1984 Argument

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Many people argue whether George Orwell’s 1984 was written purely to criticize, or if it portrays society today. I believe that George Orwell wrote 1984 in order to express his feelings about how society is governed. There are many examples of irony that support my position. 1984 is a political satire, Orwell used to criticize man’s use of power. The slogan of Oceania is War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, and Ignorance is Strength. These three phrases reflect some of the disturbing factors of our society today. 1984 is a dystopian novel set in Airstrip One, which used to be Britian. Oceania is always at war with another superpower, and their main goal is to achieve the most power throughout their world. The main character is Winston Smith, a man who works for the Party and is supposed to change history to match what the Party has told him. Winston lives in a society where he is constantly listened to and watched by telescreens and microphones to make sure he is enthusiastic about his country’s decisions, and to make sure he does not commit any crimes. If a Party member is even caught freely thinking thought police will be sent to investigate. Everywhere Winston goes he always sees posters that say, “Big Brother is Watching You.” Big Brother is the Party leader that may or may not be real. Big Brother is a threatening figure, especially for those who do not believe in Party ideas. If party members don’t follow expectations of the party they will be tortured. The official language of Oceania, the country where Airstrip one is located, is Newspeak. Newspeak is the only language in Oceania that lessens it’s words each year so that it is harder for people to commit thought crime. Winston is a dedicated worker, but often thinks about rebellion against Big Brother. Winston idolizes a man named O'Brien who he thinks is part of the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is a

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