Slogans Of 1984

A book may have the best of messages and intentions but few will read it if it isn't captivating or engaging. As a result, George Orwell used a variety of literary techniques to make the book more engaging. The three mottos of the inner party represent oxymorons. These are “Freedom is Slavery”, “War is Peace” and “Ignorance is Strength”. These statements contain opposing terms but does contain truths within them. For example, an ignorant population is easy to manipulate and the government

The insidious manifestation and nature of the Party’s power culminates through their manipulation of all aspects of life. History becomes a palimpsest wherein anything can be altered so as to favor the doctrines of the party. Language is slowly becoming eradicated and “ It was intended that when Newspeak had been adopted once and for all and Oldspeak forgotten, a heretical thought should be literally unthinkable, at least so far as thought is dependent on words”. This illustrates that the party wishes to create orthodoxy wherein independent and singular thought which repudiate any vestiges of humanity and digress from the principles of the party are blatantly impossible. Winston is of the belief that

Quote 1: "Do anything to me!" he yelled. "You've been starving me for weeks. Finish it off and let me die. Shoot me. Hang me. Sentence me to twenty-five years. Is there somebody else you want me to give away? Just say who it is and I’ll tell you anything you want. I don't care who it is or what you do to them. I've got a wife and three children. The biggest of them isn't six years old. You can take the whole lot of them and cut their throats in front of my eyes, and I'll stand by and watch it. But not Room 101!" (1984 Orwell, Book 3 Chapter 1)

When “IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH”(16) is flashed on the screen it is kind of an irony. The Party is technically telling the people they have strength due to the fact that the citizens of Oceania are ignorant to the lies told by the party. The more ignorant the more power the Party has. The quote “WAR IS STRENGTH”(16) is describing the people wanting The Party to win the war they are in turning them against their “enemy” to gain more respect and power above the people. This was a tactic to get the people to fight for The Party who has been manipulating them into believing the lies they tell them every day. The last quote the Party uses is “FREEDOM IS SLAVERY.” This quote is basically stating that a man who is on his own is doomed to fail.

The definition of a paradox is, “A statement that on the surface seems a contradiction, but that actually contains some truth.” In George Orwell’s, 1984, the use of paradoxes is exemplified in an attempt to allow the reader to understand the true intentions of a totalitarian government. By using war as a method of keeping peace in the society or even going so far as to further the degree of ignorance to greaten the government’s power, Orwell constantly expresses the oppression of people under a totalitarian rule, the central theme of the novel. In an effort to gain the further support of the people of Oceania, the controlling party writes the following

One of my favorite quotes from 1984 is “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two equals four. If that is granted, then all else follows.” This quote, from main character Winston Smith, shows how if people are given the truth, they are also given the right to say whatever they want. This quote is very important to the story. In 1984, the government changes the past in order to make the present and future seem more correct and accurate. One of Winston’s fears is that the past will be so changed that even basic facts that everyone agrees to, such as two plus two equals four, will no longer be the truth. I like this quote because it captures the idea of the totalitarian government controlling literally everything. Another quote I like is “War is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength.” This quote is the motto of the English Socialist party, which reminds me of the Communist party in countries such as North Korea. This quote displays how the English Socialist party, or Ingsoc, brainwashes its people. For example, in today’s world, we would recognize that

In 1984, the last and largest work of Orwell’s life, the oppression becomes even more sinister. Winston, a member of the “party,” decides to break away from the melancholy lifestyle in which “freedom is slavery” and rebel against the government that restrains him. The party even erases all of history and claims that reality is within the mind; “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.” He becomes conscious of all the trickery and lies of the party and joins a secret organization to fight for freedom. The organization, however, is a lie and Winston is tortured until he learns to truly love Big Brother. 1984 makes prominent stabs at the

Quote: “If you are a man, Winston, you are the last man. Your kind is extinct; we are the inheritors. Do you understand that you are ALONE? You are outside history, you are nonexistent” (Orwell 276).

