In Child 44 and 1984, both governments distort the selfless nature of marriage and sexuality-the most innate and intimate connection between human beings-instead replacing it with the government’s love, thus ripping another aspect of humanity away in favor of complete control. By distorting the value of marriage, the government removes any possibility of rebellious thoughts by making the individual animalistic, seeking only survival by surrendering individuality and morality to the government. Firstly, in Child 44, after Raisa reveals to Leo that she does not love him and lied about the pregnancy to save herself, Leo contemplates about whether he regrets defending his wife when he could have gotten another wife able to bear him children unlike …show more content…
The Soviet Union eradicates the meaning of marriage by setting a price on something which naturally exists without price by equating the most intimate interaction between people and the progeny that results from that love to breeding, thus devalues the unity of marriage even more, leading to a sole relationship with the government for the sake of pleasing by completing a labeled duty. Additionally, in 1984, even Winston and Julia’s relationship bases mainly on rebellion towards the government, not of their true love for each other, with Winston even saying that the more men she sleeps with, the more he loves her (Orwell 158). Through this depiction, Orwell testifies to the distortion of marriage, that even though Winston and Julia pursue a genuine relationship of love that benefits, the contamination of Big Brother still runs through that love, implying the impossibility of genuine love within a totalitarian society, free from any government-influenced …show more content…
Genuine relationships give insight into the humanity the government conceals, as the realization of humanity leads to progressive individual growth impossible to control by the government. First, in Child 44, upon forming a genuine relationship as equals, Raisa emotionally supports her husband on his hunt for the serial killer who murdered innocent children and in the climax of this retribution, she physically helps Leo to pull the trigger in order to kill the murderer, his brother Andrei (smith 423). Leo’s relationship with Raisa enables him to not only find his truth- his purpose as the hero- apart from the one of blind obeyance demanded by the government, but also to accomplish his newfound purpose of stopping the killings of the innocent, in which Leo’s success in this mission proves the fatality of genuine relationships to totalitarian control as they inspire individual growth- growth that does not seek the betterment of a suppressive government above that of the people as a whole. In her article “A Peasant Rebellion in Stalin’s Russia,” that discusses the Soviet Union’s attempts to force peasants to hand over their property and join collective farms in the Pitelinkskii district, Tracy Mcdonald writes that the “…peasants paraded
At the film's opening, we learn of the first East German shot into space, surely an apotheosis of what a state can achieve, its grasp extending to the stars. But behind the curtain of this vast achievement we can see how it is brought about through the utter bending of citizens to the states will. Alex's mother Christiane, who we first assume the innocent of the piece, is interrogated by the Stasi for her husband has fled the country. We learn he was unable to live with a state he detested, the ordeal of the interrogation so testing for Christiane it sends her into a coma. Her husband and the children?s father absent, she finds a kinship with the state, now one of its most vociferous supporters. The absence of the father is particularly imbued with purpose. Later, Becker seeks to equate the death of communism with the return of the father for the two are so inextricably connected. Only when the German Democratic Republic (GDR) is laid to rest can this dark chapter
Sex has been reduced to a common action with no social bindings and it is not a gesture of showing love for someone else as people think of it today. When will today’s society be consumed with only the physical aspect of sex? With all of the premarital sex and the age of becoming sexually active decreasing every generation, it leaves a question to be answered; where did the value of love and responsibility of partnership go? Monogamy, in “Brave New World“, is unheard of and taboo to everyone except those who see how powerful love is. The connection that unites people is reduced to a competition to see how many times people have it rather than which the person is. In the book, John knows the importance of love and even resists the temptation to have sex with Lenina. John is among a few people who have not been reduced to mating animals but rather humans that still feel a need for love and companionship.
Secrecy has the ability to benefit or destroy a character and it plays a significant role in the meaning of the work as well as the plot of the story. In 1984, written by George Orwell, secrecy is a common theme that can be specifically shown through the complicated love affair of Julia and Winston in Oceania. This theme demonstrates the importance of keeping a secret and trusting in others from the consequences that may appear if the trust is broken. Orwell’s strategic use and placement of secrecy allows for the plot to be developed further and creates strong suspense throughout the story.
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 George Orwell's novel 1984, we explore intimate human relationships, as experienced by the protagonist Winston Smith. Not many bonds are stronger than those developed among family, friends, and lovers. In Oceania, those bonds were made but they've always had a dim side to them, since the only thing you could openly be loving about was the Party and Big Brother. This limitation was one of the most necessary in order to achieve complete power and control over the citizens. The reason for this limitation was the never-ending need of the Party to dissolve all loyalties derived through sex, love, and family and redirect them to the Party itself. Another limitation enforced by the Party was the destruction of trust. The Party invaded the trust between parent and child, co-workers and most importantly between man and woman.
Loneliness is something everyone experiences. However, nobody should have to go through the degree of loneliness of being unable to confide in one person. Everybody needs a person. At the start of 1984 by George Orwell, Winston is completely alone and cannot open up about his feelings towards Big Brother to anyone. He is unable to conform to his natural human nature due to a government in total control. George Orwell’s 1984 communicates the threat on society of a totalitarian government by using literary devices such as irony, foreshadowing, as well as characterization.
