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1984 Dystopia

Decent Essays

1984, a novel by George Orwell, depicts a dystopian society. Airstrip One, located in the province of Oceania, has changed dramatically, as Winston Smith remembers it. As of now, Winston, just like every other citizen living in Airstrip One, is subjugated by Big Brother, who controls the oppressive totalitarian society. George Orwell emphasizes corruption, oppression, and deprivation in 1984, allowing the essence of a dystopia to be prominent throughout the whole novel. The main purpose of writing 1984, was to raise the subject of the possible power a government could hold and how an overpowering government could never be changed. As seen throughout the novel, the Party, Thought Police, and Big Brother all hold immense power over citizens …show more content…

“A Party member lives from birth to death under the eye of the Thought Police...He has no freedom of choice in any direction whatever.” (210-211) Not only are citizens oppressed by the rules, but even those working for Big Brother are bounded by the same exceptions. Furthermore, the Party handles betrayal in a manner, which demonstrates the domination of the government. As stated on page 211, “Thoughts and actions which, when detected, mean certain death are not formally forbidden...the wiping-out of persons who might commit a crime some time in the future. A Party member is required to have not only the right opinions, but the right instincts.” For instance, if a citizen were to show even the slightest amount of emotion or feeling, a Party member had the choice of whether the citizen would be vaporized, imprisoned, or even tortured. Correspondingly, Big Brother’s sovereignty is evident when Winston reads a forbidden book, stating rules for Party members. In Oceania, ideas thought up by Big Brother and the Party are established in a paper, called Newspeak. In the forbidden book, Newspeak ideas are stated, such as Crimestop. In addition, crimestop is taught to children; restricting any dangerous thoughts that could possibly lead to heretical or unorthodox direction. Big Brother believes, “...orthodoxy in the full sense demands a control over one’s own mental processes as complete as that of a contortionist over his body.”(212) Despite wanting to control every citizen, the government has flaws too, however, they are masked by the ideas of Big Brother:

Oceanic society rests ultimately on the belief that Big Brother is omnipotent and that the Party is infallible. But since in reality Big Brother is not omnipotent and the Party is not infallible, there is need for an unwearying, moment-to-moment flexibility in the treatment of facts...this

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