Absolute Power In George Orwell's 1984

Words: 1277
Pages: 6
Open Document
The essence of human compassion and spirit is destroyed by the dystopian society as well as the far too powerful government in 1984 by George Orwell. Orwell depicts a world in which the government has the utmost power over the commons of the nation of Oceania. Orwell is attempting to warn us to avoid a government in which the leader and those who are within his inner most circle have absolute power over the people of the country, for if this were to happen, people would have no form of freedom of speech, nor would people have the right to privacy, and history could be altered at any time but the ruling party whether it was the past, the present, or the future. Orwell’s depiction of a government with absolute power may have been considered extreme …show more content…
Winston is the prime example of the restriction of free thought and expression in that he is constantly waging a battle within himself refraining from speaking about the fraudulent actions of the inner party. Winston constantly contemplates the risk of freely exposing the government, even the thought of it is considered an act of treason, otherwise known as “Thoughtcrime, they called it. Thoughtcrime was not a thing that could be concealed forever. You might dodge successfully for a while even for years, but sooner or later they were bound to get you” (Orwell 19). As shown in this quote, the act of thoughtcrime (Free thought/speech) is extremely dangerous in that the government will track you down and find the best means of punishment for you if you have previously committed the crime. Once Winston initially commits the offense he suddenly realized what the repercussions of his actions will be if the Party finds out, “theyll shoot me i dont care theyll shoot me in the back of the neck i dont care down with big brother they always shoot you in the back of the neck i dont care down with big brother--” (Orwell 19). At this point Winston has already sinned in the eyes of the government and he realises that. If he or anyone who commits thoughtcrime is caught more often than not they will be …show more content…
Within 1984 the telescreen was a key component to restricting the people, “The telescreen received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it” (Orwell 3). The telescreen was able to monitor all the actions of the citizens in Oceania; This puts forth a major violation of privacy in that no one is allowed time in which they are in complete seclusion. Winston explains further in depth that the party can monitor you whenever they wish, “There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment” (Orwell 3). Winston expresses his concern over the fact that no matter the time of day nor place you could be watched by the party and have no idea about it; Moreover, the people of Oceania have no freedoms due to this everlasting surveillance by the government. Finally this it is made known to the citizens of Oceania that they are being watched constantly as seen by the posters, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption said, while the dark eyes looked deep into Winston’s own. Down at streetlevel, another poster” (Orwell 2). From early on the citizens of Oceania the idea that they are being surveyed is imprinted in their mind; This constant mindset that they are being watched is due to the posters that are posted everywhere, always
Show More

Related Documents: Absolute Power In George Orwell's 1984

George Orwell 1984 Similarities

Inspiration for 1984 George Orwell’s novel 1984 is a premonition of what Orwell believed the world would become if it continued on its present course. Orwell wrote this novel during a very dangerous and controversial time period, and he seemed very dissatisfied with the world he was living in: “I write… because there is some lie that I want to expose, some fact to which I want to draw attention” (Orwell). There were plenty of attention-worthy topics and many lies to be exposed during Orwell’s lifetime…

Words 1320 - Pages 6

1984: Government's Attempt to Control the Mind and Bodies of Its Citiz Essay

1984: Government's Attempt to Control The Mind and Bodies of Its Citizens The novel Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is an American classic which explores the human mind when it comes to power, corruption, control, and the ultimate utopian society. Orwell indirectly proposes that power given to the government will ultimately become corrupt and they will attempt to force all to conform to their one set standard. He also sets forth the idea that the corrupted government will attempt to…

Words 1231 - Pages 5

Columbus And Western Civilization Summary

Zinn’s "Columbus and Western Civilization" and George Orwell’s 1984 This historical study will define the ruling class’s control of history that is defined in Howard Zinn’s "Columbus and Western Civilization" and George Orwell’s 1984. Zinn’s historical commentary on Columbus Day defines the underlying power of an elitist Eurocentric view of the discovery of America, which had become a national holiday in the United States. Zinn (1997) defines the power of the dominant ruling classes that Orwell defines…

Words 1179 - Pages 5

George Orwell Research Paper

George Orwell: The Prophesier George Orwell once said, “freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear”, that, essentially, “speaking the truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act”. (“George Orwell”) Orwell’s words reveal his political views in the absolute truest form. His uninhibited writing style forced readers to not only to listen what he had to say, but to also recognize his writing as the truth. Although his veracity was supposed to be accepted without…

Words 2343 - Pages 10

Biography Of George Orwell

Born Eric Blair in India in 1903, George Orwell was educated as a scholarship student at prestigious boarding schools in England. Because of his background—he famously described his family as “lower-upper-middle class”—he never quite fit in, and felt oppressed and outraged by the dictatorial control that the schools he attended exercised over their students’ lives. After graduating from Eton, Orwell decided to forego college in order to work as a British Imperial Policeman in Burma. He hated his…

Words 547 - Pages 3

1984: Nineteen Eighty-four and Varying Different Forms Essay

The novel 1984 by George Orwell is a dystopian text written in 1948 to serve as warning against the dangers of a totalitarian society. Prominent events in the 1940s such as the fear of Communist powers rising and the development of new technologies has driven Orwell create a society that reflects upon the abuse of technology in a world which absolute political authority is present. Conflict in its varying different forms has been thoroughly explored throughout the text through the author’s use of…

Words 1016 - Pages 5

Oppression and Dehumanization in George Orwell's 1984 Essay

12 April 2012 Oppression and Dehumanization of Society in George Orwell’s 1984: The Manipulation of Technology, Language, Media and History 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. In 1984 the political manipulation of technology oppresses the people…

Words 1628 - Pages 7

Essay English Grade 12 ISU Checkpoint 3

Christopher Vecchi Ms. Spencer Hill ENG 4U 27 May 2015 The Plight of an Insurgent George Orwell creates a dark, depressing and pessimistic world in his novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, where the government has full control over its subjects. The protagonist, Winston Smith, is a Party member who has grown to resent the society that he lives in. He is portrayed as an individual that begins to lose his sanity due to the strict rules of society. There are only two possible outcomes, he either conforms to…

Words 1967 - Pages 8

Similarities Between 1984 And A Clockwork Orange

While the novels differ in many respects, George Orwell’s 1984 and Anthony Burgess’ A Clockwork Orange both portray a future dystopian society oppressed by a totalitarian state, inflicting any means necessary to “protect” their society and ensure its future prosperity. The government’s manipulation and dismissal of individual rights overwhelms the mind’s capacity for independent thought and self-determination, essentially overruling humanity’s necessity of freedom to choice. Winston Smith struggles…

Words 250 - Pages 1

Comparing Orwell's Novels To A Dystopian Novel

Atwood’s and Orwell’s novels share the fundamental idea that control of language and thought are crucial to dystopian novel. George Orwell’s ‘1984’ was written after World War Two building on people’s fear of the political stability of the world. His novel includes the all-powerful Big Brother, which monitors and controls Oceania, where the novel is set. Margaret Atwood’s delve into control of thought and language is through religion. Her novel set in the near future religious state, Gilead, in…

Words 1910 - Pages 8