preview

Cruelty In 1984 George Orwell

Decent Essays

History reveals that when a totalitarian regime seizes a nation, violence and brutality are often utilized to take control of its citizens. 1984 depicts a world engulfed by the totalitarian ideology. George Orwell applies cruelty as a way to condition the people of Oceania to abide by the philosophies of the Party, Oceania's ruling body. Although the Party promotes ideas of welfare and diligence, their true intent is to accomplish complete dominance over every facet of humanity. The saying goes that the children are the future, and certainly they are. During the reign of the Third Reich, the youth played an active role in implementing Nazi dogma. Adolf Hitler was adamant in forming young men and women who “can suffer pain […and are] as swift …show more content…

For the duration of 1984, the Ministry of Truth is in preparation for Hate Week. This event is the Party’s tactic to intensify the animosity towards their opposition, whether it be Eurasia or Eastasia. During the Two Minutes Hate, the image of Emmanuel Goldstein, “the Enemy of the People,” is projected on the screen (Orwell 13). Although Winston is against the Party, he could not help but to join his colleagues in tormenting Goldstein’s picture. When Orwell writes, “[the] horrible thing about the Two Minute Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but that it was impossible to avoid joining,” he is illustrating the importance of expressing anger (Orwell 16). When individuals bottle up this feeling, it can lead to much more devastating consequences. The error with how the Party allows their members to expel their feelings of hate is that they always use the same picture. Therefore, they implant the thought that Goldstein is the enemy in the minds of the Party members. When Party members see Goldstein’s face whenever they express anger, they create a picture in their own minds that Goldstein is the enemy, even if they do not really believe it. In Winston’s case, even though he does not feel any hostility towards Goldstein, he did during the Two Minutes

Get Access