Literary Elements in 1984 The novel 1984 by George Orwell is a literary masterpiece that brings together various literary elements to warn people of a dystopian future in which the government is all-controlling and all-seeing. These various elements add to this allegorical tale, in a way that leaves the reader with a vague sense of terror and a mix of understanding and confusion at the same time. Orwell utilizes such elements as imagery, characterization, and symbolism to add to the depth of the story and its meaning. The use of literary elements in 1984 contribute to the deeper meaning of this well-written cautionary tale. Imagery in the novel brings the setting to life within the reader’s mind, by providing sensory details that appeal to …show more content…
Most things or ideas stand for something else, or have a double meaning. In fact, one of the fundamental beliefs of the government in the story is the idea of doublethink, which is defined and used as having multiple meanings. One of the symbols in the story that is important to Winston, is the upstairs room over an antique shop that Winston and a woman named Julia use to meet each other. The room has old fashioned furniture, such as a fireplace and mahogany bed, and lacks an otherwise commonly present telescreen (96-97). This place is believed to be a secure location for Julia and Winston to meet in secret and sleep together. Winston explains the sense of comfort it brings them: “Now that they had a secure hiding place, almost a home, it did not even seem a hardship that they could meet infrequently and for a couple of hours at a time” (150). The room comes to represent a sanctuary in the novel, because of the way it allows Julia and Winston to express themselves and be together freely without being watched. The main symbol in 1984 is “Big Brother,” a mysterious and all-knowing entity that represents the totalitarian government in the novel. Winston describes the ever present poster of Big Brother: “On each landing...the poster with the enormous face gazed from the wall. It was one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move. Big Brother Is Watching You, the caption …show more content…
The elements of imagery, characterization, and symbolism are used to enhance the storyline, and involve the reader in the development of the plot. The imagery describes the setting, and adds to the intensity of the book, the characterization adds depth and humanity to otherwise inhuman characters, and the symbolism adds deeper meanings that allow readers to understand another level of thinking that the book inspires. These literary elements join to form a thorough and far-reaching novel that remains timeless well past the year
Sensory Imagery: make the reader envision objects and settings in the book with greater detail.
“ The horizon was the color of milk. Cold and fresh. Poured out among the bodies” (Zusak 175). The device is used in the evidence of the quote by using descriptives words that create a mental image. The text gives the reader that opportunity to use their senses when reading the story. “Somehow, between the sadness and loss, Max Vandenburg, who was now a teenager with hard hands, blackened eyes, and a sore tooth, was also a little disappointed” (Zusak 188). This quote demonstrates how the author uses descriptive words to create a mental image which gives the text more of an appeal to the reader's sense such as vision. “She could see his face now, in the tired light. His mouth was open and his skin was the color of eggshells. Whisker coated his jaw and chin, and his ears were hard and flat. He had a small but misshapen nose” (Zusak 201). The quotes allows the reader to visualize what the characters facial features looked like through the use of descriptive words. Imagery helps bring the story to life and to make the text more exciting. The reader's senses can be used to determine the observations that the author is making about its characters. The literary device changes the text by letting the reader interact with the text by using their observation skills. The author is using imagery by creating images that engages the reader to know exactly what's going on in the story which allows them to
The novel 1984 is one that has sparked much controversy over the last several decades. It harbors many key ideas that lie at the root of all skepticism towards the book. With the ideas of metaphysics, change, and control in mind, George Orwell wrote 1984 to provide an interesting story but also to express his ideas of where he believed the world was heading. His ideas were considered widely ahead of their time, and he was really able to drive home how bleak and colorless our society really is. Orwell wrote this piece as a futuristic, dystopian book which contained underlying tones of despair and deceit.
These examples display the inevitable fact that all over the world subtle but significant events are taking place that appear to signify a shifting toward a totalitarian government, much like the one present in 1984. This is extremely disturbing because most people will agree that the life lived by the characters in 1984, is not one of any value. Though they are “protected” from several of the problems that many of the free world citizens and officials face, they have no control over their thoughts or actions. This leads to unbearable uniformity. It is chilling to know that though George Orwell’s book was written as fiction, portions of it are becoming factual.
