Examples Of Dystopian Society In 1984

Dystopia is common theme which dates hundreds of years in literature worldwide. Dystopian novels and short stories often depict a society repressed by a totalitarian government which comes to power after a cataclysmic occurrence, wielding unforgiving power and control over inhabitants for their own good. These dystopias are often perceived by the average citizen as a normal or unavoidable way of life, sometimes even a better way of life, yet there is often a single person or group of protagonists who question the justification of such living arrangements and threaten upheaval of the utopia sold by the ruling class.

Life in Oceania is dull, lifeless and described as ‘swimming against the current’. Orwell creates a dire feeling of hopelessness through his destruction of friendship, family, love and individual thoughts. Love and sex are no longer accepted under the totalitarian regime and Winston is therein forced to suppress all his sexual desires treating sex as merely a procreative duty. His marriage to Katherine was purely ‘[their] duty to the Party’ whose end was the creation of new party members. This shows that in a totalitarian world it is wholly necessary to adhere to the constraints enforced by a government not only for personal salvation but also for the survival of the entirety of the human race.

The war-torn world George Orwell creates for 1984 is a bleak, heartless place, full of grey shaded and apocalyptic descriptions. The citizens that live in Oceania do not live, they are slaves whose sole purpose is to better the party, a harsh totalitarian government, full of ever watchful leaders who monitor the citizens at all time, watching their every move and seeing their every thought. Our protagonist, is Winston Smith who lives in this dystopia. Winston lives a life that like most of Oceania lacks basic rights and involves little freedom serving the purpose as our main protagonist developing the theme of the novel. These problems however, are exasperated by the society government that constantly worsens in the course of his life.

A dystopian novel is a story relating to or denoting an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one. 1984 by George Orwell, is indeed a dystopian novel as it describes a nightmare vision of future society which is opposite to a perfect world. George Orwell creates this image using a few different techniques including, the language or style, the setting, characterization, and oppression.

Nineteen-Eighty Four opens on a cold April day in the dreary city of London, Oceania. Our protagonist, Winston Smith, is a cynical aging man who’s perpetually sick and unhappy. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he writes, destroys, and rewrites history at the Party’s word. In Oceania, one of the three totalitarian superpowers in the world, Big Brother is the beloved leader depicted all around on propaganda posters that remind citizens that Big Brother is watching you. The Party’s word is the final unquestionable truth and dissent is strictly not tolerated. In Oceania, War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength.

“1984” is a chilling dystopian novel written by George Orwell, set in the 1980’s, in London, in the continent Oceania. Oceania is ruled by the Party, and their dictator Big Brother. Big Brother controls Oceania through four ministries, Love, Truth, Peace and Plenty. Winston works in the Ministry of Truth, where he changes the dates, articles and photos of things to match up with what Big Brother is saying. Big Brother watches everyone through telescreens, which are in every room, and anyone who speaks out, or thinks to rebel, or even doesn’t get to their house at the right time, vanishes. “Big Brother is watching you” is the Party’s slogan, and is plastered all across London. In their society, the ideas of individuality, freedom and opinions

The quote from Winston’s diary in 1984 illustrates the acts of rebellion he has towards the “totalitarian” government in Oceania. Winston’s urge to challenge the political regime that rules the all of Airstrip One, as he sometimes, have the flash back from the past and through his fantasies, he envision the future without the totalitarian government. Winston, however, is craving for freedom of being in a world where people are not being watched, and where they can act, feel and do whatever they desire. As mentioned in the Sparknote Editors’ summary of 1984 that the history shows “Oceania has always been at war with Eurasia and in alliance with Eastasia, but Winston knows that the records have been changed. Winston remembers that no one had heard of Big Brother, the leader of the Party, before 1960 …” (1; bk. 1). This past in Winston’s mind strengthens his mind to rebel and refuse to be convinced by the Big Brother. In reference to the future, Winston’s fantasies of having total control of his life, which then lead to “dreams of a place called The Golden Country, where the dark-haired girl takes off her clothes and runs toward him in an act of freedom that annihilates the whole Party” (1; bk. 1). The past and future in Winston’s quote contribute to the factor that strengthens his urge to rebel, which then lead to his journaling as a way to expressing his repressed emotions. In addition, Winston wishes a world where people could count on each other, provide support to each

