Similarities Between 1984 And Metropolis

George Orwell’s theme in 1984 is that an omnipotent and all-seeing government is dangerous and will demean individuality as well as free will. He portrays this through Winston’s failure to rebel while showing totalitarian governments cannot be stopped after they have been completely established. He also depicts his message through the citizens’ total belief in government propaganda no matter how absurd or inconstant as well as through the international solidarity and seemingly permanent nuclear cold war.

George Orwell focuses his belief of the “[disbelief] in the existence of the objective truth because all the facts have to fit in with the words and prophecies of some infallible fuhrer”. He envisions the decay of future society and implements his ideas through his creation of “Nineteen Eighty-Four”. Indications of a psychological fear are examined initially through the progression and change of the human mind, which is built upon the oppression of the Party. Through the construction of a world with no freedom and individuality, the human mind adapts the change of truth and pay utter submission from the Party, to escape the presence of their ultimate weakness. With those who are rebellious of the rules of the Party gradually brings out the ugly nature of humanity. Through the fragility of the human mind, it reinforces Orwell’s idea of a corrupted society, as there no longer remains a variety of human emotions for the next generation to pass onwards. Thus conclusively portraying the defeat of human mind unable to withstand the physical and mental tortures from the Party.

The quote “The object of power is power” is heavily supported by George Orwell’s 1949 novel ‘1984’ and Fritz Lang’s 1927 film ‘Metropolis’ through their intertextual connections and shared perspectives. Both texts were composed around the context of pre and post World War 2 which is clearly evident through their settings, characterisation, themes and ideas. Through Orwell’s and Fritz’s use of dystopic societies, empowerment of women and detrimental dictatorship rule it is blatant that George Orwell’s quote “The object of power is power” is quite strongly supported by the intertextual connections and shared perspectives of Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Lang’s ‘Metropolis’.

Whether Orwell is recreating the ghastly atmosphere of fear and torture in Nazi Germany or in the most repressive part of the Stalinist regime, we see clearly the opposition between the charismatic leader and his inner corps of privileged lieutenants, and the collective mass of dehumanised persons who are no longer individuals. Paradoxically,

He implies this ideology on the government’s excessive use of Propaganda. The novel begins with Winston Smith, a protagonist, walking into his house gloomily. Inside his home, a “telescreen” play loudly and continuously. As Winston looks outside, he sees that, “Down in the street little eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no color in anything, except the posters that were plastered everywhere. The black-mustachioed face gazed down from every commanding corner. There was one on the house front immediately opposite. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption said, while the dark eyes looked deep into Winston's own” (Orwell 6). Orwell implies the reality of how the totalitarian government is able brainwash people with the power of propaganda. By using imagery, “eddies of wind were whirling dust and torn paper into spirals, and though the sun was shining and the sky a harsh blue, there seemed to be no color in anything,” he describes the vivid picture of a depressing environment of totalitarian society. This sequentially reflects people’s psychological mind due to the government’s misuse of propaganda. Orwell further stresses totalitarians’ abuse of power through the use of appeal to fear, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU.” This statement reminds the citizens who hold the

This quote exemplifies the extent to which the Party hijacks the mental processes of people to gain power, and how that is more crucial to unopposed power than physical control already established. Thus, Orwell presents a perspective on power through exploring the restriction of free thought and movement, and how that benefits a totalitarian government.

In the novel 1984, Orwell produced a social critique on totalitarianism and a future dystopia that made the world pause and think about our past, present and future. When reading this novel we all must take the time to think of the possibility that Orwell's world could come to pass. Orwell presents the concepts of power, marginalization, and resistance through physical, psychological, sexual and political control of the people of Oceania. The reader experiences the emotional ride through the eyes of Winston Smith, who was born into the oppressive life under the rule of Ingsoc. Readers are encouraged through Winston to adopt a negative opinion on the idea of communist rule and the inherent dangers of totalitarianism. The psychological

George Orwell’s 1984 published in 1949 is one of the important novels in the twentieth century, since author’s vision is satirist and prophetic that it is one of the most powerful warnings ever issued against the dangers of a totalitarian society. During the WWII, George Orwell witnessed the rise to power of dictators such as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin of the nightmarish atrocities committed by fascist political regimes, and inspired his mounting hatred of totalitarianism and political authority; therefore, in novel 1984, Orwell uses the characterization of the main character, Winston Smith, to show that an extreme totalitarian government can destroy one’s morals, beliefs, and self-worth. Like Aldous Huxley’s

