Through different experiences, beliefs, values and ideas, individuals can evolve identity through human nature, in society and critical life experiences. Human nature is elucidated dystopically in the works of George Orwell’s novel, 1984, and James McTeigue’s visual, V for Vendetta, which represent divergent societies, bound by totalitarian oppression and degrading human constructs. Published in 1948 by George Orwell, 1984 is a novel set in a future society, scarred by eternal war, ubiquitous government surveillance, controlled history and tyrannical manipulation by the superstate. Winston Smith, a diligent Outer Party member, inconspicuously rebels against the English socialist, ‘Ingsoc’ Party and despot leader, ‘Big Brother’, by regaining …show more content…
individualism, memorising history and forming adroit conceptions to repudiate ideals. Analogously, the 2005 movie V for Vendetta by James McTeigue, depicts a neo-fascist regime, conquering the United Kingdom by oppressing human rights. V, an insurgent anarchist fighter attempts to ignite a revolution with working-class woman, Evey Hammond. These works expose the flaws of human-striven power over a society, the notion of conformity to achieve perfection, and the privation of the critical experiences which define humanity. Both Orwell and McTeigue exhibit comparable interrelations with experiences, ideas, values and beliefs of power’s effects on the human nature of individuals. Power is sought by those who desire autonomy, enabling opportunities for abuse. In 1984, Orwell developed an ineradicable totalitarian government ‘Party’, predicated on a charismatic symbol of authority, ‘Big Brother’, used to exploit fear and expose the slogan, ‘ignorance is strength, freedom is slavery and war is peace’, to manufacture society. The human spirit eradicates as animal to men distinctions vanish- Parsons has the ‘stupidity of an animal’, and his children compare with ‘tiger cubs’. Oppressing fabricated ministries, simulating constant war and enforcing machiavellian ‘Thought police’ to destroy innocence, exhibits deception, acknowledging distrust of human nature, thereby negating modern audiences’ ideas of power. ‘Do not imagine that you will save yourself, Winston, however completely you surrender to us… Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feelings. Everything will be dead inside of you.’ - page 240, 1984. Comparably, McTeigue produced a neo-fascist society, tyrannised by a dictatorial government, with secret police and a leader, Chief Chancellor, comparable to that of modern notorious leaders; Hitler, Stalin, and Franco. The slogan enforced, ‘strength through unity, and unity through faith’ depicts the removal of human conscience, thereby warning audiences values of entrusting governments. As a social species, humans confide safety in allying with others, thereby deprival of psychological and physical freedom creates natural unconscious, frustrated desires. In 1984, Winston follows his instincts for freedom through misguided relationships and communicative attempts, manipulating his sentience. Winston’s fate is determined by his search for inherent human feelings. Similarly, V followed his natural instincts of revenge, with the belief that through humour, merciless murder and altering of history, freedom would prevail. Despite freedom restrictions of curfews, in contrast to 1984, individuality is permitted, and freedom of speech is allowed, despite government intervention. Both stories reform the values of modern audiences, that without developing human values through freedom, life direction is uncertain. The fundamental nature of humans is determined through historical change. Notwithstanding, in 1984’s Ministry of Truth, Winston is forced to alter history, to prevent understanding and perspectives, concluding to free thought. The enforcement of information is death is congruent with Vendetta, whereby history is altered by media, to forbid civilians from fearfully rebelling against the government. Religion is also removed, through the symbol of a significant church in 1984, and a quran in Vendetta. V’s character believes to evolve existence, history is needed, therefore V’s plan to destroy parliament house culminated in a revolution. The removal of history affects the human nature of fearing unacknowledgement, altering modern beliefs of history’s importance. Orwell and McTeigue’s stories connect with experiences, ideas, values and beliefs of human society through social hierarchies, technology abuse and degradation. In 1984, Orwell structured a social hierarchy, whereby the inner party form the highest class, the outer party are middle class and the proletarians are the lowest class. Only the inner and outer parties possess any power, as the proletariat, ‘proles’, are destitute people, kept sedated with alcohol, pornography and national lottery propaganda. Analogously, McTeigue’s society has a definitive hierarchy, whereby the upper class consists of the chancellor and dictatorial Norsefire Party, the middle class includes workers, and lowest class entails homosexuals and criminals. These hierarchies are formed similarly to that of modern societal beliefs of hierarchies. In 1984, technology is abused imperiously, using telescreens and microphones to observe, listen and monitor each individual's lives to ensure fidelity to the Party. Equivalently, in Vendetta, vans roam, monitoring phone calls- divergent to 1984 however, the citizens have free speech. Modern technology has evolved to create conformities and ideas, used by all without governmental intervention and belief of invasion. Humans with a degrading mentality are dangers to social society, thereby in 1984, social harmony is kept through violence; as prisoners are tortured until they conform to societal rules, or confront death. Winston degraded malevolently, willing to murder for freedom. McTeigue socially degrades the citizens by depriving of information through media corruption and constraining freedom, which V used as inspiration to murder vengefully. Both stories afflict modern experiences and values, to avoid hostility and live congruently through social communication. Orwell and McTeigue connect with audiences through the essentials of human existence, such as birth, maturation, relationships and mortality.
