Mackenzie Lorenzen
Pre AP English Pd. 4
11/13/15
1984 Body Paragraphs 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
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Doublethink has successfully taken away the people’s human nature because part of humanity is being able to try to understand, converse about, and explain one’s feelings. Therefore, the complete control of the government has created doublethink to take away this vital cognitive process and has implemented a quick and useless explanation in order to falsely explain life’s complexities. In Winston’s society, the adaptation of language also contributes to the animalization of the people. When in the cafeteria, Winston watches a telescreen of the mindless robotic soldiers that Ingsoc has created. He explains that, ““The stuff that was coming out of him consisted of words, but it was not speech in a true sense: it was noise uttered in unconsciousness, like the quacking of a duck.” The absolute empowerment of Big Brother has transformed these soldiers from mindful humans to mindless robots and although they speak the same language, whenever they speak it has no effect on those around them because the meaningful language has been taken away from them. Syme later explains that there is in fact a word for this meaningless conversing, “duckspeak” he called it. The creation of this word has also created the idea
In Oceania, love is cast aside and adoration for Big Brother is put in its place. Two people, Winston and Julia, developed a love for one another that is distinct from relationships in Oceania. These lovers must meet in secret and pretend that they do not know one another while they are in public. Due to their circumstances, the two experience isolation from the other citizens as a result of their strong emotions. In 1984, the glass paperweight that contains the small coral represents the fragile relationship of Winston and Julia and their forbidden love life.
In a totalitarian government such as 1984, the use of language and diction is severely limited by the Oceania authorities as a tool used to crush any potential resistance from the public. As model examples of the linguistic limitations of Oceania common civilians, Winston Smith and most of his associates in the novel exercises the use of colloquial language in the form of Newspeak, the official language of Oceania. What the most of the Oceania civilians do not know is that Newspeak is ...
This is a frightening concept – the restriction of your thought could destroy your personality if the ability to think for oneself was erased.Words are a weapon as far as the Party are concerned, but the war is not physical; it is a war against truth - The Ministry of Truth, minitrue, re-writes history and falsifies documents, the Ministry of Peace, minipax, makes war,"It's a beautiful thing, destruction of words... You haven't a real appreciation of Newspeak, Winston... Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we will make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it." (Syme to Winston -p46)Nineteen Eighty-Four may not be known to everyone, but there are certain phrases and expressions that have actually gained common usage in the English Language. Examples of this would be Newspeak, thought-crime, Big Brother, unperson and doublethink.
Winston is confronted with struggle throughout the entirety of George Orwell`s dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four. Living within a totalitarian regime subsequently causes Winston to seek approaches for dealing with such abundant oppression; he finds liberation through self-awareness, understanding and ultimately rebellion. First, Winston realizes that “if you want to keep a secret you must also hide it from yourself”, alluding to the notion of thoughtcrime (162). This recognition exemplifies the complete cognizance that Winston has regarding the oppressive society displayed throughout the novel. Next, Syme states “It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words”, alluding to the idea of Newspeak (28). This statement directly correlates to Winston speaking with other party members to gain knowledge about how others feels about policies deployed by the government. This information-seeking also connects with Winston`s rebellion, as he actively searched for others to join his uprising, which is shown when Winston tells O’Brien “We want to join [The Brotherhood]” (171). Winston’s attempt to join a rebellious organization exhibits his evident desire to release his suppressed emotions. Winston devises a very methodical approach to deal with the problematic society he resides in.
Orwell argues that society is completely oblivious to the constraint that is involved in every day life. There is no individual in society and that everyone remains the same. “Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought?” (46) Not only does a limiting of words show society that by controlling methods of co...
Despite the warnings of Orwell through both his essay and dystopian novel, bad English is still used today, and could be argued to affect more English than it did during Orwell’s life. The consequences are also just as he predicted, those who control the language are able to wield control over the thoughts of others. The usage of poor quality English by media has he effect of making the recipients of news more detached from events and as a consequence, more self-focused. The clumsiness and foolishness imposed by bad English ultimately degrading thought, politics, culture, and society is what Orwell had foretold. This is the English tragedy that is disregarded, modern thoughts of “English” are not of language but of the English Queen.
Winston soon realizes after communicating with Syme that there is a possibility that Syme would more than likely report him to the “thought” police. The citizens became so brainwashed and against each other they no longer trusted each other, and focused more so on being devout to the Big Brother system. They no longer were conscious, instead they became unconscious, they lost their identity and who they were as individuals.
