In the classic novel, 1984, George Orwell uses powerful symbolism in order to bring significant meaning to objects and phrases that reoccur throughout the novel. The telescreen, “Big Brother”, the glass paperweight, St. Clement Dane’s church, wine, and “the place where there is no darkness” are all symbols Orwell has constructed in order to prove his main point about the horrors of a totalitarian society, like Oceania. To begin, one object that has symbolic representation throughout the novel is the telescreens Oceania uses to monitor their citizens. These telescreens symbolize how totalitarian governments abuse technology in order to assure people are conforming to their standards. Orwell thoughtfully created this symbol in order to prove that totalitarian societies can control the actions of their subjects. The telescreens have absolute power of seeing and hearing what anyone does or says at any given time. It takes away the citizen’s privacy and keeps them in fear of doing something they are not supposed to. Rather than giving trust to their citizens, the Party has to watch every action they make. Also, the fictional character of Big Brother is another symbol that is referred to multiple times in the novel. Big Brother symbolizes the leader of this totalitarian monarchy. …show more content…
He is the creator of the telescreen, the idea behind the Ministries of Peace, Love, Plenty, and Truth. But is he even a real person? Posters are hung up in numerous places with the same caption on it which says, “Big Brother Is Watching You”. In the beginning of the novel, Winston describes the poster as “one of those pictures which are so contrived that the eyes follow you about when you move” (Orwell 5). Big Brother appears to have his eye out for people who are disobeying his orders. Big Brother proves that a government cannot function without one person who is ‘in charge’ and whom gets all the credit or blame for the outcome of that society. He represents hope for the citizens who believe that the Party is doing the right thing; however, he represents resentment for the citizens who are against the Party. Big Brother can symbolize how secretive the Party is because while he is seen throughout Oceania via posters, nobody knows if he is a real person. Totalitarian societies have many secrets in order to keep their citizens loyal to them and Big Brother is one of them. Another major symbol used is the glass paper weight. The glass paper weight is first introduced in Part I, Chapter 8 when Winston is instantly attracted to it in a junk shop in the prole district. Later, when Winston was lying in his dark bedroom he imagined, “the paperweight was the room he was in, and the coral was Julia’s life and his own, fixed in a sort of eternity at the heart of the crystal” (Orwell 122). In this instance, the paperweight symbolizes his bedroom which is a dark place where they have to hide from the Party. Meanwhile, the coral represents Winston and Julia’s relationship, which is being secreted from the outside world but is unique. When Julia first saw the glass paperweight, Winston described it to her as “a little chunk of history that they’ve forgotten to alter” (Orwell 121). In this moment, the glass paperweight represents a piece of the historical past that Big Brother cannot wash away from Winston’s mind. Then when the Thought Police invaded Winston and Julia’s apartment to have them arrested, one of the members picked up the glass paperweight and smashed it into pieces. The glass paperweight is a representation of the both the past and Julia and Winston’s relationship and the Thought Police has shattered it. The purpose of this symbol is to prove that in a totalitarian society there is no hope for rebellion. After that point, Big Brother transformed Winston into a law abiding citizen who has no recollection of the past and is not interested in Julia. The picture of St. Clement Dane’s church above Mr. Charrington’s shop has an important symbolic meaning. It symbolizes Winston’s past and the ability to rebel against the Party. When Julia asked Winston what the picture was, Winston said “It’s a church, or at least it used to be” (Orwell 121). The Party can change the purpose of the church, but they cannot change the picture itself. This shows Winston is reminded of his past and how the Party cannot take away his memories of his own life. However, when Julia and Winston were captured, they came to find out there was a telescreen hiding behind the picture, watching them for multiple days. This is to prove that even the items that give hope for rebelling in a totalitarian society, there is no escape from its power. The Party uses the past to manipulate the citizens and have them believe anything they say. To Winston the picture of St. Clement Dane’s church was his past and it was what led the Party to him. Another symbol in the novel can be found when Winston first had met with O’Brien. They drank wine, which only the inner party can have access to. Wine symbolizes his desire to take down Big Brother. Winston remembered, “Wine was a thing he had read and dreamed about” (Orwell 141). Wine was one object he believed would bring him positivity and he looked forward to the first time he could try it. Winston thought wine would have “an intensely sweet taste, like that of blackberry jam, and an immediate intoxicating effect” (Orwell 141). However, when he first had taken a sip of it he thought, “the stuff was distinctly disappointing” (Orwell 141). Winston had dreamed about the wonderful effect wine would have but in reality it was nothing as he pictured it would be. This can be related to his dreams of taking down Big Brother. He believes that it will happen, but in the end he did not succeed in his plan. This symbol is meant to prove that in a totalitarian society it is difficult to dream about something that is impossible to have. All of Winston’s happy dreams are crushed in some way. Lastly, “the place where there is no darkness” is a symbolic representation Orwell created.
