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Commentary On Orwell'S 1984
1984 by George Orwell 3 paragraph analysis
George orwell 1984 critical essay
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In George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four, the prodigious sovereignty of Big Brother eradicates any indication of humanity, as well as any qualities that shadow it. The protagonist, Winston Smith, continually seeks to rebel against Big Brother’s ideas of erasing humanity. Winston himself is an outlier within the society, consistently depicting the humanizing qualities Big Brother aims to delete, such as individuality, curiosity, and pleasurable sex. By performing the activities he enjoys as per his human nature, he is rebelling against Big Brother and their desire for a dehumanized society. The ability to be yourself humanizes and creates individuality. However, this is exactly what Big Brother does not want. Individuality can cause independent ideas, which can lead to a rebellion against the Inner Party They created a language called Newspeak, which limits what a person can say and how they can say it. In the appendix of Nineteen Eighty-four, the purpose of Newspeak is described as, “not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to the devotees of Ingsoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible.” (page 301) The erasure of other modes of thought occurs when entire concepts are annihilated, such as free choice or free will. If an entire concept does not exist, then citizens cannot converse about it, nor can they even think about it. This limits the person to only one way of thought: the way Big Brother wants you to think. By making all other modes of thought impossible, Big Brother is eliminating the individuality that speech builds. Big Brother is also using Newspeak to dehumanize the population. The concept of speech is one indispensable instrument that separates the human population from animals. Having one aspect of it taken away from them moves them closer to the animal kingdom, thus eliminating a quality of human
By removing the stimulus of sex, the Party members are then given more opportunities to devote their loyalties to Big Brother. This influence is made evident in Winston’s reactions to Julia. Her “white and smooth” body “aroused no desire in him” (32). The Party has trained its members to become unresponsive to romantic feeling. The stigma of sex has been altered to such a degree by the Party that Winston views sex as an almost political act since it has become so closely related to Big Brother. In order to ensure true devotion to the Party, romantic connections are forbidden because becoming involved in such a relationship would mean devotion to another person other than Big Brother, and is therefore considered a threat to the Party’s power. Despite Winston’s relationship with Julia, he ultimately abandons his ties to her over his ‘love’ of Big Brother - thus his connection with Big Brother replaces his romantic
In 1984 Big Brother and Modern totalitarian uses power to pose threat to people’s freedom because it diminishes the control an individual has over information in
(46) Not only does a limiting of words show society that by controlling methods of communication a government can easily manipulate the people but also how significant communication is to individuality itself. By eliminating words, the ability to completely express oneself in a unique way becomes impossible. Intimidation is a very effective tactic used by a predator to make himself seem more powerful than he truly is. The Party uses intimidation tactics, such as making an example out of Goldstein, in order to keep society in line. The government has a youth organization in which the children are brainwashed into loving their nation more than they love their parents....
In the beginning of 1984, Orwell expresses how those living in an oppressed society ultimately becomes oblivious to the uncontrollable power, resulting in individuals accepting the views of their leaders. The government, otherwise known as Big Brother, monitors everyone’s actions in the town of Oceania, and leaves them with no power to have any individual rights. Emmanuel Goldstein, is the head of the anti-totalitarian organization, called “The Brotherhood.” While Emmanuel was giving a speech, the telescreen switched to Big Brother who was offering words of encouragement, attempting to restore confidence within the publi...
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 constant eye of Big Brother invades the privacy of its members. The inevitable, looming screens at every turn, in every room, serve as a reminder that every move one makes is watched. Then when it is least expected, the voice behind the screen singles out a person and screams at them; the results lead to jumpiness and high levels of stress. A study shows that being watched “can change your behaviour and choices without you realising it.” (Goldman, “How Being Watched Changes You- Without You Knowing) insomuch, the telescreens work as a deterrent against breaking the rules. Everyone is far less likely to commit crimes since subconsciously they know that Big Brother is observant and they will have very little success in escaping should they be found guilty. This guarantees that the people will be wary of their speech, behaviour and facial expressions at all times. In fact the telescreens cannot be turned off, save for some special privileges given to the Inner Party which, turn into the catalysts for arrests for nothing but supposed delusions against the government. Taking away the privacy, makes the members feel vulnerable and therefore, easier to mold to Party
Consider how the natural development of narrative techniques in George Orwell’s 1984 creates a theme of individualism verses state. What was the point in writing such an obvious theme, since a dystopia is the prime example of an imperfect world? He uses extremely well-developed techniques to demonstrate the dystopian society. Specifically, Orwell uses symbols as well as the setting to thoroughly contribute to the idea of a totalitarian state in his dystopian society; the ideas are in symbolic objects, themes, and characters. Orwell clearly suggests that are flaws in the world that he has created, and, more importantly, Orwell the possibility of the characteristics becoming reality.
