Abuse Of Power In 1984 By George Orwell

“To the future or to the past, to a time when thought is free, when men are different from one another and do not live alone, to a time when truth exists and what is done and cannot be undone, from the age of solitude, from the age of Big Brother, from the age of doublethink - greeting!”(Orwell 40-41) From the application of that quotation, Winston Smith reflects Orwell's desires to eliminate power from an omniscient government. Throughout 1984, writer George Orwell depicts society’s members living oppressed lives.  Government also appears excessively controlling and tyrant-like. With the usage of  extended metaphors, details, and ominous diction, writer Orwell warns readers of government’s extreme power and their individual oppression. This

warning, utilized by author Orwell, serves as his advocation for a less controlling government.
Initially, Orwell utilizes extended metaphors satirically explaining that he desires a less powerful government. “Big Brother is watching you” (Orwell 6) describes a government that excessively monitors societies members (Madill 1).  In reality, Author George Orwell does not support government’s excessive infringement of its citizen’s privacy. Through Big Brother, Orwell advocates for a less micromanaging government and more privacy for its citizens (Madill 1). Relating to excessive government surveillance,  George Orwell includes telescreens in the plot in 1984 representing government's abuse of its technology (Madill 1). Orwell provides the extended metaphor of telescreen  in the plot for government’s ability of monitoring every little action its citizens take part in (Madill 1). From the application of telescreens in his writing, George Orwell wishes for the modification of government’s ability of excessive surveillance. Transitioning from government’s abuse of surveillance power, Two Minutes Hate, another extended metaphor that George Orwell utilizes, explains his wish for less government power.  In the plot, the party utilizes the concept of Two minutes of Hate with an effort of creating feelings of hatred towards current enemies (Orwell 15). Some enemies targeted by party members during the Two Minutes Hate exist as opposing countries during the war, for example: Eurasia when Oceania  allied with Eastasia against Eurasia. Emmanuel Goldstein,  leader of an organization referred to as the brotherhood , also existed a target of Two Minutes of Hate. Author Orwell provides Hate Week making evidence to readers that  government had  power to mentally manipulate its citizens into believing whatever it commands.  Extended metaphors of Big Brother, telescreens, and Two Minutes Hate serve warning readers -if they do not choose to disagree with government’s excessive surveillance policies - government will abuse its power micromanaging its citizens in their daily lives.  
In continuation of proving Orwell’s advocation  for a less powerful government, he utilizes details that occur in the plot in 1984 as his advocation for change.

Towards the climax of 1984, after the thought police member Mr. Charrington’s  discovery that Winston and Julia disobeyed the party’s commands, O’Brien purges Winston to points of breakage until he conforms his thoughts to party agenda (Orwell 209). “Shall I tell you why we have brought you here? To cure you! To make you sane”(Orwell 209)! Through this purging, evidently Orwell believes government should not posses  abilities of purging its citizens for promotion of  its agenda. Government appears to exist so powerful that party members have abilities to purge whomever they please whenever they please. The example of Winston getting beaten for a disagreement with the government serves to impose fear on the reader against an omniscient government. Subsequently, the party appears excessively surveillent, specifically from the utilization of telescreens.  “You had to live- did live, from habit that became instinct-in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized”(Orwell 6). Since Telescreens watch everything citizens do, Winston seeks privacy to the point where he turns his back on the telescreens, for that exists the only way he can  ensure absolute privacy. Orwell utilizes the detail of telescreens excessive monitoring for the advocation for a limit to governments power, specifically, the power of monitoring citizens. Aside from the detail of telescreens possessing too much ability for monitoring,  government of 1984 restricts any form of affection between two people. Evidence of restrictions on relationships, regardless if sexual in nature,  persists when Julia and Winston sneak around for privacy (Orwell 96). Since Julia and Winston partake in secret rendezvous for interaction, these precautions taken by the couple  serve to further Orwell's

advocation for limited government’s power because government places an enormous restriction on interaction.  Through application of these specific details, author George Orwell provides evidence that he wishes to modify how much power the government should posses.

Subsequently proving George Orwell’s advocation for limited power bestowed in government, Author Orwell also utilizes ominous diction sharing his desires for modification. O’Brien, lead antagonistic party member of 1984, shares precisely what lengths the party will go to for the success of their agendas. Winston does not immediately succumb to the desires of O’Brien, so O’Brien explains his agenda clearly to Winston. “Power is tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together in new shapes of your own choosing” (Orwell ). Government member O’Brien abuses his powers, thus cruelly harming Winston in order to alter Winston’s thought processes. George Orwell utilizes this ominous quote explaining to readers that government contains too much power and therefore abuses it.  Orwell also utilizes the ominous diction of  the explanation“Newspeak” to convey his wishes for power modification in government. “The purpose of Newspeak was not only to provide a medium of expression for the worldview and mental habits proper to the devotees of Ingsoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible” (Orwell 246). Newspeak, a creation by party members, serves a purpose of restricting what citizens can and cannot think because the restriction of words does not give people abilities to think freely. Through the ominous definition of Newspeak, George Orwell sublimates to readers that he wishes government power would have limitation. Relating to Newspeak, Doublethink is another concept explained by Orwell in 1984 warning readers of a need for a limit of government’s power. The concept of Doublethink:  having multiple opinions that disagree simultaneously about a congruent question, but no disagreement persists because trickery that everything people think remains the absolute truth. The party's manipulation of thought created Doublethink (Orwell 17). “War is peace, freedom is slavery, Ignorance is Strength”(the party’s slogan) exemplifies Doublethink as a form of ominous diction. Through usage of this ominous quotation, George Orwell makes facts that he does not approve government’s control on thinking. Therefore, he advocates lessing of the ruling power.  O’Brien’s quote, Newspeak, and Doublethink all serve as ominous diction utilized by author Orwell advocating his desires of putting a limit on government’s power.
Reflecting on Orwell’s advocation for a less powerful government, he provides ample evidence in the form of extended metaphors, details, and ominous diction that he desires modification of  excessive government control over citizens. Has Orwell’s advocation for limiting of governmental power influenced 1984’s readers’ beliefs on government control?