Fear In 1984

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When written in 1949, George Orwell’s 1984 held immense importance for a variety of individuals and societies, and continues to do so today. At the time, it was considered a warning and a visionary novel for what the future might hold. Despite certain inconsistencies between the book and reality, a fair number of elements are apparent in today’s society. Orwell’s imagined society of Oceania portrays public and private surveillance. His prophetic warnings not only came true, but exceeded his expectations. In Oceania, the persistent surveillance of the citizens is carried out through the notion of ‘Big Brother’. The slogan “Big Brother is watching you” (Orwell 3) is displayed throughout the continent. The government uses telescreens. Televisions …show more content…

Citizens of Oceania follow government commands in fear of the consequences of disobedience. Again, telescreens are placed everywhere to monitor civilians. “The instrument (the telescreen, it was called) could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely” (Orwell 3). This constant surveillance generates unease and frigidness. It is effective as nobody makes an effort to overthrow the powers that be. All residents are willing to renounce their rights to go about as they please, in exchange for a crafted sense of safety from the perpetual war claiming to persist. The individual’s fear grows as the government discloses ‘facts’ about the …show more content…

The government of Oceania manipulates language to use as a weapon of mind control. In Orwell’s essay Politics and the English Language, he said: “But if thoughts can corrupt language, language can also corrupt thoughts” (“Politics and the English Language”). This resulted in his idea of Newspeak. Newspeak is the language of Oceania, to eliminate negative terms, restrict ideas, and eradicate words that go against the Party’s ideologies. "Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it” (Orwell 23). Eliminating the ability to convey ideas that oppose government ideologies, refutes any chance of rebellion and confirms

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