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Fear over Love in 1984

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Fear Over Love Discipline, control, and authority are required for a government to thrive and in order to obtain these attributes it’s important to instill fear into the citizens. In 1984, a dystopian novel by George Orwell, the inner party has absolute control over the society and they use the fear of punishment to manipulate their people. As the novel progresses, Winston, the main character, starts to rebel, but because of the control and power that the party has obtained, they are able to transform his rebellious act, by using his biggest fear against him. Mahatma Gandhi states that, “Power based on love is a thousand times more affective and permanent than one derived from fear.” Gandhi’s quote contradicts the primary source of …show more content…

Love cannot be as effective as fear of punishment, but it can be more legitimate. From a young age, the children of the society were taught to be loyal and taught to love the party, which becomes the norm of the society. They do not teach them out of fear, but through what is orthodox. Children’s love towards the party reaches to an extent to where they are used as surveillance over their own parents. Parsons states, “’’Down with Big Brother!’ Yes, I said that! Said it over and over again, it seems…It was my little daughter…she listened at the keyhole. Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day” (233). Her love for the party is strong to an extent to where she reports her own father, not from fear of being punished but by her love towards the party. Parsons daughter knows the law has to be obeyed. In addition to that Parsons isn’t mad, rather he knows it was the right move to do in terms of the party’s obligations. Parsons love towards the party blinded him from what was humanely right, but he wants the party to prosper despite the punishment he was to receive. In addition, throughout the novel, the party experiences success due to the fear instilled within the people resulting in the progress of the party. Ultimately in 1984, fear destroys love, as evidenced by Winston’s betrayal of his lover, Julia. The betrayal occurs when Winston is being tortured with rats, he saw, “the wire door was a couple of hand spans from his

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