George Orwell’s 1984 is a prime example of a deep dystopia with a totalitarian government. Totalitarian governments have full and total control. The Inner Party, which is the main form of government in Oceania, has total control over its people’s thoughts and actions. They use many forms of abuse in order to control them. The Inner Party controls the government and is the upper class. The middle class is called the Outer Party. These people are given jobs from the government and are more educated than the Proles, which make up the lower class. The Outer Party is in charge of executing the Inner Party’s policies, but they have no say in them. The government uses many forms of manipulation to control their people. The members of Oceania’s society do not misbehave out of fear of punishment. People who betray the government vanish. They disappear and there is no evidence that they even existed. The government also uses the threat of abuse to keep its people in line. People of Oceania know they can be tortured or killed for even the slightest misdemeanor. The middle class is led to believe that they are living a high quality life through a method of false prosperity. The government fools people by changing history so the only form of truth the people think they have is their own memory. Many people discard their own memories and believe whatever the Party tells them is truth. Winston Smith is the character in which the book is centered around. He has doubts

Dystopian societies are themes often used in writing. A dystopian society is the imbalance of power between certain citizens and the government exerting total control over those people. One such example is Hitler and his Nazi regime. If one were to analyze the data, one could examine decisions Adolf Hitler made in creating the dystopian society of Nazi Germany, and the impact those decisions had on the citizens at the time; additionally, a review of how authors use dystopian-themed stories as a means to educate readers about dystopia will be addressed.

In George Orwell’s novel, “1984”,is about a main character Winston, who is an ordinary citizen of Oceania. The totalitarian society is led by Big Brother. Television screens are strategically placed everywhere watching citizens’ every move. Leaving them in constant fear and paranoia. The corrupt society lead to some citizens wanting to rebel. If they were ever caught, they would be severely punished. This kept wearing citizens down. The dehumanization of citizens of Oceania was due to propaganda, mind control, and the lack of privacy.

Totalitarianism, derived from a society which proceeds without cautiousness towards governmental power, can induce many limitations among citizens and every aspect of their lives including individualism. In George Orwell’s 1984, the artificiality of the dystopian country influenced the protagonist of the novel, Winston Smith, to try and deceive the government in any way possible. Winston and many others view individuality as immensely important, but a large challenge to achieve due to the diminished hope evident in dystopia. Hope is prominent among Winston in his actions towards the totalitarian government, referred to as Big Brother, throughout the novel. From the beginning of the novel when readers are introduced to a dismal setting to

Winston Smith is a typical example of vertebrae in the spine of any society. Hard working and keeps a rigid structure by absorbing impact, filling the spaces with his unknown desires. The bending of laws to avoid self-destruction in constant pressure from society and government. The idea of having every thought controlled, monitored and limited to what the elite deem as a necessary compromise to maintain peace and order in Oceania or any other Utopia in a general sense. Power is in tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of their own choosing, to understand the concept is the true hell for Winston.

The lack of privacy, in both “1984” and present society is detrimental, and has the ability to completely control and intimidate an entire community; therefore preventing society to move forward and progress. In 1984, Orwell is able to establish a lack of security. There are insecurities and worries behind every corner because, “Big Brother is watching you,” and it’s uncontrollable. In Winston’s case, thoughtcrime is a reoccurring theme in his life; and with the lack of privacy in his world, he knows that “thoughtcrime does not entail death, thoughtcrime is death”. Unfortunately, with the everyday struggle that is faced by the people of Oceania, privacy is not, and has never been granted and never will be.

George Orwell’s 1984 written in 1948 displays the dangers of a totalitarian government through the dystopian society of Oceania set in the year 1984. Through the eyes of the main character Winston Smith the audience is thrusted into a world where there is no trust, passion, or a true sense friendship. The land of Oceania is not every man for himself, but every man for the Party. Through this same perspective, the social group of women are portrayed in a negative light. This may be a result of Winston’s past experiences with women and the social conditioning he underwent simply by living within Oceania.

A dystopian society, usually illusory, is the reverse of an idyllic utopia: it is generally tyrannical and inhibited. Dystopian societies mirror our future- they are usually a hyperbolic familiar society with satirical exaggeration. This kind of literature is written to amend other people 's idea of the kind of society they should thrive for. As well as that, they are written to express their concerns about the future and humanity. Societies of this nature appear in many works of fiction, predominantly in novels set in a speculative future. Dystopian culture is often mused by societal collapse, dehumanization, poverty, and deprivation.