Humanity in 1984 George Orwell’s 1984 is more than just a novel, it is a warning to a potential dystopian society of the future. Written in 1949, Orwell envisioned a totalitarian government under the figurehead Big Brother. In this totalitarian society, every thought and action is carefully examined for any sign of rebellion against the ruling party. Emotion has been abolished and love is nonexistent; an entire new language is being drafted to reduce human thought to the bare minimum. In a society such as the one portrayed in 1984, one is hardly human. In George Orwell’s 1984, the party uses fear, oppression, and propaganda to strip the people of their humanity. To determine how the party strips the citizens of Oceania of their humanity, …show more content…
Thought Police could be anyone, they can follow someone for months and arrest them without trial. They drive people to think dramatically, as in the case when Winston believes he is being followed by Julia. “He could keep on her track until till they were in some quiet place, and then smash her skull in with a piece of cobblestone” (Orwell 101). This quote represents Winston’s fear of Julia, who he suspects is a member of the Thought Police. On the other hand, the seemingly overactive thought process of a suspect may seem completely justified in relation to the punishment they will receive if arrested. After being tortured for days or even weeks, a criminal may find themselves in the desolate “Room 101”. Simply the mention of Room 101 is enough to strike fear in the heart of any criminal, but being summoned to it is enough to make a man sacrifice his family to avoid his fate. “‘Do anything to me!’ he yelled. ‘You 've been starving me for weeks. Finish it off and let me die. Shoot me. Hang me. Sentence me to twenty-five years. Is there somebody else you want me to give away?’” (Orwell 237). Room 101 is individually tailored to every person who crosses its threshold, using their greatest fear against them. In Winston’s case, he has a cage of rats placed on his head and is forced to betray Julia. He loses his ability to love and retain his own ideas, key aspects of what makes him a human. Not only do the
In George Orwell’s 1984, society greatly impacts the decisions of the hero. This dystopian novel focuses on the
1984 examines a future under the rule of a totalitarian society. One of the unique notes about Orwell's 1984, is the views that Orwell presents on humanity, and human nature. Orwell presents humanity as divided into two sides- the dominant, and the submissive, with few quickly-eradicated anomalies in between. Human nature, however, is universal, and all humans
George Orwell’s 1984 published in 1949 is one of the important novels in the twentieth century, since author’s vision is satirist and prophetic that it is one of the most powerful warnings ever issued against the dangers of a totalitarian society. During the WWII, George Orwell witnessed the rise to power of dictators such as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin of the nightmarish atrocities committed by fascist political regimes, and inspired his mounting hatred of totalitarianism and political authority; therefore, in novel 1984, Orwell uses the characterization of the main character, Winston Smith, to show that an extreme totalitarian government can destroy one’s morals, beliefs, and self-worth. Like Aldous Huxley’s
Dystopia: a society characterized by human misery and oppression. A Dystopian world is controlled by a government that can do no wrong. They weed out the individuals and groups that have the thought or intend to commit their lives to “dethroning” the ruler; Big Brother. The government will do anything to protect their way of life. They will go to the extremes of changing the past to control the future. In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, the citizens live in a definitive dystopian world where the government forces the comrades to fit Big Brother’s purpose.
1984, Orwell’s last and perhaps greatest work, deals with drastically heavy themes that still terrify his audience after 65 years. George Orwell’s story exemplifies excessive power, repression, surveillance, and manipulation in his strange, troubling dystopia full of alarming secrets that point the finger at totalitarian governments and mankind as a whole. What is even more disquieting is that 1984, previously considered science fiction, has in so many ways become a recognizable reality.
George Orwell’s key objective throughout his novel, 1984, was to convey to his readers the imminent threat of the severe danger that totalitarianism could mean for the world. Orwell takes great measures to display the horrifying effects that come along with complete and dominant control that actually comes along with totalitarian government. In Orwell’s novel, personal liberties and individual freedoms that are protected and granted to many Americans today, are taken away and ripped from the citizen’s lives. The government takes away freedom and rights from the people so that the ruling class (which makes up the government), while reign with complete supremacy and possess all power.