At first, this place is imaginary. Winston dreams it is the place where he takes his first steps in taking down Big Brother with the help of O’Brien. This place becomes a symbol for freedom. After O’Brien betrays Winston, “the place where there is no darkness” becomes a real place. Winston is held in a prison cell where the light is always on. Instead of leading to freedom, “the place where there is no darkness” leads Winston to finally surrendering to Big Brother. Orwell incorporated this symbol into his novel in order to show how there is no freedom in a totalitarian society; there is always
darkness. When a government controls their citizens’ every move and thought, it is difficult to try and be an individual. Winston dreamed of being different from what Oceania expected him to be. Orwell showed how this is impossible. The Party uses corrupt control of the past to manipulate their citizens. The telescreen, “Big Brother”, the glass paperweight, St. Clement Dane’s church, wine, and “the place where there is no darkness” symbolize many different aspects of life in a totalitarian society that lead to failing to achieve being an individual.
It is said that 1984 is one of the greatest books ever written, a literary work that remains as transcendent as ever since its publishing date sixty-four years ago. It is a grimly realistic story crafted together by George Orwell, who takes upon particularly effective literary elements, such as the limited third-person point of view, to follow the life of Winston Smith, the average everyday, resentful civilian who attempts to fight against the seemingly omnipotent and ubiquitous powers of the Ingsoc Party. The Ingsoc Party, a totalitarian government that governs the fictional country of Oceania, holds a casket of brilliantly intelligent individuals, some of who are members of the terrifying Thought Police and the notorious Inner Party, who employ informal language against the uneducated masses of Oceania civilians. Symbolism is also a key literary element in the novel, for anything ranging from ubiquitous telescreens to the infamous Big Brother ultimately contribute to Winston’s realization of how unbreakable the power of the Ingsoc Party truly is. All throughout 1984, George Orwell exercises the elements of diction, point of view, and symbolism to bring out the novel’s theme of how futile resistance is against established totalitarian governments.
This novel expresses multiple motifs like part one on Collectivism being the people of Oceania putting their community in the hands of a no so brotherly dictator Big Brother, or part two portraying the Romance between Winston & Julia and about how the party wanted to alter love for their greater good, and later in part three it was about fear and how it controls us. We must realize that this book could act as more of a timeline of events taking place if we carelessly give the government more control, really we are the proles Orwell was mentioning we are were the hope lies and we must make use of it.
Throughout the novel, the reader is presented with various symbols. The symbols are clearly made evident by Holden’s constant repetition of their importance. The symbols are so important and their symbolism is directly related to the major themes of the novel.
The novel 1984 is one that has sparked much controversy over the last several decades. It harbors many key ideas that lie at the root of all skepticism towards the book. With the ideas of metaphysics, change, and control in mind, George Orwell wrote 1984 to provide an interesting story but also to express his ideas of where he believed the world was heading. His ideas were considered widely ahead of their time, and he was really able to drive home how bleak and colorless our society really is. Orwell wrote this piece as a futuristic, dystopian book which contained underlying tones of despair and deceit.
Finally the book uses the symbol of a phoenix to describe mankind with this the author shows how humans are able to recover from tremendous loss and not only rise again but become stronger from learning and adapting to the mistakes of the ancestors. The novel Fahrenheit 451 is an excellent use in symbolism and how literature is an important structure to our everyday society as well as showing the amazing strengths and greatest weakness 's mankind is capable of
George Orwell’s haunting dystopian novel 1984 delves into the closely monitored lives of the citizens of Oceania as the Party tries to take control of society. In totalitarianism, propaganda and terrorism are ways of subjugation with a main goal: total obedience. He aimed to create a “what if” novel, what would happen if totalitarian regimes, such as the Nazis and Soviets, were to take over the world. If totalitarianism were to happen, the leader would be the brain of the whole system. Orwell emphasizes the theme of individualism versus collective identity through Winston, the protagonist, and his defiance to the Party and Big Brother, with a frightening tone, surreal imagery and a third person limited point of view.
The book, 1984 by George Orwell, is about the external conflict between Winston Smith and Big Brother; and the internal conflict between the two ideas, democracy and totalitarianism. Orwell wrote the novel to show society what it could become if things kept getting worse: he sensed of the expansion of communism when he wrote the novel. The conflict between democracy and totalitarianism at the year of 1945 created two characters, Winston Smith and Big Brother, in orwell's mind. Big Brother is the embodiment of all the ideals of the totalitarian party. In contrast to Big Brother, Winston Smith keeps the idea of democracy emphasizes freedom, he has to hide his own thought because the Big Brother's party will punish him by death if the party finds it out. George orwell criticizes of Big Brother's society by describing it as a dark and a gloomy place. It warns that people might believe that everyone must become slaves to the government in order to have an orderly society, but at the expense of the freedom of the people.
