Comapring George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World

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Comapring George Orwell's 1984 and Aldous Huxley's Brave New World

Imagine a world in which people are produced in factories, a world lost

of all freedom and individuality, a world where people are exiled or “disappear';

for breaking the mold. Both 1984 by George Orwell and Aldous Huxley's

Brave New World are startling depictions of such a society. Although these

novels are of fictional worlds, control of the future may be subtly evolving and

becoming far worse than Huxley or Orwell could ever have imagined. Each

society destroys the freedom of the individual through various controlling

methods such as the denial of language and literature, a caste system and

conditioning.

One way in which each society controls is by limiting the language and

literature of every citizen. In 1984, a language called Newspeak is devised in

order to narrow all thought into one mode. There are three categories of

Newspeak vocabulary: A, B and C. The A vocabulary consists of words used

in everyday life to express simple thoughts. The B vocabulary includes words

meant for political usage, forcing a particular mental state on the person using

the vocabulary. Finally, the C vocabulary is based solely on technical and

scientific words, constructed of only strict and rigid meanings. Individual

thought is completely impossible because the constricted vocabulary is intended

to include only principles of the Newspeak language. The vocabulary is

constructed so that words of unorthodox meaning such as “individual freedom';

are eliminated all together. Newspeak is designed to douse the flame of

thought and idea, while encouraging collective ideas. Over time, Newspeak

destroys any variation of idea from the intention of the “Party’s';. Literature is also slowly altered so that the author’s original meaning is lost to the meaning of the Newspeak language. Newspeak translations seem to consume thoughts and memories much like a sponge absorbs water.

In the Brave New World, literature and art are taken away in order to

destroy individuality and freedom of thought. For as Mustapha Mond says, “It

isn’t only art that’s incompatible with happiness; it’s also science. Science is dangerous; we have to keep it most carefully chained and muzzled'; (Huxley

231). The Controller has made thinking impossible by taking away all science,

art and religious b...

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...ind-set associated with their castes. They are conditioned to dread being alone, for isolation creates introspection, which in turn fosters a sense of individualism. For example, this is expressed in a scene where Bernard takes Lenina out on a first date. He suggests they go for a walk and talk, but Lenina finds such an activity distasteful. She instead persuades Bernard to take her to the Semi-Demi Finals of the Women’s Heavyweight Wrestling Championships (Huxley 64). Soma tablets are also distributed in order to calm any hint of revolt or occurrence of thought. It is a drug taken to dull the senses of the urgency and desire for action. For as Lenina says, “Remember one cubic centimetere cures ten gloomy sentiments'; (Huxley 89).

Throughout 1984 and Brave New World, each method of control is

intended to keep the individual from questioning their individuality. By limiting language and literature, creating social classes and conditioning, these societies are able to accomplish their goal. Yet, as long as humans continue to desire to acquire knowledge, this will never be allowed to happen. For it is upon the strengths of the individuals that our entire society is built.

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