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The Importance Of Friendships In George Orwell's 1984

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With the holidays approaching, many will gather with friends and loved ones in celebration. In addition to holiday celebrations, most global traditions and cultural norms are centered around relationships. Though relationships can cause both pleasure and dejection, they remain a vital part of human nature. Now imagine a world where these social connections are destroyed by government interference. Imagine that the government permeates every facet of human life. There would be no holiday celebrations surrounded by loved ones, no enjoying the company of family around the dinner table while sharing a meal. Day-to-day lives would be drastically altered. This realization is heightened when one is shown an oppressive government that inhibits …show more content…

Orwell speaks to this issue to emphasize the importance of friendships.
In addition to a deficiency in genuine friendships within Orwell’s 1984, family loyalty and dedication is scarce due to strict presence of an oppressive government. An accurate demonstration of this occurs during one of Winston’s flashbacks of his mother. After this memory, Winston “never saw his mother again…”, and, “this was already becoming normal at the time” (163). This statement represents the notion that even familial ties are not strong enough to withstand an overbearing government such as the one in the novel. Parent-child relationships are considered crucial to children’s development, and oftentimes a mother’s love for her children is considered one of the strongest forces of nature. Connections between parent and child are what separate humans from animals, and they give people an emotional intelligence. Repercussions of potential government strength and the dangers of such strength are highlighted when families are torn apart. Orwell gives a quintessential example of the ability of the government to destroy family bonds for their own benefit.
Similarly, this same idea is prevalent when Winston finds Parsons in the Ministry of Love. Parsons had been arrested for thought-crime, and ironically he says, “It was my little daughter. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh? I don’t bear her any grudge for it. In fact I’m proud of her” (232). This

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