1984 George Orwell

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In the novel, 1984, George Orwell creates a fictional dystopian society with numerous examples of harmful aspects. These characteristics are shown through the thematic principles that are present throughout the story. He uses the harmful topics to address the idea he is seeking to state, which is: to be wary of the government and its easy ability to grow out of control. George Orwell uses the themes of truth, manipulation, surveillance, and power to expose the dangers of a totalitarian regime. One major thematic principle that is emphasized in the novel is the absence of truth and how it grew to be overtaken by an abundance of lies. For example, a critical essay explains, “Orwell worried less about local violations of truth than about the disappearance …show more content…

One source explains, “In Oceania, accuracy has only an instrumental value and when it does not serve a purpose it can be set aside” (Dwan). The inconsistent implementation of facts in Ingsoc exposes the drastic amount of manipulation. The Party’s only goal is to uphold their image, regardless of the sacrifice they will have to make. With the facts in a constant state of fluctuation, the citizens’ only version of truth is what the Party tells them. The use of manipulation in the government weakens the common people and prevents any possibility of revolt from the system. The influence of the government is further seen in Parsons family when, “His thoroughly indoctrinated daughter demonstrates loyalty to [the] Party. sees the betrayal of her father as an early opportunity to establish her political credentials” (Meyers). Parson’s daughter turning him in shows the liberated way the Party has changed its society. A bond between a daughter and father is naturally based on love and affection. However, Oceania has become a land with no love for anyone except for Big …show more content…

The author implements this aspect to emphasize how a powerful government can force opinions on people and change their mindsets entirely. Another source explains the exploitation of the subjects occurs through, “every document which could contradict the Party’s current stereotypes is modified, in a fluctuating manner and with no apparent reason whatsoever” (Gonzalez). The Party’s system and avenue of manipulating the facts is exposed through Winston’s job at the Ministry of Truth. Marking out records and replacing them with new ones shows the process of changing history. This daunting reality of 1984 represents the total control the government has on reality. Subjects do not deeply think of their surroundings, and what has happened in the past. They only focus on what is told in the present, which leads to their fall. Orwell creates the toxic way operations are handled in Oceania to emphatically express the result that comes in a totalitarian nation where the leaders have the ability to do as they please. The author additionally implements spying and surveillance as a dangerous tool used in Oceania as a theme to reveal how they maintain

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