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 …show more content…
Orwell provides this degree of freedom because even though it is just makeup, anyone wants the ability to be who he or she wants. Telescreens and microphones plague the society of Oceania which results in the silences of many voices of its citizens. The fear of having an expression of thought or speech is one of the many approaches Big Brother has in making sure that everyone falls in line with the strict rules it imposes. While the dictator may think it has control over everyone, Winston Smith is able to challenge this obstruction by purchasing a journal and inscribing his thoughts into it. This idea of having a dairy was “not illegal, but if detected it was reasonably certain that it would be punished by death…,” (Orwell 6). Even though the society has “no laws”, there were still ways that the government provoked fear into its citizens. The use of the word illegal creates an ominous tone to this statement because even though having a diary was not against the standards, by Orwell using that word, it still conveys that there are hindrances in the society that are used to control its people. Since Winston is making the decisive action to “mark the paper,” (Orwell 7) he is controlling his freedom of speech in this society. He is able to control this freedom because every human wants their voice to be heard in any form, whether it is physically speaking or
People hear about political issues all over the news and form their own opinions on them, but are they really deciding beliefs for themselves or are they just believing whatever the media tells them? Because of the modern day media biased, many people do not think independently, even when they think they are. They merely believe the lies the media feeds them and do not research the matter themselves to get an accurate idea of what is truly going on and how the control of information will impact the world around them. Because of people’s tendency to accept any piece of information that gets shoved down their throats, the US is slowly digging itself into the same government-controlled, no-freedom world as in the book 1984 by George Orwell.
George Orwell’s novel 1984 reflects on the society of dystopian city Airstrip 1 where main character Winston Smith lives. Along with the many other citizens, Winston is controlled by the Inner Party by constantly being monitored via telescreens that keep sight of everybody and their actions. Besides using telescreens the government also easily arrests people in any case of “thoughtcrime” which consists of any thoughts that regard disobedience towards the government. Thoughtcrime and telescreens are two of the several factors that reflect the extreme surveillance in 1984. Orwell uses surveillance as the central theme of the novel to spread his idea that the usage of more extreme surveillance could eventually lead to a totalitarian society. On a less extreme scale, today’s society also has a significant amount of surveillance but many question whether or not more surveillance is necessary. With the many current text sources, it is certain that we need less surveillance in order to keep a stable society that does not take away the individualism of people.
Towards the end of Orwell’s novel that presents a dystopian society, the antagonist, O’Brien, a close member of the inner party, warns Winston, the protagonist and one of only two reasonable people left, that “We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them” (319). Winston, who has been taken prisoner for his political dissent, receives this grave warning tied down to a chair with O’Brien’s face staring at him from above. This alarming solution to the infamous mystery frightens Winston a significant amount, who after sacrificing so much, has just learned his fate. Orwell has brought about this fate to emphasize the perpetual triumph of the party over its enemies. In George Orwell's 1984, the author creates the totalitarian state of Oceania to warn the reader of the potential corruption and oppression of such a government.
George Orwell’s theme in 1984 is that an omnipotent and all-seeing government is dangerous and will demean individuality as well as free will. He portrays this through Winston’s failure to rebel while showing totalitarian governments cannot be stopped after they have been completely established. He also depicts his message through the citizens’ total belief in government propaganda no matter how absurd or inconstant as well as through the international solidarity and seemingly permanent nuclear cold war.
The juxtaposition of Big Brother in George Orwell’s 1984 with our present day government and social media presence in the United States demonstrates the imminent danger of imposing figures who control both the actions and thoughts of its citizens. Throughout the novel, the narrator depicts Big Brother as a controlling force that takes technology and surveillance of the citizens of Oceania too far. Similarly, in today’s society, we are constantly bombarded with new technology by the government and social media that demands and records our actions as well as our inner thoughts. As Winston navigates his dangerous and dilapidated world, one can uncover parallels between his relationship with Big Brother and our relationship with the government
When George Orwell wrote his novel, 1984, Hitler and Mussolini had recently been defeated in World War II, the nuclear arms race was warming up and the Soviet Union was a threat to the world. Although these are not problems in today's society, 1984 is still very relevant in current time, "The twentieth century will soon be over, but political terror still survives and this is why Nineteen Eighty-four remains valid today” (Ricks 5). In the novel 1984 the main character Winston is faced with challenges when he meets a woman named Julia. Julia makes him question his loyalty to the government. They are living under a totalitarian government that sees everything you do, hears everything you say, and knows everything you think. George Orwell’s novel 1984 is still relevant in today’s society.