One of the most essential ways in which feelings are expressed by humans is through language. Without language people are merely robotic figures that can not express their thoughts because language is in fact thought. When this speech is taken away through complete governmental power, a portion of human nature is also taken away. In 1984, due to totalitarianism, language has begun to transform into a poor representation of humanity and natural human expression. Orwell states, “But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” In the novel, a new language, Newspeak, has emerged. Newspeak has drastically limited the vocabulary of the English language
In order for the Party to survive in 1984, the people of Oceania must be dehumanized. This cruelty is achieved by removing the people's freedom of thought and emotion, to the point of elimination of all love and connections to everything but the Party. George Orwell drew inspiration from regimes such as Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia. These units of government, including Oceania, live in a fragile balance of power, in which total control is necessary for survival.
Big Brother uses manipulation of language in order to limit expression. If one can't express feelings through language or literature, then self-expression is suppressed. In 1984, “Big Brother” wished to eliminate “Oldspeak” or standard English with Newspeak, which is a much diluted and simplified version. If the terminology isn't there, then the result would impact all literature that the common man comprehends. That being stated, people wouldn’t be capable of rebellion since they don't know what it is.
George Orwell creates a dark, depressing and pessimistic world where the government has full control over the masses in the novel 1984. The protagonist, Winston, is low-level Party member who has grown to resent the society that he lives in. Orwell portrays him as a individual that begins to lose his sanity due to the constrictions of society. There are only two possible outcomes, either he becomes more effectively assimilated or he brings about the change he desires. Winston starts a journey towards his own self-destruction. His first defiant act is the diary where he writes “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER.” But he goes further by having an affair with Julia, another party member, renting a room over Mr. Carrington’s antique shop where Winston conducts this affair with Julia, and by following O’Brien who claims to have connections with the Brotherhood, the anti-Party movement led my Emmanuel Goldstein. Winston and Julia are both eventually arrested by the Thought Police when Mr. Carrington turns out to be a undercover officer. They both eventually betray each other when O’Brien conducts torture upon them at the Ministry of Love. Orwell conveys the limitations of the individual when it comes to doing something monumental like overthrowing the established hierarchy which is seen through the futility of Winston Smith’s actions that end with his failure instead of the end of Big Brother. Winston’s goal of liberating himself turns out to be hopeless when the people he trusted end up betraying him and how he was arbitrarily manipulated. It can be perceived that Winston was in fact concerned more about his own sanity and physical well-being because he gives into Big Brother after he is tortured and becomes content to live in the society he hated so much. Winston witnesses the weakness within the prole community because of their inability to understand the Party’s workings but he himself embodies weakness by sabotaging himself by associating with all the wrong people and by simply falling into the arms of Big Brother. Orwell created a world where there is no use but to assimilate from Winston’s perspective making his struggle utterly hopeless.
In this world, never has anyone thought of anything different from his or her place in society. Due to this authority that attempts to control the human train of thought, paranoia among the people became common. Nobody would talk to each other. Bonds between one another were broken, and it was never thought to be any different than before. To hold on to what makes you human – emotions and the ability to speak freely – was considered a crime against Big Brother.
Liberty and truth are the fundamental aspects of human rights. When we lack these freedoms, we lose a large part of our humanity. In George Orwell’s 1984, Winston represents truth in a deceptive world. Big Brother is the omnipotent and all-powerful leader in Oceania. Everything the government dictates is unquestionably true, regardless of prior knowledge. Even thinking of ideas that go against Big Brother’s regime, or thoughtcrime, is punishable by death. Winston serves as the dystopian hero, longing for freedom and change. Orwell uses Winston to emphasize the importance of individual freedoms, as they give us the ability to fulfillingly lead our respective lives.
“The horrible thing about the Two Minutes of Hate was not that one was obliged to act a part, but, on the contrary, that it was impossible to avoid joining in.” The novel 1984, by George Orwell holds great significance in societies of today as it acted as a visionary/futuristic novel at the time of its creation. Many of Orwell’s ideas posited through the fictional totalitarian society are relevant today. The novels base of totalitarianism is occurring today with the lack of freedom and free voice given to citizens. The novel’s government and the governments today control the citizens through the use of state control (fear through laws, media, etc.) and mind control by electronic means (deception through
At the end of the novel, Orwell describes Winston as a cured patient who has over come his metal disease. “He had won the victory over himself: he loved Big Brother” (Part 3, Chapter 6). Both Freud and Orwell break down the components of a person’s mind in the same way. Orwell’s character, Winston, depicts the different parts of the human mind so described by Freud. In Orwell’s 1984, he uncovers the same components of a human mind as seen by Freud, the instinctual drive of the id, the perceptions and actions of the ego, and the censorship imposed by the morality of the superego.