George Orwell’s horrifying novel entitled 1984 sets out what the end result of a totalitarian society may be. Orwell takes examples of inhumanity from past and existing totalitarian societies and shows the extremes that can be attained by the use of an all–embracing regime. Orwell accomplishes a sense of claustrophobia and inhumanity through a variety of literary techniques, his careful choice of language and by creating images in ones mind of this dull, intangible, sadistic world. Orwell creates this atmosphere of claustrophobia through overwhelming and unsettling depictions of the dystopian world he has created. Right at the beginning, when Winston Smith is walking back to his apartment inside the ironically named “Victory Mansion” he passes a large poster, which consists of the “enormous face” of Big Brother (the ‘omnipotent’ father figure), which he describes as “enormous”, “heavy” and “overwhelming”. The words Orwell has used to describe the poster generate a sinister and omnipotent feel to Big Brother, which is enhanced by the simple addition of the word “BIG” to the word Brother. On the poster it says in large capital letters, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU”. Using alliteration, this sentence creates a menacing and imprisoning feeling that he is always watching you. The whole thought of this makes me think that Big Brother is only a heavy yolk on the back of the people. The “loudspeakers bellow” and the telescream inside Winston’s apartment add to the effect of claustrophobia by suggesting to the reader that this world is not only drab but also a world of insecurity and helplessness. When it comes to the description of buildings, rooms and houses, he creates a depressing, minute and oppressive picture in one’s mind of this o... ... middle of paper ... ... tends to depict them as animals. Examples of the way in which he portrays people are: “mechanically”, “creature”, “froglike”, “scutterling”, “beetle–like”, “quacking” and “the eyeless face”. All of these metaphors and similes construct a picture of how people are not human but act in a primitive and mechanical manner, which give these human people an inhuman appearance. Examples of machines made to seem animal like are: “the insect voice of the clock” and how Orwell says that the helicopter patrol is “like a blue–bottle”. This creates the sense that these machines are not admired anymore but are parasitic in the way in which they are intrusive in Winston’s life and how they are somehow uncontrollable and undomesticated, opposite to how a man made machine should be. In 1984, by the methods shown above, George Orwell has created a claustrophobic and inhumane society.
This itself alludes to America’s extreme response to communism during the Cold War era, under the influence of Senator Joe McCarthy. Similar to the paranoia that characterized the McCarthy era, Orwell’s dystopian society was expected to betray their friends, family and co-workers for the benefit of the state and themselves. This is made explicitly evident during Winston’s visit to the cafe, in which the telescreen sang; “Under the spreading chestnut tree/ I sold you and you sold me…”Foreshadowing Winston’s eventual betrayal of Maria in order to save himself, and his conformity to the party. Furthermore, the notion that “nothing was your own except the few cubic centimetres in your skull” becomes ironic as the novel develops in which the criminalisation of unorthodox ideologies leads to the punishment of “thoughtcrime”, and the eventual “vaporisation” of dissidents. This itself alludes to the ‘great purges’ that took place under the terror that characterized Joseph Stalin’s reign. Likewise, the inherent fear of eccentricity amongst the oppressed citizens of “Airstrip one” is highlighted by the nature of “facecrime” in which the presence of an improper expression or any suggestion of abnormality could be punished. Thus, through Orwell 's effective use of allusion and characterisation, contextual audiences are provided with a didactic warning regarding the nature of a totalitarian reign, in which a “hideous ecstasy of fear” influences society’s
By making the house have a topography and changing the perspective of the description, Malouf has created a sense of mystery and adventure in discovering the rooms for the first time from a child’s point of view. This sense is conveyed through describing the boy’s detailed observations and feelings when e...
George Orwell’s novel, 1984, is a dystopian literary text that illuminates the tenets of totalitarian and authoritarian governance in most areas where the leaders seek total loyalty and near hero worship. It was published in 1949, but has since remained relevant because its details promoted authoritarian political constructs and the political leadership concepts that evolved in the globe over time. Set at Oceania province in Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, the book displays an omnipresent government that institutes constant state surveillance on the people that it suspects to be a threat to its regime and agitators of rebellion. It infringes on human rights
Orwell explores the social impact of government through the means of Big Brother and how it affects social conformity. Big Brother is a character presented in the novel which exercises restriction and maximum control of the mass. Winston writes, “Down with the Big Brother” (Orwell 19). From the beginning of the novel, readers see Winston’s extreme disgust with the government.
