Throughout history governments have performed many atrocities in order to keep their power. In the dystopian novels 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, the reigning governments draw similarities through their manipulation and oppression of their population in order to stay in power and transform their citizens. In 1984, the party oppresses and controls their population so that they can fuel a never-ending war and use distractions such as alcoholism and patriotism in order to suppress rebellion. In Brave New World, however, the government controls their population by means of over-indulgence, overwhelming happiness and pleasure implanted into the minds of the masses. This causes the everyday citizen to feel like nothing …show more content…
Alcohol thus serves as an outlet for the proles and party members to distract them from the oppressive nature of the party. Therefore, there are two types of alcohol, beer and Victory Gin that represent each group in the book. Beer is the drink for the hard working, blue-collar proles and represents their rugged nature, and the Victory Gin represents the prominence of the party members, who are still oppressed by their own regime. Throughout the book, Winston constantly references how powerful the proles could be "If only they could somehow become conscious of their own strength." However, it is this strength that the party is trying to suppress from the proles by letting them do what they wish because if they use up their time drinking beer and gambling, they will not have time to plan an uprising or become intelligent. For example, when Winston walked into "a dingy little pub" seeking knowledge of what Oceania was like before the revolution, he noticed an old man who was alive before the revolution. Unfortunately, the old man's thoughts were so clouded as Winston thought they were "nothing but a rubbish-heap of details." Consequently, the years of alcohol abuse have rendered most of the prole population to be brainwashed and content with their situation. They need nothing more than "films, football, beer, and above all, …show more content…
The most common drug throughout the book is Soma, a complex hallucinogen that has "All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects." Also, the government mass distributes Soma to all its citizens and uses propaganda to boost its use. Soma is used at any moment of dissatisfaction among the population, and the people are conditioned to love this "perfect drug." The true effect of Soma is to keep human emotion away and to turn the population into mindless drones and keep stability among the people and it is often said that "A gramme (of soma) is better than a damn." Consequently, after the ingestion of Soma a mindless stable population is exactly what the government receives because it removes all natural human emotion and replaces it with happiness and serenity. In fact, taking a Soma is described as "a holiday from reality whenever you like.... without so much as a headache." The abuse of Soma by the population keeps stability of the people and suppresses any act of malicious thought and ultimately turns every emotion into happiness and perfect bliss. Just like what Mustapha Mond has said, “Stability was practically assured." There was one point in the story when a fight and hysteria had broken out and government patrols had forced every to take soma until "everyone belonged to everyone else" again. Through the use of Soma, it is safe
Adolf Hitler once said, “The best way to take control over a people and control them utterly is to take a little of their freedom at a time…until past the point at which these changes cannot be reversed.” The motif of governmental control manipulates the individuals in Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. Society within Brave New World is conditioned to follow specific guidelines and to possess the same beliefs. The bureaucracy dominates the population of the New World socially, mentally, and physically. The motif of executive authority and domination assists in establishing characters, mood and atmosphere, and the additional theme of using technology to manipulate characters.
In the book Brave New World, the government has complete control over the citizens. From conditioning to drugs, the government finds ways to use its power over the people. In many ways, this relates to our world and our government, and in this novel, Huxley warns us about letting the government take control over
1984 and Brave New World, written by George Orwell and Aldous Huxley, respectively, are both books that reflect the authors vision of how society would end up at the course it was going at the time of the writing of the book. Both books were written more than fifty years ago, but far enough apart that society was going in a totally different direction at the time. There are many ways to compare these two books and point out the similarities. On certain, deep levels they are very much the same, while at first glance, on the surface, they are very different. One point that in some parts is the same and some very different, is the governments in each of these books method’s of control.
In Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley, there is a drug used and mentioned throughout the story called Soma. The characters have been conditioned by birth that Soma is always the answer when you feel alone or sad. This drug is used so people can go on "holidays" from their reality and is used as payment for the lower caste groups. People want Soma because they go on these highs and live in their "Heaven" to escape reality. After all, they do call Soma "All the advantages of Christianity and alcohol; none of their defects"(Huxley 54). Soma becomes a tool to control the people in society.
In the novel Brave New World, written by Aldous Huxley, the use of “soma”, a drug similar to an opiate, is used to help control peace and the world. Since soma has been used to configurate the world, there has been no war, mental disabilities, depression or sickness throughout the people. The people are given soma every day to function throughout society without having to deal with stress, anxiety, depression or any other negative feelings, the soma blocks out “feelings” in order to properly thrive without any implications. Soma is not just only used to hide feelings and keep the people feeling youthful, but also to keep the community become more societal and unified. Soma is depended on through the society to deal with any problems, whether
Throughout the book, multiple characters indulge in soma, a drug that gives the user a pleasant sensation of relaxation, known as a "soma holiday". Soma holidays allow the user to escape the unpleasantness of reality. The consumption of soma is considered normal and a necessary part of daily life. Ironically, our society considers drug use to be both abnormal and immoral. Like promiscuity, soma usage is considered normal because it is regulated by the World Controllers. Soma’s properties turns into one of the World Controller’s most powerful means of management. After partaking in soma, the people no longer feel the need to ask questions or defy the structures of society. The soma rations are an insurance against any social unrest. It removes initiative and ultimately restricts
Complete control over a society can brainwash the citizens into believing the government laws and ways of life are normal. George Orwell's 1984 portrays a Utopian society in which the people of Oceania are blind to the world outside the controlling party. Reality control and surveillance of the citizens plays an important role in 1984 by George Orwell because of the negative Utopia that is illustrated by the use of paradox, symbolism, and imagery.