The totalitarian government loathes freedoms and deplores rebellion, and by combining these ideas they create the perfect conglomeration of ideas which pushes the people of Airstrip One even further down the ideologies that Big Brother approves of.  Because of all this hate and rage being directed at Goldenstein, Eastasia, freedoms, and the rebellion, the people still are not aware of their own status as individuals creating an endless cycle ignorance.  Another way the The Party exhibits control is through the use of the Two Minutes Hate.  As it is described by Winston, it is “A hideous ecstasy of fear and vindictiveness, a desire to kill, to torture, to smash faces in with a sledgehammer…” (Orwell 14).  The Two Minutes Hate activity utilizes some of the pent up frustrations the people have accumulated  through not being able to exercise their freedoms and turns it into pure rage.  Hate and anger course through the crowd as they are unable to form a single coherent thought that isn’t what the government wants them to think.  The Party, for these two minutes, is able to create a stranglehold on the emotions of the people and can steer them in any direction they choose.  Orwell demonstrates here how the themes of rage and loathing are going to play a big part in his novel as well as how government decreases unique thinking by playing up emotions rather than critical thinking.  And the key part about the Hate period is that “...

Humanity is, at its most basic sense, a series of interlinking concepts and features that humans possess – it cannot be tied down to a single one; however, the quality that links these concepts and features can be – abstract thought. Abstract thought is the sole provider of individualism, a necessary aspect required to challenge conformity and incite rebellion. Consequently, depletion of abstract thought and subsequent depletion of humanity reduces and individual’s ability to challenge conformity, and the society will remain stagnant. This is shown in George Orwell’s satirical novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, and in Fritz Lang’s expressionist film Metropolis, through the texts’ warnings against obliviousness and propaganda, the abuse of technology

George Orwell was the pseudonym for Eric Arthur Blair, and he was famous for his personnel vendetta against totalitarian regimes and in particular the Stalinist brand of communism. In his novel, 1984, Orwell has produced a brilliant social critique on totalitarianism and a future dystopia, that has made the world pause and think about our past, present and future, as the situation of 1984 always remains menacingly possible. The story is set in a futuristic 1984 London, where a common man Winston Smith has turned against the totalitarian government. Orwell has portrayed the concepts of power, marginalization, and resistance through physical, psychological, sexual and political control. The way that Winston Smith, the central

George Orwell depicts control through a tyrannical government that seeks to control its people into complete submission. In this novel the main character “Winston Smith” tries to seek truth by looking beyond his tyrannical government, while his government seeks to destroy this curiosity in him. In the end the government wins in killing off the part of Winston that they considered a detriment to their dystopian reality. Unlike the allegory where the humans are only stopped by something much simpler to comprehend in this modern time.

Historically, literature has always echoed the key issues and themes present during that time. In the period which Orwell wrote this novel, totalitarian government was a popular concept seeing implementation around the world such as Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and Mussolini’s Italy. In the novel 1984. While Orwell’s world is a fictional one, it can be said that he uses it as a voice for social commentary, and he predictions as to what a world would be like if totalitarian governments would rule the world. This essay will aim to explore how Orwell goes about doing this.

Readers of George Orwell have long appreciated the significance of his representation of a futuristic dystopian world. ‘Big brother is watching you,’ ‘Thought police,’ ‘Ministry of love,’ ‘Hate week,’ are expressions that Orwell used to represent his preoccupation with the totalitarian regimes of 20th century. More than one out of four Americans said they have red his dystopia and use his expressions in their language. Many critics claim that the novel opened up new prospects of political awareness. ‘1984’ is a political fiction in which the government eliminates all forms of political opposition, be it real or imaginary. The atmosphere of the novel is completely depressing because there is no hope for change. The government dominates people morally and forces them to live in constant fear. His terrifying vision of a future in which all aspects of society are controlled by a tyrannical system attracted the

Orwell’s warning of the dangers of totalitarian regimes to his contextual readers and future audiences is portrayed through his novel, 1984, because “Big Brother is Watching You”, exerting total control over the masses. The masses are effectively controlled by the thought police, telescreens and children who are “against their parents and taught to spy on them and report their deviations”.... Orwell writes about the potential dangers that are inherent when power and technology are abused, resulting in mindless citizens and “a world of fear and hatred and torment”, which Winston perfectly captures with his metaphorical epiphany; “we are the dead”. Like the dead, society will become opiated, lacking individual thought, a highly valued asset of