Examples Of Propaganda In 1984 By George Orwell

When George Orwell’s epic novel 1984 was published in 1949 it opened the public’s imagination to a future world where privacy and freedom had no meaning. The year 1984 has come and gone and we generally believe ourselves to still live in “The Land of the Free;” however, as we now move into the 21st Century changes brought about by recent advances in

Dystopian DevicesWhen writing a novel, authors use distinct literary devices to aid in making the genre of their story apparent to their reader. Specifically, many use these literary devices to draw attention to details that establish a dystopian genre. A dystopia is somewhere where people lead dehumanized and fearful lives (Merriam-Webster). Furthermore, in dystopian societies, propaganda, societal oppression, and totalitarian control often elicit fear and obedience. An example of this is the novel 1984 written by George Orwell. This novel contains ambiguous symbols such as Big Brother, the Godlike ruler of Oceania. Aspects such as this contribute to the nature of dystopian genres. After analyzing concepts such as the all knowing Big Brother and the telescreens that are required by the government, the reader notices dystopian aspects. Accordingly, the setting of the city and symbols in everyday life expand the readers view of dystopian aspects. Orwell uses literary devices such as setting, symbolism, and euphemisms in order to portray a dystopian genre through the use of Big Brother, the city Oceania and its citizens, and other concepts in the novel. The government in 1984 controls its population by creating a setting where no one has the freedom to act without a someone watching them. The government does this by requiring all citizens of the Party to own a telescreen. By monitoring the activities of members of the party, the government can keep citizens obedient and

a diary even though he knows it will hang him. It is right for him to

Welcome good people of Oceania. Today I can report that we have conducted a mission that has killed the leader of Eastasia, the murderer who is responsible for the deaths of thousands of our women, men, and children. This is your victory! We are triumphant! In our long history, we have never had a more doublegood day than this. Our mission was carried out with the combination of precision, speed, accuracy and boldness that the enemy did not expect. The death of the Eastasian leader is the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat Eastasia. Thousands of years from now people will speak of this day. Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s is no doubt that Eastasia will continue to pursue attack against us. We must stay vigilant and defend our world, defend our wealth, defend our happiness, and defend our satisfaction.

Newspeak demolishes thought. Throughout the book, George Orwell tackles controversial ideas. He uses topics that create distraught in the readers to show how the future could exist. People kill for excitement and uses special forces to attack people. This happens because “Big Brother” wants it to. Big Brother runs the society and he uses his influence to control his subservients. He does this with the help of his new language “Newspeak,” which inhibits peoples thoughts and minds. The society in George Orwell’s 1984 does not have the capability to form personal opinions because of Newspeak.

The Society of Oceania is ruled by a totalitarian power hunger all-knowing government that seeks power and control over its people and society by a figure known as Big Brother. The poster of Big Brother is a so called figure head of the government that installs fear

Propaganda was a big contributor to the chaos and destruction among citizens of 1984. “Two Minutes of Hate” is one of the methods used in the novel. It is a program that broadcasts on television screens where Goldstein, the main rebellious man against the Party, is seen as a despicable figure of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is a resistance group against Big Brother. The program claims that “all subsequent crimes against the Party, all treacheries, acts of sabotage, heresies, and deviations, sprang directly out of his teaching.” (Orwell). This translates to all of these acts are not in the standards of the dystopian society in Oceania. Some citizens believe that Big Brother is good and bad at the same time. Which bring us to another type of propaganda; Double-think.

We have freedom, but are we free? You can have your phone at school/work, but you cannot use it unless specifically given permission to. This is a paradox. A paradox is “a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true” (Merriam-Webster). According to Liah Greenfield, a professor at Boston University and a three-time novelist with books in Political Science, totalitarian societies are democracies with either no cultural traditions or too much free thought. Greenfield goes on to argue we have always had democracy, totalitarian, and nationalism, we just did not have names for them. In fact, we did not have the term “totalitarian society” until one of Winston Churchill’s speeches of Mussolini in 1946. She next brings up that totalitarians are nearly always permeating throughout cultural centers. Finally, she states, the university scene is the seed for totalitarian thoughts. She even mentions that they are like Minitrues, from George Orwell’s 1984. College students change statements or take statements out of context to use to their own benefit. The only difference is that universities do not have a head figure like Big Brother. Greenfield has solid thoughts, but she never gives facts to prove totalitarians are everywhere. She thinks totalitarians are reactions to modernity and too much free thought. George Orwell uses Newspeak, thoughtcrime, and telescreen in 1984 as well o show not giving the people of Oceania a voice will prevent

