Theme Of Privacy In 1984

Everyone has always wondered if people were ever watching them. Our technology today is capable to eavesdrop in on anyone’s conversations even if their phones are turned off. In the novel, “1984”, the party INGSOC uses telescreens to watch over the people and always know what they are up to. This denies the people’s rights and privileges to go about their business as they please. The technology we have today is almost exact to what big brother uses in George Orwell’s novel by taking over the public and private parts of our lives.

One of the most important concepts that many individuals in modern day society value the most is the idea that they have the freedom to do whatever they please. The term freedom means “being able to act, think, and speak in any way one wants to without any type of hindrance,”(Dictionary.com). In the book, 1984, by George Orwell, the totalitarian society ruled by Big Brother, in many ways, controls its citizens by hindering any types of freedom a member of the society might have. In a society that is decorated with telescreens, hidden microphones, and strict rules, Orwell illustrates the many ways Big Brother uses that to its advantage to stifle the freedom of its citizens. However, under all the scrutiny of Big Brother, there are

“BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU”(Orwell 2), is a saying that surrounds society in the classic novel 1984. The author, George Orwell provides his audience with an abundant amount of themes throughout his writing. One very prominent one is Orwell’s psychological manipulation of his characters. As characters within this society are constantly surrounded by sayings such as, “WAR IS PEACE”, “FREEDOM IS SLAVERY”, and “IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH”(Orwell 4), Orwell shows the ultimate type of control within his characters. Orwell is able to achieve such psychological manipulation in his characters through physical control and the abundance of technology. Without Orwell’s use of telescreens, his characters would be able to have their

In the brainwashed society of Oceania in 1984, by George Orwell, led by a totalitarian government in the name of a leader known as Big Brother, citizens are placed under constant surveillance from the government, preventing them from having individuality and freedom of thought. Although written in a fictional setting, the book strikes analogous similarities to the United States in today’s world. Due to a growth in surveillance, personal information and privacy are being intervened, however, not violated. While technological advances are increasing and crimes such as hacking and terrorism are becoming more prominent in society, government surveillance is becoming largely needed to ensure the protection

“Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves”(Reagan). In the book, 1984, Winston recognizes the power the government has over the citizens of Oceania. The citizens lack privacy from the government. George Orwell warns society about a government with total control in 1984. Based on Dana Hawkin’s article, “Cheap Video Cameras Are Monitoring Our Every Move”, as well as Beech Etal’s, “The Other Side of the Great Firewall”, society may truly have something to fear in the form of surveillance and information manipulation.

In 1984 George Orwell describes how no matter where you go in Oceania there is

In 1984 George Orwell describes how no matter where you go in Oceania there is

The books 1984  by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley are both connected in the way society controls people. Both these books illustrate control over their citizens through government intervention. People are constantly being watched either by telescreens or neighbors in 1984 while there is no privacy in Brave New World at all. In 1984, children are in a league of youth spies and send people to jail because they look suspicious. Brave New World’s children are created to be controlled for the sake of society. Sex is bad in 1984  because it promotes the idea of pleasure or selfish needs while Brave New World embraces sex to promote happiness. 1984  and Brave New World both control the people of society through privacy, sex, and children.

1. In “1984”, the citizens in Oceania had no control over their privacy and were constantly being monitored by the government, (“Big Brother”). Today, many states and governments still utilize vigilance and control on the public through the internet/media. The government is constantly monitoring what people say and do online, (on social media, search engines, etc.). Even if you’re not doing anything bad online, like doing some simple research for a school project, or even if you’re just playing an online game, the government can still easily see and watch exactly what you’re doing. I’m sure that the government does this for good reasons,

Imagine living in a world where you could not make your own choices, or be your own person. In the novel 1984, this is exactly what happened. In a place called Oceania where there is no such thing as privacy and personal freedom (Roelofs), the main character Winston Smith, is living a strict life under the demanding party known as Big Brother. Winston decides that he wants his life back to normal and tries to rebel against the Party. Meanwhile, he is thought to be a lunatic because he is living his life how a normal person would, but everyone else is now living under what is thought to be a utopia society. Throughout the book Winston strongly disagrees with the fact that every second he is being keep under surveillance. Though at some points he believes he is being discrete, in reality someone is always watching. In 1984, George Orwell depicts the lack of privacy and loss of individualism which affects the characters and the society as a whole.

Attention Getter: As the George Orwell writes in his book 1984, “Big Brother is watching you.”

The book 1984 depicts a society unimaginable to most; however, a further look shows us that we actually do live in an Orwellian society. Orwell describes a country called Oceania made of multiple continents which is ruled by the dictatorial “Big Brother” who uses different systems like the “thought police” and “telescreens” in order to have full control over the country. Our democratic government, through organizations such as the NSA and NGI, can look through our most private conversations and moments using spyware. Due to the secrecy of the government, citizens in 1984, as well as those in our society, fear the government.

James Stacey Taylor's article, "In Praise of Big Brother: Why We Should Learn to Stop Worrying and Love Government Surveillance" begins reviewing the concept of "Big Brother" as it was originally presented in George Orwell's 1984. The Big Brother started off as a fictional character in 1984-- a dictator of Oceania within a totalitarian state. Set within a society in which everyone is under complete surveillance by the authorities, mainly by telescreens, the people are constantly reminded of this by the phrase “Big Brother is watching you” (Wikipedia) . Taylor goes on to explain some examples of recent surveillance technology and how it is applied in lives today. An interesting note and comparison between today’s technology and

     Big Brothers eyes are over watching us everyday. The privacy we once had has dissipated. His focal point is in the sky like an eagle stocking its prey. The camera lenses of Big Brother dwell everywhere. Big Brother is always awake and has an eye on us. As of today, Big Brother has risen taller and mightier. He has gained the power to control what we can have knowledge about and has infiltrated into our private lives. George Orwell’s novel 1984, prophesied coming of our democracy of a negative utopia has been proven by current events. Today, the United States democracy is looking much like the totalitarian state of 1984. Tactics of persuasions to make citizens believe their economy is

One of the most terrifying aspects of Big Brother is how closely he mirrors dictators that have existed such as Hitler and Stalin. These similarities reinforce the idea that a place like Oceania could truly exist and we too could easily have our humanity stripped from us. “The book appalls us because its terror far from being inherent in the human condition, is particular to our century; what haunts us is the sickening awareness that in 1984 Orwell has seized upon those elements of public life that, given courage and intelligence, were avoidable” (Frodsham, 139). Orwell forces us as people to look at our own government and freedoms and question if our society is truly just and free or if we are just like the people of Oceania, blissfully unaware that our government too, albeit to a lesser extent, seeks to control our thoughts and actions and if that desire could lead to our own version of Oceania. In certain aspects, society has already begun to mirror Orwell’s fears and predictions. The developments of technology and the introduction of the computer has made government surveillance possible to an extent Orwell could never have imagined . In this day and age, we as a society must be weary and take action against government control. If we fail to do so, we run the risk of finding ourselves with a fate not dissimilar from