1984 and North Korea

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1984 demonstrates a dystopian society in Oceania by presenting a relentless dictator, Big Brother, who uses his power to control the minds of his people and to ensure that his power never exhausts. Aspects of 1984 are evidently established in components of society in North Korea. With both of these society’s under a dictator’s rule, there are many similarities that are distinguished between the two. Orwell’s 1984 becomes parallel to the world of dystopia in North Korea by illustrating a nation that remains isolated under an almighty ruler.
North Korea profoundly corresponds with Oceania by being a highly militarized nation. Although it has been decades since the Korean war, there has been an everlasting tension between North Korea and the nations surrounding it. Every minute of everyday the North Korean army remains armed on its border. Whether it is a South Korean or Chinese citizen trying to cross the border, they will be shot at. This highly militarized state of society was influenced by Kim Il Sung, the tenacious tyrant of North Korea from 1912 to 1994. Kim Il Sung was so paranoid about other nations intervening, that he used the conception of violence and war to prevent outsiders from entering, or even North Koreans from leaving. This strange sense of constant tension between North Korea and other nations reflects an important issue occurring in Oceania. The people of Oceania are to believe that Oceania is constantly at war with one of two nation’s, Eurasia and Eastasia. Big Brother uses the word war in the same calculating way to influence the minds of his people. “The very word ‘war,’ therefore, has become misleading... A peace that was truly permanent would be the same as a permanent war. This... is the inner ...

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... Magill’s Survey Of World Literature, Revised Edition (2009): 1-2. Literary Refrence Center. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Horvitz, Leslie Alan, and Christopher Catherwood. “human rights violations in North Korea.” Encyclopedia of War Crimes and Genocide. New York: Facts On File., 2006. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. 13 Apr. 2014.
Orwell, George. 1984. New York: Penguin, 1950.
Peterson, Mark, and Phillip Margulies. “North Korea, 1945-2009.” A Brief History of Korea, Brief History. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2010. Modern World History Online. Facts On File, Inc. 13 Apr. 2014.
Varricchio, Mario. “Power of Images/Images of Power in Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty- Four.” Utopian Studies 10.1 (Winter 1999): 98-114. Rpt. in Children’s Literature Review. Ed. Dana Ferguson. Vol. 151. Detriot: Gale, 2010. Literature Resource Center. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.

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