Essay on Compare and Contrast Themes of Brave New World and 1984

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Science Fiction Essay
Two classic novels, 1984 written by George Orwell and Brave New World penned by Aldous Huxley both possess similar topics and themes. In both novels societies are striving for a utopia, or a perfect society. These novels also take place in societies with versions of totalitarian governments, which is a government that rules by coercion. Not only are the topics similar, but in both novels a rebellious character is the protagonist; Winston Smith from 1984 and John the Savage in Brave New World. Another parallel in the books are the tactics that the government uses to instill fear and power over the citizens. A common theme expressed in Orwell’s novel 1984 and Huxley’s novel Brave New World is that government uses …show more content…
Huxley used a similar tactic in Brave New World by having government use technology to control their citizens. After the babies are produced through the Bokanovsky Process they would undergo conditioning based on their social class. In the beginning of the novel a tour is being given to students and they see how the second lowest class, Delta, is conditioned. The conditioning Deltas is to hate books, the Director of Hatchery states: “They’ll grow up with what the psychologists used to call an “instinctive” hatred of books and flowers…” (Huxley 22). The method of their condition is when they would crawl towards the books; the technicians would send an electric charge through the floor so the babies associate knowledge with pain. Since the Delta’s possessed an instinct to hate books and flowers, the craving of knowing more practically dissolves. Without the want of new knowledge, many believe just because it is repeated time and time again, many would begin believing it. Having citizens who do not crave the truth allows the government to carry on with its traditional rule without the worry of rebellion.
Although outlawing individuality and controlling knowledge a prominent example of using technology to control society is by abolishing real emotion. The technology used in Orwell’s 1984 is Victory Gin. The protagonist, Winston, drinks Victory Gin when he feels paranoia.
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