1984 Analysis Essay

Is it the common human nature to feel power over others? A totalitarian government seeks to utilize its message of confinement and authority to control the many aspects of life. In the novel 1984, Orwell portrays totalitarianism through psychological manipulation, physical control and the control of language.

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.

1984, a novel by George Orwell, represents a dystopian society in which the people of Oceania are surveilled by the government almost all the time and have no freedoms. Today, citizens of the United States and other countries are watched in a similar way. Though different technological and personal ways of keeping watch on society than 1984, today’s government is also able to monitor most aspects of the people’s life. 1984 might be a dystopian society, but today’s condition seems to be moving towards that controlling state, where the citizens are surveilled by the government at all times.

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.

Nobody can disagree with the fact that George Orwell’s vision, in his book 1984, didn’t come true. Though many people worried that the world might actually come to what Orwell thought, the year 1984 came and went and the world that Orwell created was something people did not have to worry about anymore. Many people have wondered what was happening in Orwell’s life and in his time that would inspire him to create this politically motivated book. A totalitarian world where one person rules and declares what is a crime and what is not, is something many people would have been scared of a lot. The totalitarianism in 1984 is very similar to the Nazism that was occurring in Germany with Hitler. This could have been the key thing that motivated

The novel I have chosen to write about that is set in a different time but is still relevant to this day is “1984” by George Orwell. Orwell effectively uses theme, characterisation, imagery and symbolism to help us appreciate the themes he runs throughout the book that have just as much relevance then as they do now. This is despite Orwells’ book being first published in 1948.

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.

In the book 1984 by George Orwell, a totalitarian government is emphasized. Throughout the story, it is revealed that all the government cares about is war and power within themselves. It is clearly shown that the intentions of the government in Oceania are self-serving and not benevolent. With the use of Newspeak and Doublethink, Orwell further shows that the intentions of the government are one sided and are only effective for themselves. The way in which the government runs its people expresses the idea of selfishness and that all benefits are only for the government. Through the use of surveillance, torture, and complete removal of people's privacy, the government is able to manipulate and scare people into obeying the government, which in turn only makes the government stronger.

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.

War Is Peace. Freedom Is Slavery. Ignorance Is Strength. The government slogan illustrates the sense of stringency that characterizes the world created by George Orwell. The vast power of the Oceanian government kept their people in constant paranoia through perpetual publicity, mangled violence and persistent manipulation in order to keep their world regulated as much as possible. The scene in the Novel 1984 is positioned in the expansive nation of Oceania, a realm of the future that replicates London. It is a totalitarian state that is dictated by an perplexing figure named Big Brother, who may not even exist. The government of this world is prevailed by the group of the Inner Party, and use their dominance by inhibiting everything

The book 1984 tells a story of a world that is undergoing a totalitarian rule, whereby the freedom of human beings is removed and there is injustice present to all by the loss of privacy. It is a world where information can be changed and influenced in order to favour the Great Powers, I believe that this world of 1984 is possible for its looming signs are present worldwide.

I have begun reading 1984 by George Orwell.The novel is written through the perspective of Winston Smith.The world he lives in is controlled by the party who force propaganda to the public, encouraging people to not think for themselves and in fact punishes people for “thought crimes”. Winston among others are watched very closely and are listened in at random. A way they watch people is through the ‘telescreens’ that can not be turned off.

George Orwell wrote 1984 in the year 1949, and although his vision of the future obviously did not come to fruition, the principals of the book still apply to society today. Imagining a world where individual expression is completely outlawed is nightmarish, and thankfully we are still able to seize the day and make of it what we choose. The idea that a party could grow this powerful and completely control an entire third of the world is ludicrous, but with the level of spying and technology present in this narrative, it begins to seem more plausible. Orwell likely wrote this novel as a cautionary tale to those who lust for power, and wishes to see a world where people are able to be themselves. Orwell envelopes his audience in this fantasy, and whenever the book is put down, the reader is relieved that they are not trapped in this reality of Orwell’s.

“The ideal set up by the Party was something huge, terrible and glittering-a world of steel and concrete of monstrous machines and terrifying weapons-a nation of warriors and fanatics, marching toward a perfect unity.” (Orwell, 77) The novel 1984 by George Orwell is a fictitious prose detailing a totalitarian government ruling over the country of Oceania. The quote provides a vivid image of what totalitarianism looks like. Totalitarianism is generally viewed as a Fascist or Socialist government, controlled by one supreme dictator, oppressing a given people. The view is a common misconception. It is incorrect because it deals with merely a piece of Totalitarianism as opposed to the whole philosophy. Totalitarianism, as defined by the Miriam-Webster Dictionary, “The political concept that a person should be totally subject to an absolute state of authority” (Dictionary by Miriam-Webster).

In 1984, Orwell creates a dystopia in which the government’s always watching the people who are living within their country. Many countries are similar, however, not all nations are close to what Orwell depicts in his novel. Orwell believes that within the future, a dystopian nation will appear just like in 1984. In today’s world, this type of society is a lot harder to create than what is portrayed in the novel.