“War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” This is the slogan of the Inner Party in 1984. George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 depicts a terrifying and bleak image of the future under “Big Brother” — an authoritarian regime that controls not only the citizens’ action, but their very own thoughts. The novel was written in 1948 as a critique of authoritarianism and Stalinism, after Orwell’s travel to Spain where he witnessed the atrocities committed by the fascist Spanish regime during the Spanish Civil War in 1936. The rise of the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union and Adolf Hitler in Germany inspired Orwell’s enmity toward totalitarianism and authoritarianism. Although written as a political satire over half a century ago, 1984 lives today not only as a well-crafted novel, but also as a terrific prophecy of the contemporary United States. Nobody is willing to admit that people are living in the society of 1984. Its authoritarian state is toxic to the health of democracy. But if one really analyzes what is happening in the United States — the closure of public schools and its effect on the pervasive incarceration of the black population, and the mass surveillance — one may find a striking resemblance to the dystopian society of 1984. To this extent, 1984 successfully advances the authoritarianism in the United States that resembles the authoritarian control in 1984. These critiques of the new authoritarianism in the United States include the
Orwell’s warning of the dangers of totalitarian regimes to his contextual readers and future audiences is portrayed through his novel, 1984, because “Big Brother is Watching You”, exerting total control over the masses. The masses are effectively controlled by the thought police, telescreens and children who are “against their parents and taught to spy on them and report their deviations”.... Orwell writes about the potential dangers that are inherent when power and technology are abused, resulting in mindless citizens and “a world of fear and hatred and torment”, which Winston perfectly captures with his metaphorical epiphany; “we are the dead”. Like the dead, society will become opiated, lacking individual thought, a highly valued asset of
George Orwell uses his novel 1984 to convey that human beings, as a species, are extremely susceptible to dehumanization and oppression in society. Orwell demonstrates how a government’s manipulation of technology, language, media, and history can oppress and degrade its citizens.
Living in a world that continues to make advancements technologically and politically, a book written more than 50 years ago still warns the world of what could happen if government becomes too forceful. Because of George Orwell's strong hatred for totalitarianism and its life dictating qualities, readers can get a taste of the perfect "dystopia". Though the people of today have been warned and are afraid of an all controlling government, they continue to allow the concept of 1984 to become more and more real. If people continue to just watch their governments make decisions and not ask questions, they will fall victim to its power. If a man not of this time understands the terror of totalitarianism, everyone should
Readers of George Orwell have long appreciated the significance of his representation of a futuristic dystopian world. ‘Big brother is watching you,’ ‘Thought police,’ ‘Ministry of love,’ ‘Hate week,’ are expressions that Orwell used to represent his preoccupation with the totalitarian regimes of 20th century. More than one out of four Americans said they have red his dystopia and use his expressions in their language. Many critics claim that the novel opened up new prospects of political awareness. ‘1984’ is a political fiction in which the government eliminates all forms of political opposition, be it real or imaginary. The atmosphere of the novel is completely depressing because there is no hope for change. The government dominates people morally and forces them to live in constant fear. His terrifying vision of a future in which all aspects of society are controlled by a tyrannical system attracted the
Today’s society is predicted as living in a world George Orwell envisioned in 1984. The system Orwell invented is compared to what the United States government is capable of doing. Government control of society is an essential subject due to the current mind set of the world today. In 1984, George Orwell represents how Big Brother is compared to today’s government, showing the consequences and dangers of a government with unlimited surveillance power.
Historically, literature has always echoed the key issues and themes present during that time. In the period which Orwell wrote this novel, totalitarian government was a popular concept seeing implementation around the world such as Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and Mussolini’s Italy. In the novel 1984. While Orwell’s world is a fictional one, it can be said that he uses it as a voice for social commentary, and he predictions as to what a world would be like if totalitarian governments would rule the world. This essay will aim to explore how Orwell goes about doing this.
In the Dystopian Novel, “1984” by George Orwell, there are multiple assets that changes the lives of many people, in their personality and the ways of how they live. Their way of life is being destroyed due to the iron fist of a godly figure named, “Big Brother”. The methods that are being used, were odd, but at the same time, undignified. In this dystopian “society [,] itself is typically the antagonist; it is society actively working against the protagonist’s aims and desires.” (“Dystopian Fiction: An Introduction” 1). There were many methods that are being messed with, three out of the many important themes would be the public’s, Language , Love, and Technology. Destroying what little of the population 's personality, by removing their originality and creativity of words, stripping people of their own emotions to love their families, or even to have emotions for a significant other, all while being overly-controlling, with telescreens promising none are getting any freedom in their personal lives, in this messed up way of life, any creativity could spark a revolution against, “The Party”.
Over seventy years after he lived and wrote, the works of English journalist and democratic socialist George Orwell, continue to fascinate, stimulate and enrage his readers concerning the structure of society and the organization of government. The controversial writer openly spoke out against the absolute power of any government, warning that a fascist government would deprive its people of their basic freedoms and liberties. Orwell’s novel, 1984, serves as a reminder of the danger of totalitarianism by depicting a future in which all citizens live under the constant surveillance of the “Big Brother.” Through the main character, Winston Smith, Orwell demonstrates the dangers of totalitarianism; writing of the consequences of absolute government in several essays and proposing socialism as an alternative. To Orwell, the role of government is to represent the common people rather than the old and the privileged.