In the book 1984 written by George Orwell, the author wanted the readers to understand the message he has created. The message that he has conveyed throughout the book was that the Party took away many of the individual’s rights and freedoms. Orwell has shown specific examples of how the peoples’ rights are taken away throughout the text. Some of these examples include the people do not have their own privacy in their homes, control over their own thoughts, as well as control over emotions. Orwell may have given these examples for the readers to be able to relate the novel to the government today. Today the government uses security cameras and phone records to be able to keep an eye on their citizens. In 1984, George Orwell has created the message of the government took away the peoples’ individual rights and freedoms with the use of the telescreens, control over thoughts, and control over emotions.
Personal freedom and consciousness may be altered by the artificiality of a nation’s ideology and may lead to lesser hope in a better reality. The totalitarian party uses all of their efforts to influence their citizens in believing their deceptive lies with many factors including propaganda “Big Brother is Always Watching.” Winston’s diary states, “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows” (Orwell 84). As the party accomplished physical control, the final goal was to obtain psychological control. To not be susceptible to mental manipulation is
In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, the totalitarian government is adamant that all citizens not only follow its policies, but wholeheartedly agree with them. In order to maintain his individuality and avoid the Thought Police, Winston lies about his allegiance to the government and his beliefs and thoughts. He learns that his lies are weak and shallow after he is caught, and he eventually realizes the true power of his lies when he deceives himself. The totalitarian government Orwell presents encourages deception as a means of survival, increasing the government’s power when the citizens are eventually driven to lie to themselves. As the Party grows stronger and individuality crumbles, Orwell displays the loss of humanity as a result of a government built on deception.
The face of a man of about forty-five, with a heavy black moustache and ruggedly handsome features. Who is he? He is Big Brother, the ruler and destroyer of Oceania and the reality of today. It is easy to believe that the Government monitoring people in order to keep them safe. But how exactly is it keeping everyone safe? In George Orwell's novel 1984 citizens of Oceania are constantly being watched over and spied on. In the fiction novel 1984 the circumstances in which the citizens of Oceania live under seem terrible but what is worse is that people live under these circumstances today in real life. The lack of privacy that exists today and in 1984 results in one to feel a loss in freedom, to feel paranoid, and to feel inferior. To have surveillance
Have you ever been in a situation in which you have gone against what others have said? Perhaps you didn’t agree with what they said. What about breaking the rules for the greater good? Well in the novel, 1984 by George Orwell- Winston goes against the rules that the party has put up. He falls in love with a girl named Julia, and they are taken to trial at the Ministry of love. The theme to best fit the story would be- Freedom is Worth Fighting For.
Our founding fathers once said, “ Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one”. The book 1984 is the perfect example of freedom vs security. Some of the characters in the book put off the vibe that they have no freedom. I would have to agree with them. There is no freedom in Orwell’s 1984 because a majority of characters such as Winston, Julia, and Mr. charrington have to live in a world of fear, hostility, and aggression; with the fear of getting caught by The Thought Police for something as simple as writing their personal thoughts in a notebook.
Rebellions happened all throughout history and still continue in the present. Bacon’s Rebellion continues to have a lasting impact on today’s society. In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, the theme of rebellion is prevalent. The government system of Big Brother controls every aspect of the people’s lives. As the story progresses, the main character Winston Smith, finds himself having hatred for Big Brother and wants to find a way to end the Party’s reign. Other characters, like Julia, only want to rebel for personal reasons and want no major changes. In George Orwell’s 1984, the use of imagery to draw parallels between Winston’s struggle against Big Brother and man’s repeated clashes with nigh-totalitarian government.
George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984, examines a society in which the overwhelming domination of Oceania’s leading party of the totalitarian government, Ingsoc, causes its citizens to become automatons—except for one citizen: the protagonist, Winston Smith. Like the masses, Winston is subjected to the regime’s use of constant surveillance, alteration of historical records and memories, psychological and ideological manipulation, and torture. Although Winston is subjected to the regime’s various manipulations, which have the final goal of eliminating all individualism, Winston stands out from the masses. Throughout the novel, Winston actively rebels against the regime primarily by having independent thought and by forming a meaningful relationship with another citizen, a relationship that is restricted by the regime. As Orwell depicts Winston’s strong desire for individuality, he compels readers to pay attention to the totalitarian regime’s deliberate restraint of distinctiveness. By using Winston’s role to demonstrate the importance of individual thought and meaningful relationships in the identity of a human being, Orwell suggests that a totalitarian regime demands the loss of individuality in order to have and preserve total control.
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.