George Orwell incorporates many examples of literary devices in his book 1984. These devices provide a more detailed, intriguing mental image for the reader. They also keep the reader interested. In this book, the literary devices cause the reader to wonder what will happen to Winston, if he will get caught, or whether he will overthrow The Party. Literary devices such as foreshadowing, irony, and symbolism are prevalent throughout 1984.

With a dictatorship many freedoms that humanity may possess now would not be in our grasp. In 1984 they there were little to none. “Crimethink” or “thoughtcrime” are our unlawful thoughts, essentially any ideas that could go against English Socialism, “ingsoc.” Big Brother appears on Oceania’s televisions multiple times a day to show the brainwashing-esque messages, people vanish to unpersons, vaporized out of thin air, and the clock strikes thirteen. The main character, Winston Smith, leads the story and shows the audience how extreme this absolute totalitarian control affects the people of Oceania. Newspeak and doublethink, politically correct words created by Big Brother, also

Typically everyone acts in a way that will politically benefit themselves whether with power or wealth. The book 1984 George Orwell clearly demonstrates a dictating dystopia that wants nothing less than pure power and will do anything to obtain it. To control someone’s mental state of mind by regulating their emotions and feelings it will allow for more room to concentrate on what they want to fill their minds with. Also if one has control of the past they control the future because you can either make yourself look superior or inferior.

Censorship, a tool that is sometimes employed by governments, is used in order to shape citizens’ perception of the state in which they live; this act provides the means for easier manipulation. In modern day society, censorship may involve filtering information in the media, limiting materials in textbooks, or even monitoring and blocking controversial topics online. Similar events occur in George Orwell’s 1984, where protagonist Winston Smith has the job of altering history, or committing “impudent forgeries” (Orwell 154). Governments’ selectivity of reports gives them the power to decide what information the public receives and how they view it.

Telling a lie that contains no truth can be referred to as an out-and-out lie. Throughout 1984, Orwell includes many out-and-out lies which mainly result from the Party rewriting and creating new history in order to censor the thoughts and learning of the society in Oceania. One of the most prominent and most obvious examples of an out-and-out lie committed by the Party comes when Winston explains an assignment that was given to him at work, “It was true that there was no such person as Comrade Ogilvy, but a few lines of print and a couple of faked photographs would soon bring him into existence” (Orwell 46). Winston’s use of the word “faked” clearly illustrates the principles of an out-and-out lie. Ultimately, the Party asked Winston to create

Throughout history, countries have tried to gain full control over their people and over their people’s minds. This is also true for George Orwell’s book 1984, where the depicted countries try to master people's’ consciousness. The Government's goal is to have undivided support for Big Brother, or the face of the Government, and to achieve this the Government goes to extreme lengths to gain mind control. This can be anything from propaganda, loss of words to express themselves, and torture. Big Brother will do anything to brainwash everyone's mind.

“The ultimate end of any ideology is totalitarianism” said Tom Robbins. Totalitarianism is a type of government where the political authorities have complete control over their citizens. George Orwell’s fictional novel, 1984, describes how the government has complete control of the past, present and future, language, and the thoughts of their citizens. The main character, Winston Smith, is an Outer Party member who lives in Oceania, a society based on totalitarianism. Big Brother, the dictator of Oceania is constantly monitoring his citizens, either by using the telescreens or hiring spies, to make sure there is no sign of rebellion. According to Goldstein’s book, The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism, “there have been three kinds of people in the world, the High, the Middle, and the Low” (201). In 1984, it is shown that Goldstein’s theory continues to exist in Oceania society. The three social classes in Oceania are the proletarians, also known as the proles, the Outer Party, and the Inner Party. The social class that an individual is placed in determines the extent of individual freedom they have and unspoken rules they must obey.