The fictional world of 1984 is best described as bleak. In the aftermath of the fall of capitalism and nuclear war, the world has been divided among three practically identical totalitarian nation-states. The novel takes place in London, which has become a part of Oceania, the nation state comprising the Americas and western Europe. A state of perpetual war and poverty is the rule in Oceania. However, this is merely a backdrop, far from the most terrifying aspect of life in 1984. Oceania is governed by a totalitarian bureaucracy, personified in the image of Big Brother, the all-knowing/ all-seeing godlike figure that represents the government. Big Brother is best described as a "totalitarian socialist dictator, a political demagogue and religious cult leader all rolled into one." So great is the power of Big Brother that the reader is unsure whether he actually exists or is simply a propaganda tool of the government. The party of Big Brother, Ingsoc (English Social...
“WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.” Part 1,Chapter 1,pg. 6. These three principles were repeatedly emphasized throughout the book and helped lay the foundation of the dystopian society George Orwell imagined in his novel 1984. Fear, manipulation, and control were all encompassed throughout this dystopian society set in the distant future. The freedom to express ones thoughts was no longer acceptable and would not be tolerated under any circumstances. Humankind was rapidly transforming into a corrupt and evil state of mind.
1984 is a dystopian novel set inn Airstrip One, which used to be Britian. Oceania is always at war with another superpower, and their main goal is to achieve the most power throughout their world. The main character is Winston Smith, a man who works for the party and is supposed to change history to match what the party has told him. Winston lives in a society where he is constantly listened to and watched by telescreens and microphones to make sure he is enthusiastic about hate, and to make sure he doesn’t commit any crimes. Everywhere Winston goes he always sees posters that say, “Big Brother is Watching You.” Big Brother is the party leader that may or may not be real. The official language of Oceania, the country where Airstrip one is located, is Newspeak. Newspeak is the only language in Oceania that lessens it’s words each year so that it is harder for people to commit thoughtcrime. Winston is a dedicated worker, but often thinks about rebellion against Big Brother. Winston idolizes a man named O'Brien that he thinks is part of the Brotherhood, a terrorist group who constantly sabotages the party. Winston begins to like a woman named Juli...
Dystopian novels are written to reflect the fears a population has about its government and they are successful because they capture that fright and display what can happen if it is ignored. George Orwell wrote 1984 with this fear of government in mind and used it to portray his opinion of the current government discretely. Along with fear, dystopian novels have many other elements that make them characteristic of their genre. The dystopian society in Orwell’s novel became an achievement because he utilized a large devastated city, a shattered family system, life in fear, a theme of oppression, and a lone hero.
Imagery is used by many authors as a crucial element of character development. These authors draw parallels between the imagery in their stories and the main characters' thoughts and feelings. Through intense imagery, non-human elements such as the natural environment, animals, and inanimate objects are brought to life with characteristics that match those of the characters involved.
The year 1984 has long passed, but the novel still illustrates a possibility for the future of society. It still remains a powerful influence in all sorts of literature, music, and social theory. George Orwell envisioned a nightmarish utopia that could have very easily become a possibility in 1949 ? the year the novel was written. He managed to create such a realistic view of humanity?s future, that this story has been deemed timeless. There will always be the threat of totalitarianism, and at some moments civilization is only a step away from it. Orwell hated the thought of it, and 1984 shows that. From his work, readers who live in prevailing democratic society have a chance to consider about these very different political systems, democracy and totalitarianism.
George Orwell’s approach on 1984 is remarkable because of his attempt to foreshadow the future. The definition of satire “is the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice, folly, etc.” From childhood to adulthood experiences he is able to come up with a story for what he thinks is to come. The book 1984 demonstrates how leaders exert too much power and by doing that can cause a corrupt government which can possibly re-sult in rebellious actions by citizens.
Certainly, to be a literary writer is difficult, because it seems that the first step of writing is to know both coherence and cohesion, and how to apply them. Orwell and Zamyatin as two brilliant authors, understand that; the connection between the names of novels and the plot of them proves this fact. 1984 and WE as two literary works are full of symbolism; and it is completely evident from their titles. Symbolism of the number “1984” refers back to both the back ground of Orwell, and the history events of this year, which is long, and almost complex; but it is entirely relevant to the number. By relying to it, “1984” is the symbol of hypocrisy, crimes, violence, death, and the year that nurturing the seeds of revolution and transformation in future.
George Orwell’s intent in the novel 1984 is to warn society about the results of a controlling and manipulative government by employing mood, conflict, and imagery.
The characters of the novel possess qualities that symbolize history and have important hidden meanings. Symbolism plays a big role in the novel.
depictions of characters and details that capture the imagination. The plot of this novel is the