Controlling the Mind The ability to hold two contradictory ideas at once and accept both of them is known in the novel 1984 by George Orwell as “doublethink.” It is more than just reality control, for it must be preformed constantly and immediately to ensure that all thoughts are orthodox. Doublethink is not forced upon the citizens of 1984, yet it has become an action of everyday life, much like breathing and eating. It is essential to the stability of the Party and all of Oceania because without it, the morale of the people would plummet. In addition, doublethink prevents the true reality of humanity from being understood, which allows the Party to maintain control over all aspects of life. The ability of the word doublethink to portray how the Party keeps the citizens of Oceania under its control makes it the most important word in the novel.
Symbols that Orwell uses pose as natural occurrences, but these symbols are those that would be considered aspects of a “normal world.” They are normal but in 1984 the symbols serve as symbolism that serves a justly purpose. These symbols are important to the theme of a dystopian society. The language is a symbol of the manipulation of the lower parties in 1984. The development of Newspeak completely rule...
In 1984 , the godlike Big Brother lurks in every conceivable public and private sphere through the Telescreens, hidden microphones, secret cameras, and prowling Thought Police. Big Brother’s sinister smirk hangs on every street corner in large, floor to ceiling posters that citizens cannot escape even in their own home. Big Brother’s inescapable presence commands not only perpetual obedience but utter, unwavering devotion. Questioning Big Brother’s decisions, proclamations, and reign unequivocally leads to vaporization, dubbed “becoming an unperson” in Newspeak, and torture in the heinous Ministry of Love. As Winston remarks in his diary “thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death.”
“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.
Language allows people to freely express what they think and feel. However Freedom of speech is something Big Brother despises. If there is freedom of speech anyone can express what they feel about the government. In the novel, George Orwell shows how Big Brother invents “Newspeak”, a dulled down version of the English language. When Syme was talking to Winston he stated “Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.” Pg.49 The main purpose of Newspeak is so no one will be capable of conceptualizing or able to question the power of Big Brother. Another statement Syme made to Winston is "By 2050, earlier, probably – all real knowledge of Oldspeak will have disappeared. The whole literature of the past will have been destroyed. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Milton, Byron – they'll exist only in Newspeak versions, not merely changed into something different, but actually changed into something contradictory of what they used to be.” Pg.50 Changing the English language is like mind control because now no one will have the phy...
... to communicate as an individual instead of just a generic drone. The totalitarian utopia of 1984 perfectly exemplifies the through the destruction of language the one’s in power can control the powerless into being “equal”, “identical” conforming subjects. The power of words is what gives a person the strength and the voice to stand up against the enemies. Some people says that “ignorance is bliss,” but according to Orwell “ignorance is strength” –strength for the party (Orwell, 1984 2).
In Orwell’s dystopian society, we are introduced to a new language called Newspeak. Newspeak is, in simple terms, the dumbing down of our own vocabulary and making the language seem more positive. For example, instead of something being bad, it would be “superungood”. Just as the novel states, “Take ‘good,’ for instance. If you have a word like ‘good,’ what need is there for a word like ‘bad’? ‘Ungood’ will do just as well...if you want a stronger version of ‘good,’ what sense is there in having..useless words like ‘excellent’ and ‘splendid’ and all the rest of them? ‘Plusgood’ covers the meaning...” (Orwell, page 51). Now, you may ask, ‘how does newspeak parallel with our own society?’ Well, look at it this way, if you were to go ask a millennial anything using anything over a 9th grade vocabulary level, odds are they are not going to know what that means. From an article called “The Dumbing Down of a Generation”, states, College boards have been revamped, eliminating vocabulary "not in everyday use." And their scores have gone down, precipitating the "dumbing down" of the test” (Agress,
In Orwell’s 1984, Big Brother does just that; he uses Newspeak to diminish the dictionary and prevent rebellious acts such as thoughtcrime. Thoughtcrime is a crime when one thinks about going against the party and is preventable as long as censorship of words separates one from their expressions and thoughts, “Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.” (Orwell, 30). Without words to explain how a person feels, one is unable to express and would not be able to rebel against Big Brother. Also, in John Rodden’s The Cambridge Companion of George Orwell, Rodden analyzes Orwell’s 1984 and finds that to rule Oceania, Big Brother has to destroy the trust between everyone and direct their trust his way, “Mutual trust is that virtue praised by Aristotle, asserted to be necessary to true citizens and the very thing that a tyrant must smash if he is to perpetuate his rule successfully.” (Rodden, 2007). Furthermore, if authoritative figures like Big Brother and the Party defeat the trust between one another, they become more dependent which allows the Party to overcome one’s mind and take control over it to rule a successful nation. On the other hand, as Northrop Frye discusses in The Educated Imagination, English is the most