”The values, beliefs and attitudes of George Orwell’s can easily be seen in the novel 1984, as no text is neutral. These values attitudes and beliefs have shaped the novel to reflect socio-cultural context and by the use of certain discourses, ideologies, and historical influences support the idea that) “The explanation of a work is always sought in the man or women who produced it “Bathes Roland (1977).
In the novel 1984, Orwell produced a social critique on totalitarianism and a future dystopia that made the world pause and think about our past, present and future. When reading this novel we all must take the time to think of the possibility that Orwell's world could come to pass. Orwell presents the concepts of power, marginalization, and resistance through physical, psychological, sexual and political control of the people of Oceania. The reader experiences the emotional ride through the eyes of Winston Smith, who was born into the oppressive life under the rule of Ingsoc. Readers are encouraged through Winston to adopt a negative opinion on the idea of communist rule and the inherent dangers of totalitarianism. The psychological manipulation and physical control are explored through Winston's journey, and with Winston's resistance and ultimate downfall, the reader is able to fully appreciate O'Briens reasoning, "Power is not a means, it is an end."
“BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU, the caption said, while the dark eyes looked deep into Winston's own.” (Orwell, 8) A totalitarian government seeks to apply power over its whole society by sending the message that it is omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient, in this novel they ubiquitously post posters to reinforce their control. There is no personal control of their own freedom and it is impossible for any kind of individualism to flourish with this totalitarian government. Freedom can only be present when a totalitarian government is absent. Symbols are one of the key ways that Orwell shows the little freedom that Winston tries . Some examples from the novel that represent this are the Red- Armed Prole Woman, the glass paperweight and Winston's diary.These symbols represent the freedom that Winston is able to experience when the totalitarian government is absent.
The fictional world of 1984 is best described as bleak. In the aftermath of the fall of capitalism and nuclear war, the world has been divided among three practically identical totalitarian nation-states. The novel takes place in London, which has become a part of Oceania, the nation state comprising the Americas and western Europe. A state of perpetual war and poverty is the rule in Oceania. However, this is merely a backdrop, far from the most terrifying aspect of life in 1984. Oceania is governed by a totalitarian bureaucracy, personified in the image of Big Brother, the all-knowing/ all-seeing godlike figure that represents the government. Big Brother is best described as a "totalitarian socialist dictator, a political demagogue and religious cult leader all rolled into one." So great is the power of Big Brother that the reader is unsure whether he actually exists or is simply a propaganda tool of the government. The party of Big Brother, Ingsoc (English Social...
Having been created from a dream, Winston ponders the phrase, “the place where there is no darkness” for the entirety of the book, never knowing for certain where this place is or what it means although he dreams that it is some type of paradise. In the end, it is just a prison cell with the lights left on day and night. Considering Winston thinks he is doomed no matter what he does, this may be the key reason he trusts O 'Brian when he knows deep down something is off about the man. Thus, the place where there is no darkness also symbolizes his approach to the
Orwell utilizes mood in the text to show how the Party and Big Brother control the society of Oceania, making it dull and lifeless. The author discusses the Thought Police that is implemented to keep surveillance on citizens, stating “You had to live-did live, from habit that became instinct-in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and except in the darkness, every movement scrutinized.” ( Orwell, 3) The description that Orwell provides about the oppressed society of Oceania spreads a feeling of gloominess and distress. Due to the constant vigilance over the citizens
As the man’s lips grasped the edge of the cup and slurped the hot drink, the reflection of two eyes in the darkened coffee grew tremendously. The man immediately puckered his lips and placed the cup atop the wooden surface with dissatisfaction. His hairy arm was revealed from underneath his cotton shirt as he reached for the glassware containing packets of sweet crystals. He picked up the packets labeled Stalin, Hitler, and World War II, and dumped them into the caffeinated drink. Within seconds, a thick, redolent cream labeled, ‘Totalitarian Governments’ crashed into the coffee with force. A tarnished spoon spun around the outer edges of the cup, combining the crystals and cream together, and, unknowingly creating the themes for the book in which Big Brother would become a regime—this was the cup of George Orwell. Written in 1944, the themes in 1984 are reminiscent of the fascist and totalitarian governments formed in the early twentieth century.
The social structure of George Orwell’s 1984 is based on Freud’s map of the mind and the struggles between the id, the ego and the super ego. The minds of these individuals living in this society are trained to think a certain way. Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis can be applied to Orwell’s 1984. Using Freud’s psychoanalytic approach, 1984’s main character Winston Smith is portrayed as the one who goes against the ideas of the Party. In a Freudian point of view, Winston’s character represents a mind where the id is the driving force and where the ego and superego are ill developed in the views of the Party. Freud describes the psychoanalytic process as something that is normally used to treat patients with metal disorders, and in the eyes of the party, Winston is seen as one that has a mental disorder. The procedure that Winston undergoes directly parallels Freud’s psychoanalytic process.