Do We Have Gender Roles In 1984 By George Orwell

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How do you think society would function without gender roles? The novel 1984 by George Orwell depicts a dark dystopian society in which a manipulative, totalitarian government creates the nation of ‘Oceania’ where gender is irrelevant to the government; citizens solely needed to support “Big Brother.” The story follows Winston Smith, a 39-year-old man, through a series of events that showcase just how twisted the beliefs and morals of the dystopia are. Regardless of both sexes’ shared goal, the gender roles are still clearly defined. In the book 1984, gender roles are defined through the government, sex, and family.
First off, gender roles in 1984 are plainly defined through the government. To begin with, the face of the government is “Big …show more content…

The government completely altered the entire idea of a family to change its citizens’ views on it. “No one dares trust a wife or a child or a friend any longer” (Orwell 267). Embedding this mindset into their brains changes the way they view the opposing sex especially; husbands couldn’t trust wives, mothers couldn’t trust sons, fathers couldn’t trust daughters, and vice versa. “His mother’s memory tore at his heart because she had died loving him, when he was too young and selfish to love her in return” (Orwell 30). Unlike many children in the book, Winston felt deep regret for not loving his mother when he was a child. Most children in the book were little spies; they’d watch their parents and report them to the Thought Police if need be. Regarding marriage, Winston’s relationship with his wife Katharine was a prime example of a marriage the government would set up. While Winston wanted sex, Katharine only felt the need to have a child for the Party. She even referred to it as “our duty to The Party” (Orwell 67). This put an unbearable strain on their relationship, and even brought Winston to have thoughts of murdering her before she disappeared. In synthesis, the fear that the government implanted in its citizens regarding trust in their families put serious strains on their opinions of and ability to trust the other

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