In the novel 1984 by George Orwell the party is constantly brainwashing the people of Oceania. They want the people to believe the party is wonderful and everyone should be loyal to it. The party starts by targeting the youth of Oceania The key factors that play a role on affecting children are routines and what they where and see.
The main character in George Orwell’s book 1984 is a thirty-nine year old man with the name of Winston Smith. Winston Smith creates thought crimes, he also has anti-Party views. The story “1984” tells about all of Winston Smith’s struggles. In an effort to avoid being monitored, Winston physically conforms to society, however mentally he does just the opposite. Winston is a thin, frail and intellectual thirty-nine year old. Winston hates totalitarian control and enforced repression that are characteristics of his government. Winston hates being watched by Big Brother. He always has revolutionary dreams, he feels like he would be protected. Julia is Winston’s lover, a beautiful dark- haired girl working in the
In George Orwell’s novel 1984, the nature of love and friendship in the nation of Oceania that Orwell writes about, the Party tries desperately to erase love for anything but Big Brother from the lives of its members. (Reese) 1984 displays that the party’s unlimited and absolute control of the people. For an example the telescreens are used to surveillance the people in their homes. The party has eyes in many places too. For instance the love of Winston and Julia somehow compromised by Mr. Charrington when he disclosed the relationship to the Party about them. Another example of the love in Oceania is the marriage of Winston and Katharine ended horrendously. (Reese) Winston thinks deeply about the condition of the world. (Notes) He said he wanted to throw her off of a cliff.
The bewildering and anti-human experience of a person living in a totalitarian state is likely to bring about the kind of alienation apparent in 1984. Winston, the most obvious example, is severely cut off from the outside world. Alone and lonely, he feels alienated from his family, his neighbors, and the rest of society. Even with Julia, Winston does not find someone who shares the same thoughts and opinions that he does. He hates women and children. The Party’s war against love and sex for purposes other than reproduction has succeeded in cutting off Winston from half of the human race. As a result of the Party’s oppression, Winston’s psychological and sexual life has been crippled. Winston is able to perform his duties for the Party without thought or question, but inwardly he represses every contrary or unorthodox thought in the
Love is both the foundation and the weakness of a totalitarian regime. At the heart of any totalitarian society, love between two individuals is eliminated because only a relationship between the person and the party and a love for its leader can exist. The totalitarian society depicted throughout the Orwell’s novel 1984 has created a concept of an Orwellian society. Joseph Stalin’s Soviet regime in Russia can be described as Orwellian. The imaginary world of Oceania draws many parallels to the modern day totalitarian regime established by Stalin. For example, in the novel it was the desire of the Party to eliminate love and sex, in order to channel this pent-up passion towards the love of Big Brother. Similarly, Stalin used propaganda
In the book 1984,by George Orwell, The main character Winston has a love affair with a girl named Julia.Their leader Big Brother controls all and knows all. They later get caught by the thought police and put through extreme conditions to reduce them to their core. Big Brother uses violence, manipulation, and propaganda to brainwash and control the perceptions of “his” citizens therefore , indicating it is possible to change people’s reality.
Famous for futuristic and apocalyptic storylines, award-winning authors George Orwell and Margaret Atwood challenge the strength of relationships within several of their works of literature. Specifically, within the novels 1984 by George Orwell and Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, characters find themselves haunted by their unsuccessful relationships and grasping at the remains. However, romantic relationships in the novels’ dystopian societies are dealt a bad hand from the very beginning and are unable to thrive under the oppression created within society. Whether it be the unorthodox social views on intimacy or the undesirable effect on character trait, oppression abolishes significant relationships within the two novels. Unsustainability
Love is the foundation and the weakness of a totalitarian regime. For a stable totalitarian society, love between two individuals is eliminated because only a relationship between the person and the party and a love for its leader can exist. The totalitarian society depicted throughout the Orwell’s novel 1984 has created a concept of an Orwellian society. Stalin’s Soviet state can be considered Orwellian because it draws close parallels to the imaginary world of Oceania in 1984. During the twentieth century, Soviet Russia lived under Stalin’s brutal and oppressive governments, which was necessary for Stalin to retain power. In both cases, brutality and oppression led to an absence of relationships and love. This love was directed towards
Set in a totalitarian state and ruled by a government known as the Party, sexuality is heavily regulated. It is the goal of the Party “to remove all pleasure from the sexual act” (Orwell 58). Moreover, marriage only had one purpose, “to beget children for the service of the Party” (Orwell 58). Thus, both men and women found their sexuality being regulated and limited. In “Sexuality as Rebellion in George Orwell’s 1984” Paul Bail states that “the only legitimate purpose of sexuality is for reproduction” (215). Therefore, sex is not an act “in which to take personal pleasure” (Bail 215). Unlike, Edna who lived in a society where sex was no intended to be pleasurable for women, it applied to everyone in Orwell’s novel. However, one woman who this affects, in particular, is Julia. A young woman, Julia is a member of the Junior Anti-Sex League, an organization created by the Party to help educate its citizens on their standards regarding sex (Orwell 111). Due to her involvement in this group, Julia is perceived to what Bail’s refers to as a “puritanical anti-sex fanatic” because it is her job to remind her society that sex is an act for the Party and not pleasure (215). Yet, upon meeting the protagonist of the novel, Winston Smith, it is revealed that she rejects the same ideas that she