1984

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Throughout the novel 1984, George Orwell integrates the concept of doublethink as the reason why the names of the ministries contradict their functions. The setting of the novel took place in London where the government was divided into four subdivisions that were located throughout the city. These buildings were set up for each of the four ministries: the Ministry of Truth, the Ministry of Peace, the Ministry of Love and the Ministry of Plenty. The Ministry of Truth concerned itself with the news, local entertainment, education as well as fine arts. The Ministry of Peace was concerned with war. The Ministry of Love was focused on maintaining law and order. Lastly, the Ministry of Plenty was held responsible for economic affairs. Their names in Newspeak were shortened to Minitrue, Minipax, Miniluv and Miniplenty. The role each of these ministries played in society was significant, however; they did everything that would contradict their names. The Ministry of truth actually concerned itself with forgery, giving out false information and rewriting the past. In Minitrue there was a Fictional Department that changed history when something didn’t seem right or when an event happened that shouldn’t have happened. The Ministry of Peace focused on the war that was going on. Instead of ensuring that everyone lived in peace, they began another war against Eastasia. The Ministry of Love was centered on torturing people until they believed the “right” things. Its goal was to make sure that people didn’t think about getting rid of Big Brother or siding with Emmanuel Goldstein. The Ministry of Plenty was supposed to be looking after economic affairs but they were actually starving people. The Inner party got the privilege of receiving th... ... middle of paper ... ... Oceania ultimately reached a state of totalitarianism. This one Party’s power swarmed the society by making arrests, torturing prisoners, waging continuous war, rewriting history, having thoughtpolice act as spies and impoverishing its own working population. People were constantly reminded that Big Brother was watching their every move. Living in fear was an everyday norm for those living in Oceania because they knew they were under complete surveillance. Though Oceania’s Ministry of Truth, Ministry of Plenty, and Ministry of Peace each had names with meanings opposite to their initial purpose, the Ministry of Love was perhaps the most straightforward. Thoughtcriminals would leave as loyal subjects who had been brainwashed into genuinely loving Big Brother. Overall each of the ministries was politically rooted in doublethink as a result of their functions.

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