Winston's Search For Justice In 1984 By George Orwell

In the novel 1984 by Orwell, an extremely controlling totalitarian government called The Party, rules the society. They have introduced Telescreens which monitor your every movement, conversations and any other action. The citizens of Oceania, located on Air Strip One, are psychologically manipulated to believe in the three main slogans of the party: ‘War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength’ (1948, Orwell). The citizens of Oceania are so brainwashed that they don’t question anything the party tells them or any new law they make. Thought crime occurs when someone does not fully agree and follow what the Party has said.

The totalitarian state in Oceania is not something that can never happen in today’s world which is why throughout the book Orwell has scenes of the world before a totalitarian government which include free thought and happiness. The flash back scenes bring relief to the gloomy state Winston is in. Orwell uses the flashbacks to show the reader that at any given time the government can do anything they want with the power that they have over the citizens and that regardless of the constitution, freedom of anything including thought could mean death. Orwell describes the ways Winston tries to avoid thought crime throughout the novel but

Every you go they have eyes and ears on everything you do or say. This inserted fears into the lives of the people in thinking that The Party was right and in control. A perfect example of instilling fear in the people was when winston wrote in his journal “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER”(18) and he started to panic because he as afraid the telescreen had seen what he wrote down. Telescreens were also used to put put false lies and news reports brainwashing the citizens of Oceania. The Party decides what exactly to tell the public even if it isn’t accurate.

1984 In the words of Benjamin Franklin “Any society that will give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both”. Benjamin Franklin was one of our founding fathers that fought for our freedom , he was apart of the Declaration Of Independence and invented many things that America uses today and would be nothing without it . Most importantly Benjamin Franklin believed in rights and liberty and those who would give up their liberty for security doesn’t deserve either. In the novel 1984 , written by George Orwell the city of Oceania is ruled by a leader known as “Big Brother” . Big Brother is not seen but sees everything, Oceania is under a totalitarian government which means it is ruled by one person and the members don’t have a say they must obey.

The concept of freedom carries connotations of happiness and individuality yet Newspeak literally nullifies the existence of these chattels. Without a word to express freedom, people cannot grasp the concept of what it is. The language eliminates undesirable words, or more simply words the government does not want. This suggests that citizens range of alertness to the atrocities that the government is committing is slowly getting smaller because they will not have a name or word to put to them, this marks the pure corruption of the Party in order for them to stay in power. The government hopes to have the country of Oceania ... ... middle of paper ... ...dead’ because it is an inescapable fate.

The citizens of Oceania were convinced that Big Brother was always watching, the Thought Police could at any moment in time catch you for thinking something unlawful, or knowing there was nothing was illegal, but if caught it would end in death or twenty-five years in forced labor camp. (9) The Oceania society was not allowed to have thoughts or even opinions knowing their government has the capability of punishing them. The government had total and complete control of their people.

“If there is hope, it lies in the proles. Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious.” (Orwell, p.52) Although it could lead to a counter-revolution, they are content in the purity of their lives, and see no need for power since they have not yet been exposed to the oppression in Oceania. “The lower strata of the middle class – the small tradespeople, shopkeepers, and retired tradesmen generally, the ha... ... middle of paper ... ...collective mind. Orwell uses this concept to relate to the oppression in society present during the time in which he wrote the novel. During the 1940’s, it was not only WWII, but also the time of the dictators Stalin and Hitler, who used brainwashing techniques to take advantage of their vulnerable societies.

The Inner party’s propaganda campaigns have prevented their members from forming meaningful relationships, thus allowing the party to have complete control. The party distracts the general public by preying on their fear, which prevents them from creating resistance against the party. The Outer party is incapable of opposing the Inner party, as they allowed the rise of the Inner party, and are now forced to turn a blind eye, out of fear. Winston also thinks: “If there was hope, it must lie in the proles, because only there, in those swarming disregarded masses, eighty-five percent of the population of Oceania, could the force to destroy the party ever be generated”(69). The proles only worry about their simple life, and not their government.

Through his compliance to Big Brother, Winston forms a hate for its manipulation of the past and society. As Winston slowly becomes aware to his lack of identity and how the Party is manipulating the past, he finds himself to be one of the monsters helping Big Brother. Orwell illuminates the oppressiveness of the city through the regime with a motif of isolation, from Winston wondering if anyone felt the way he did. The Party’s total control and ever watching eye creates a hopeless that Winston can ever find another person that feels that way he does toward the dictatorship. The motif of isolation connects with the metaphors of Winston being an unimaginable monster lost in a sea bottom forest because of the culture of fear the regime has created.

Totalitarianism: The Effect Media has on an Individual George Orwell’s 1984 is a novel that explores the effects of totalitarianism. Totalitarianism is one political power ruling over all aspects of daily life. Orwell’s totalitarian government uses Big Brother, the Thought Police, the telescreen and Two-Minutes of Hate to show the control over the people of Oceania and their lack of independence. In order to live their lives peacefully, the citizens of Oceania must obey Big Brother, the media figure that they are to worship and praise as one of their goals in life. "Big Brother is watching you" (5) is plastered all over the posters throughout the town that cause the citizens to consciously recognize that Big Brother controls both their public and private lives.