Soma is the answer to all of life's problems and is invented in an attempt to distract society from worry, tension, and pain. The drug is rationed by the government and is normally consumed after a hard day's work. In this utopian society, people choose to "know no pain" (Clareson 238). Instead of suffering, people fill their days with the mindless acts they were predestined to perform. At the end of each day, everyone gathers in crowded distribution rooms and waits eagerly to receive the one thing that truly makes the day worthwhile, which is his or her ration of soma (Huxley 215). This valuable drug goes beyond the literal meaning in which it is being used and becomes the one thing that everyone really lives for. The idea in the novel is that pleasure is the most powerful motivator (Clareson 238). So by giving the masses pleasure, the directors keep the world running smoothly. The directors also eliminate the time between desire and fulfillment, so one cannot help but take the quick fix of soma rather than using logic to figure out his or her problems. It is the mass' motivator and problem solver, and brings the people all the great moods and feelings that they could possible ask for because of its hypnotic power to relax the mind (Meerloo 236). Unfortunately, when the futuristic people take this drug, they eventually
“Alcohol is a depressant because it slows down the functions of the central nervous system,” so the Party has essentially assigned Winston an additive which affects his cognitive skills, which serves as a ploy to push the Party’s agenda (Stephen 3). The gin serves as a treatment the Party gives to its members to make them less conscious of the conditions of reality and to stimulate sanguineness, which serves the purpose of inevitably eliminating independent thought. Unfortunately, to the Party’s dismay, the efficacy of the gin is completely dependent on the user’s need to consume it.
The World State forbids the citizens from experiencing any negative emotion, for fear of losing control. Soma, Latin for sleep, renders its users to a coma-like blissful state, which Congdon describes, borrowing the statement from Huxley himself, that soma allows the citizens to,“periodically escape from the pressure of routine and worldly cares”(Congdon). Citizens are conditioned to use the drug at the slightest challenge to the cultural norms, preventing any thoughts of rebellion or contempt against the government.
In the book 1984 by George Orwell, a totalitarian government is emphasized. Throughout the story, it is revealed that all the government cares about is war and power within themselves. It is clearly shown that the intentions of the government in Oceania are self-serving and not benevolent. With the use of Newspeak and Doublethink, Orwell further shows that the intentions of the government are one sided and are only effective for themselves. The way in which the government runs its people expresses the idea of selfishness and that all benefits are only for the government. Through the use of surveillance, torture, and complete removal of people's privacy, the government is able to manipulate and scare people into obeying the government, which in turn only makes the government stronger.
In George Orwell’s 1984 Power is gained most effectively through control, fear and violence. Compared to a government like that of America’s, 1984 creates a more threatening structure of government where the public is limited from freedom and happiness. 1984 shows a world of a society where only the upper class has power and freedom from the harsh treatment that the general population receives. The idea of Big Bother makes the population of Oceania believe they are being watched over by a powerful force and oppresses them so they feel powerless and unable to do anything against a “great” force like Big Brother. The well-being of others depends on their willingness to agree with Big Brother and abide by their laws, if you think otherwise then you will be an accuser of thought-crime will be vaporized and removed from society or harshly punished through rigorous treatment and torture methods as was Winston and Julia. Power creates problems for others in which they do not deserve.
The books 1984 by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley are both connected in the way society controls people. Both these books illustrate control over their citizens through government intervention. People are constantly being watched either by telescreens or neighbors in 1984 while there is no privacy in Brave New World at all. In 1984, children are in a league of youth spies and send people to jail because they look suspicious. Brave New World’s children are created to be controlled for the sake of society. Sex is bad in 1984 because it promotes the idea of pleasure or selfish needs while Brave New World embraces sex to promote happiness. 1984 and Brave New World both control the people of society through privacy, sex, and children.
Two classic novels, 1984 written by George Orwell and Brave New World penned by Aldous Huxley both possess similar topics and themes. In both novels societies are striving for a utopia, or a perfect society. These novels also take place in societies with versions of totalitarian governments, which is a government that rules by coercion. Not only are the topics similar, but in both novels a rebellious character is the protagonist; Winston Smith from 1984 and John the Savage in Brave New World. Another parallel in the books are the tactics that the government uses to instill fear and power over the citizens. A common theme expressed in Orwell’s novel 1984 and Huxley’s novel Brave New World is that government uses
The drug, soma, in particular is emblematic in its pervasive influence into the World State, of the power of