accurately portrays the fact that one’s life is not predetermined, but instead is led by individual choices. Pleasantville, directed by Gary Ross, takes a more direct approach on the topic of fate and free will, persuading viewers to wholeheartedly agree.
In the midst of the Cold War, the fear of communism was spreading across the US like wildfire. In 1949 George Orwell publishes 1984 to depict a future dystopian society controlled by a totalitarian government. He hopes to show his readers what effect communism can potentially have through the government in the novel known as the Party. This government makes numerous efforts to control not only all aspects of the present life for its citizens but also all aspects of the past. It is seen as the ultimate power striking fear in all of its citizens’ minds. In Orwell’s novel, he uses the character Winston to show how a totalitarian government attempts to control its citizens’ free will to order to be the supreme power; Winston, however, does his best to not conform.
Throughout 1984, there are many prominent themes present such as Totalitarianism and Communism, Reality Control, Sex, Love and Loyalty and Class Struggles. One way a totalitarian regime stays in power is by denying individuality and eliminating one’s thoughts through the use of torture and propaganda. Therefore, in this section, the main theme developed is the Individual vs. the Collective Identity. This is shown to be evident in Part 3 Chapters 1-3 through the torture of both Winston and Julia as well as other society members, the betrayal of O’Brien and the loss of hope for the rebellious society.
George Orwell’s novel “1984” describes the life of Winston Smith living in a dystopian society. In the world of 1984 the government and “Big Brother” have total control of the population’s thoughts, feeling, and actions in every aspect of their lives. The fear is could this happen in today's modern society? The government of 1984 fills its citizens head with lies so that they may control what they think. The population is told that two plus two equals five and that Oceania is at war with Eastasia and always has been, even though Winston remembers a time before the war.
George Orwell’s 1984 is a wonderfully prophetic and truthful novel. The protagonist, Winston Smith, grows to defy his totalitarian government and seek freedom, which leads to important consequences for all. Winston Smith, his lover Julia, the wise O’Brien, and Big Brother all meld together to form a cast of characters which provokes thought and inspires reflection. In 1984, the primary conflict involves Winston Smith, a free-will-seeking individual, and the government which controls every aspect of his life.
The book, 1984 by George Orwell, is about the external and internal conflicts that take place between the two main characters, Winston and Big Brother and how the two government ideas of Democracy and totalitarianism take place within the novel. Orwell wrote the novel around the idea of communism/totalitarianism and how society would be like if it were to take place. In Orwell’s mind democracy and communism created two main characters, Winston and Big Brother. Big Brother represents the idea of the totalitarian party. In comparison to Big Brother, Winston gives and represents the main thought of freedom, in the novel Winston has to worry about the control of the thought police because he knows that the government with kill anyone who
In the book 1984 by George Orwell, the main character,Winston, uses his intellectual mind to see through what the government is trying to accomplish. The government is trying to overpower the common people by using their words. They are attempting to manipulate the people. That does not work so well on Winston, he knows more than the average person. In this novel, the author has demonstrated many different literary devices, and a variety of languages that we may not use in the common English language today.