The narrator allows us in Winston’s mind as he walks through the city streets “He felt as though he were he were wandering in the forests of the sea bottom, lost in a monstrous world where he himself was unimaginable. What certainty had he that a single human creature now living was on his side?” (pg.23). Orwell uses multiple metaphors in this passage, first, with Winston wandering the forests of a sea bottom representing his wandering of the London streets, and next, the monstrous world representing London under the regime, where he himself is complicit and therefore an unimaginable monster. The picture of a forest sea bottom cohesively connects with the decaying impoverished streets of London, and highlights that Winston is lost without hope. Through his compliance to Big Brother, Winston forms a hate for its manipulation of the past and society. As Winston slowly becomes aware to his lack of identity and how the Party is manipulating the past, he finds himself to be one of the monsters helping Big Brother. Orwell illuminates the oppressiveness of the city through the regime with a motif of isolation, from Winston wondering if anyone felt the way he did. The Party’s total control and ever watching eye creates a hopeless that Winston can ever find another person that feels that way he does toward the dictatorship. The motif of isolation connects with the metaphors of Winston being an unimaginable monster lost in a sea bottom forest because of the culture of fear the regime has created. The culture of fear is created by society’s compliance to the party and everyone being a monster. Big Brother outlaws and punishes any form of rebellion even thought, and as a result, Winston does not know whom he can trust. Orwell intentionally creates this culture of fear to stress
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.
This cruel punishment is what they did to anyone, no matter what, to change their beliefs. Big Brother would succeed in this. 1984 was a representation of what the future holds in store, and how society could change. By creating a leader who people feared and appreciated, society could easily be controlled and how one person could control everyone. Orwell predicted the future in a sense with things he noticed in real life experiences and how the world was changing in such an early time.
“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.
Theodore Roosevelt is said to have been one of the greatest presidents ever. Theodore Roosevelt expanded the role of the presidency into foreign affairs by using The Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, this stated that the U.S. had the right to oppose European intervention in the western hemisphere and also to intervene itself in the domestic affairs of its neighbors. This was brought about when the government of Venezuela stopped paying their debts to European bankers. As a result European naval forces formed a blockade around the Venezuelan coast and began to bombard their ports. Roosevelt saw this action as a potential threat to the U.S. and threatened to use American naval power to pressure the European navy to withdraw “…the adherence of the United States to the Monroe Doctrine may force the United States, however reluctantly, in flagrant cases of such wrongdoing or impotence, to the exercise of an international police power”(Roosevelt Corollary). Theodore Roosevelt’s first presidency came after the assassination of President McKinley. He was thought of as the first modern president because he was the first to get involved in foreign affairs, with his Big Stick Policy. Other things he did during his president that are remembered for are his Square deal, Hay-Pauncefote treaty, his corollary to the Monroe Doctrine, and his trust busting. The Big-Stick Policy came upon after Roosevelt said that his motto was “to speak softly and carry a big stick.” After this the p...
Every part of life is regimented and controlled, but the only crime is ‘thought crime’: independent thinking and individualism. Big Brother is the figurehead of the Inner Party, and throughout the book, it is heavily implied that he may not really exist. The people are divided into Inner Party members, who control the government, Outer Party members, who make up the middle class, and Proletarians, or Proles, who make up the uneducated lower class. He utilizes strong but vague descriptions of the world around Winston to hint at the state of the world without directly saying it. He describes a bright cold day, which seems to perfectly depict the world's bleak state in a sort of indirect way (Orwell, 1948).
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.
In George Orwell’s novel, 1984 the theme is a totalitarian government has the capability to physically and mentally break down individuals and then rebuild them the way they want by using torture and the destruction of emotions and personal thought.
Howe, Irving, and George Orwell. 1984 Revisited Totalitarianism in Our Century. New York: Harper & Row, 1983.
Williams, Raymond (ed). Deutscher, Isaac: `1984 - The mysticism of cruelty' George Orwell: A collection of critical essays Prentice Hall Int. Inc. (1974)
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.