Essay on Nineteen Eighty-four and American Beauty

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Powerplay

Power Struggles

1984
Party VS Wilson
“A boot stamping on a human face, forever”
For the boot to feel power it is dependant on the face
Party is therefore dependant on Wilson
Paradox of struggle

Crucible
Puritan Regime VS Proctor
The state/religious power was put it place to govern the puritan society and prevent disunity
Witch-hunt, run by the state, was a result of rising individualism (shown by Proctor)

American Beauty
Management VS Lester
The management is the manifestation of materialistic power
Struggle occurs when Lester inadvertently comes by information he uses to negotiate his freedom
Management asks “What do you want?” showing that Lester has inverted the power of the corporation

Context

1984
Written by George Orwell in 1949 while Orwell was suffering from tuberculosis, shortly before he died
During this time Orwell was forming has political ideas
WW2 and Hitler’s Aryan Race and Stalin’s Great Purges were still major events
Orwell warns against the underlying fundamental element of all regimes – power

The Crucible
By Arthur Miller 1953
Salem, Massachusetts
Town Records 1692
Puritans – emphasized majesty and sovereignty of God
Observance of rank
Sober demeanor
Shunning of frivolous activities
Middle ages, church looked down on witchcraft – burning of Joan of Arc
“The witch-hunt was a perverse manifestation of the panic which set in among all classes when the balance began to turn toward greater individual freedom” – Miller 1953

American Beauty
Directed by Sam Mendes 1999
Drama film
Edward Guhman “dazzling tale of loneliness, desire and the hollowness of conformity”
Eight nominations for an Oscar
*ANALSING THE SCENE IN WHICH LESTER QUITS HIS JOB AND NEOGIATES A REDUNDANCY PAYMENT******

Themes

1984
Conflict with Authority
Winston’s individual Rebellion
Underneath he always felt as if the history (reality) of before the part was suppressed
Ongoing struggle, a war between the party and Winston
“To die hating them, that was freedom” – W

The Crucible
Conflict with Authority
Power to control disunity that may open the community for destruction
Can be seen as a link to 1984 as puritan members of society act under God, so does the Party members act under BB
Proctor values people for their individual qualities, not for any position in society (against puritan theory)
When Mr. Putnam suggests that there is a faction n the church against all authority, Proctor claims that he must join it
“I like not the smell of this authority”
Also ploughs on Sundays, the rest day.

American Beauty
Conflict with Authority
Refuses to comply with demands of efficiency and conformity under a business operation façade
Power play between management (represented by Brad Dupree) and Lester
In a request to outline their job description, Lester's rebels against authority, comically writing that his daily job consists of “masking his contempt for the assholes in charge”

Values

1984
Freedom
Values freedom from reign of party as it is incessantly denied in 1984 and looks for freedom among the proles
Values freedom, shown through writing in diary, commitment to Emanuel Goldstein and O’Brien and his visits to Mr. Charrington’s room
Party limits freedom through totalitarian regime, supervision (microphones, telescreens) and control of media and manipulation of language
“Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your head” – W

The Crucible
Freedom
Values because it is denied
Characters do not have free will or privacy
They are governed through puritan ideology where religious power controls their behavior
For example, town bursts into gossip and negative rumor when Abigail is caught dancing in the wood
Their thought and behavior is also governed by fear of punishment instilled by judgment of god in heaven and by Danforth and Hale
“She’ll kill me for saying that! Abby’ll charge lechery on you Mr. Proctor!...She’ll ruin you with it I know she will”

American Beauty
Freedom
Lester values freedom because it has been
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