George Orwell’s 1984 establishes a paradox in order to display an ironic discovery of truth. The slogan “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength” used throughout Oceania is crazy, but it is also truthful. A quote from the book states “until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious” (Orwell 70). This quote suggests that the citizens are locked inside this slogan of the party, and have been brainwashed into following the rules that they have in place. Secondly, war is peace demonstrates that being in war constantly keeps Oceania under control. A summary on 1984 says “The reason for the war is to keep their economies productive without adding to the wealth of their citizens” (Celona). This evidence shows how the party believes war keeps their country away from rebellion. Lastly, the statement “Freedom is Slavery” is a paradox shown throughout the novel. An article says “the society he lives in strips its citizens not only of their freedom but of their very humanity” (Becnel). This passage suggests that without slavery and control in Oceania, we would not know of freedom. Orwell’s use of paradoxes helps the reader to understand the true meaning behind the slogan used in 1984.

Chapter: “From where Winston stood it was just possible to read, picked out on its white face in elegant lettering, the three slogans of the Party”.(70)

The theme best presented in George Orwell’s 1984 is freedom is worth fighting for. According to the novel “1984” by George Orwell, the text states, “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows.” This evidence supports the theme because it shows that freedom is being able to make decisions on your own without anyone telling you they are wrong. Orwell also states, “If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable-what then? But no! His courage seemed suddenly to stiffen of its own accord.” This evidence shows that Winston is ready to do whatever it takes to get the freedom he deserves because he is realizing how restricted the rules can really be. This therefore proves the theme is freedom is worth fighting for because in his world, the party is very controlling. This is what makes Winston want to fight for his freedom. The novel “1984” also states, “And yet he was in the right! They were wrong and he was right. The obvious,

The three slogans of the party are “WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH”, (Orwell, 7). At first glance, these slogans would appear absurd but after further investigation they ironically couldn’t be more true. War is Peace means that while the country is at war the people’s attention is diverted from seeing the corruption of the government. Nobody rebels against the government because they have a bigger issue to handle, the war. Ignorance is strength meaning that the people’s ignorance causes them to not question the Party which is the party’s idea of making the country strong. Freedom is slavery means that if people are given the freedom to do what they wish and show ideas that are not for the party, everybody becomes weak. They are imprisoned by the thoughts they conjure which means they cannot stand up against even one idea from the party.

Winston begins writing in his illegal diary, “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” and worries the Thought Police will find out.

In Comparison of the three slogans the number one thing they all have in common is they are all false and are all contradictions of each other; “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is strength.” Each slogan has it 's own purpose and reason to help the inner circle to control everybody to make sure they do not rise up against the inner party. If someone does go against the inner party the inner party sends their “task force” in to take that person and to have them do manually labor for the rest of their life. Which having the Thought Police a.k.a “task force” in the mix of everything adds even more anxiety and fear into the people of this society. In truth the inner circle uses fear and repeats the slogans to get people brainwashed into believing everything the inner circle is telling them.

Another dominant example of irony is the Party’s slogan: “WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” (Orwell 17). The slogan is an example of superficial verbal irony. However, upon closer examination, it sheds more light on Orwell’s intent. By stating that “war is peace”, Orwell sends distinct messages to two vastly different groups. To the proles, the commoners, “war is peace” can be read at its most literal meaning, that there can one day be peace by defeating the enemy and securing victory. Despite the simple understanding the proles have of the slogan, those in the Inner Party, the group of people in charge of Oceania, have a much more devious understanding of it. To them, the slogan represents the shell game that they play with the common citizen. Much like the street gambler taking bets on which shell the rock is under, the Inner Party assures that the citizenry is focused on whatever country Oceania is fighting, rather than on the leaders of the country. This claim is further supported on page 161 where Orwell describes the futility of the wars that are being fought. “None of the three superstates ever attempts any maneuver which involves the risk of serious defeat” (Orwell 161). Rather than try to end the wars, they continue fighting to keep the minds of the working class occupied with hate. The leaders in 1984 saw that it was not advantageous to advocate a strict moral