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Huckleberry Finn And 1984 Comparison Essay

Decent Essays

In both George Orwell’s 1984 and Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the main characters struggle with the preconceived notions of “good” and “bad” in each of their societies and openly challenge these concepts. In 1984, Winston considers the ethics of his society and initially sees Big Brother as “bad,” but after his time spent in Room 101 and the Ministry of Love, he changes his perspective and now sees Big Brother as “good.” The ideas of good and bad are simply constructs of what the government deems “right” and “wrong,” just matters of perspective. Similarly, in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Huck considers the morality behind helping Jim escape slavery and lying about things and decides that what his society deems “bad” doesn’t seem so bad after all, and that he must not succumb to the pressures of the racism that plagues his society. The motif …show more content…

Winston feels alone in how he remembers parts of the past and knows that the government has lied many times, but must abide by the party’s principles: “The sacred principles of Ingsoc. Newspeak, doublethink, the mutability of the past. He felt as though he were wandering in the forests of the sea bottom, lost in a monstrous world where he himself was the monster. He was alone. The past was dead,” (Orwell, 25). Winston’s unique perception of Big Brother’s regime allows him to consider the morality of this society and see that the lack of truth and reality is bad, however his view of Big Brother drastically changes after his time spent in Room 101 where he ultimately learns to love the government, as Orwell describes “But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother,” (Orwell, 245). This change in perception of Big Brother’s government shows how perspective molds morality, and when perspective changes, so do the concepts of good and

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