Totalitarianism In Nineteen Eighty Four, By George Orwell

The novel, Nineteen Eighty Four, by George Orwell depicts the profound effects of totalitarianism in a society. Just a few pages into the novel, I immediately began to envision this bleak world that Orwell envisioned through the eyes of the protagonist, Winston Smith. I was engrossed by Winston’s story because of the numerous characteristics I shared with him. Furthermore, these characteristics which range from his undying wish to express his individuality to his willingness to rebel against the oppressors, helped me understand the harsh oppression that the totalitarian party, Big Brother, and the Thought Police instituted. As I continued to read I began to relate the novel to my society. I realized that the very thing society depended on, the government, could make negatively impactful decisions at any moment they see fit. George Orwell’s totalitarian depiction of the government in 1984 helped me realize this because it showed me just how easy it was for governments to brainwash a society that has already entrusted them with the right to rule. For instance, the grasp of the Big Brother regime in the society was so profound that some believed a “thoughtcrime,” which the novel describes as a crime for having any thought that creates individuality, does not “entail death: thoughtcrime is death”(19). This idea that the human spirit may not always prevail, that the will of a government could control the will of individuals, was an echoing wake-up call for someone like me who believes in the power of individuality and freedom of thought.
This notion becomes more evident when Winston attempts and fails at an intellectual and emotional rebellion against the Party and its leader, Big Brother. It was heartbreaking to see a character that I...

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... it. In the novel, the Party exploits this by creating a past that was a time of misery and slavery from which it claims to have liberated the human race, thus compelling people to work toward the Party’s goals.

Ultimately, Nineteen Eighty Four has made me realize the immense power that governments have to control their people. I believe this is the case because as a civilization, we are dependent on our government. If it were to turn on us, we would be left like lost vulnerable children separated from their parents. We would have no direction, no security and no hope. Even though this is the harsh truth I have also learnt that this overdependence and vulnerability can be avoided by the promotion of self-expression and individuality. Thus, by reading this novel I have ignited a burning desire to cultivate the freedom of thought in the societies I wish to impact.