In 1984, children are exposed to depravation by government ideals, and are taught to expose all insurgence. In Vendetta, children are born into a media-corrupted world, unknowing of deprivation by lacking exposure. These negate the modern belief that children learn beliefs and ideas unbiasedly. Without communication, relationships in 1984 are restricted, thereby maturation is controlled. To mature, Winston used a diary, visited illegal places and engaged in an illegal relationship to grow his confidence in his experiences. In Vendetta, people do not mature intellectually, attributable to controlled communication. V matures his character through illegal practices; by murdering for liberation, and engaging in a relationship with Evey Hammond. In 1984, relationships between people are forced for procreation, or are amicable to government ideals. Winston's desperation for emotion and connection lead him to engage with Julia, who assists Winston’s psychological insurgency. V serendipitously encountered Evey, who dependently aids V’s emotional understanding of a civilian's perspective of his actions. Both females helped mature the protagonists’ critical life experiences, analogously with modern human values to support and love others. The evaluative question, ‘what is the good life?’ is evaluated in 1984, with Winston’s perspective being nonsynthetic food, freedom, real history and the ability of expression. Similarly in Vendetta, V convincingly claimed that society too often, “Appreciate the comforts of everyday routine, the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition”, thus indicating ignorance of governmental corruption. 1984 Londoners are ashen ascribable to the permanent presence of dust, providing an atmosphere of inevitability, where dust asphyxiates Winston's spirit. Working 60 hour weeks and earning little
money contends modern beliefs of creating and finding healthy living conditions. The living standards in Vendetta are predominantly congruent to modern conditions. Death in 1984 is commonplace- disobedience entitles Thought police to vapourise one, and indefinitely remove from history, which is identical to Vendetta. The mortality process in both stories refutes modern values to mourn departures and remember their impact. Overall, both Orwell and McTeigue connected the experiences, ideas, values and beliefs of modern societal audiences in a dystopian manner to display conflicts of human nature, society and the critical experiences that define humanity. The critical and fundamental understandings that define the nature of being human are variably altered by government oppression, societal pressures and living conditions, as exhibited variably in both 1984 and Vendetta. Audiences may have different responses depending on their own experiences, ideas, values and beliefs, however in a modern society evolved from history, understanding human nature is one which most abide to benefit society. Overall, Orwell and McTeigue explored the nature of being human and the critical experiences that define humanity through the human nature, society and how lives are commonly lived in varying ways in different formats to depict the errors of corruption and oppression.
In “1984,” Orwell uses Winston to portray a single individual’s attempt to take action against a powerful government, culminating in his failure and subjugation. His individual efforts failed tremendously due to the overarching power of the Party to control every aspect of social life in Oceania. Orwell uses Winston’s deeply seated hatred of the Party to portray his views on power and social change. Winston’s actions show that even in the direst of situations ...
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.
The book Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and the movie V for Vendetta both take place in a dystopian future. Each one very different, but similar dystopian societies with many similar aspects such as luring citizens into false happiness, censoring citizens from different forms of literature, and characters who can really see behind the government’s façade and tell what is wrong with society. Similarity between the two ranges from meek things such as a similar setting with both societies residing in London, or more intricate things like similarities between the governments. Since the beginning of mankind humans have long since craved for a feeling of belonging and to be a part of something. Over the long history of mankind this same feeling has led to the growth of civilizations and societies. Eventually leading up to modern day societies with governments such as republics, dictatorships, and democracies. Each with its own different ways of
“To deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity” (Nelson Mandela). Throughout the novel 1984, written by George Orwell, there is a severe lack of humanity. During the course of the novel, the level of humanity is tested through the challenges Winston and Julia face in their war against the Party. In 1984, humanity has been impacted by the Party’s control over its members, its lack of control over its members, and its war against love.
The approach towards freedom is hard to achieve against a totalitarian government but possible to win with the people’s belief. 1984 by George Orwell and James McTeigue’s V for Vendetta portray the same idealism of the anti-heroes, Winston and V. An anti-hero is “a protagonist who lacks the attributes that make a heroic figure, as nobility of mind and spirit, a life or attitude marked by action or purpose” (“Antihero”). Winston is not courageous, peaceful, and self-centered along the path of freedom for Oceania, whereas the anti-hero, V is violent in his actions, impatient and careless in his pursuit to free London from the totalitarian government. As a matter of fact, V and Winston have the opposite behaviours; this is significant because it helps to compare the approach of the anti-heroes toward freedom. At the end of 1984 and V for Vendetta, the result of their approach is different from each other; Winston gives up on the liberation of Oceania, while V dies knowing that London is freed from Norsefire Party. In 1984 and V for Vendetta, the different behaviours of the anti-heroes, Winston and V, illustrate their approach to attaining freedom from the totalitarian government.
In dystopian literature, the future of society and humanity is presented in a negative standpoint. Utopian works frequently illustrate a future in which the everyday lives of human beings is often improved by technology to advance civilization, while dystopian works offer an opposite outlook. Examples of dystopian characteristics include an oppressive government, a protagonist, and character nature. Although the novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and the film V for Vendetta directed by James McTeigue display different perspectives of a dystopian society, both share similar dystopian characteristics, which include a government who asserts power over citizens, a protagonist who questions society, and characters who are isolated from the natural world.
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.
V for Vendetta is a graphic novel written by Allan Moore. It is a story full of comedy with V as the protagonist who is out to fight and destroy the government and affects innocent people. The novel was later adapted into a film and directed by James McTeigue and written by Wachowski Brothers.
Authors often use their works as a way to express their own opinions and ideologies. However, it is the skill of the author that determines whether these ideas are combined with the plot seamlessly, making a creative transition of ideas from the author’s mind, to the reader’s. There is no doubt that George Orwell is a masterful writer, and one of his most popular works, 1984, clearly expresses his negative views of the Totalitarian government. A common theme in the dystopian society in 1984 is betrayal: The Party is very intolerant towards any form of disloyalty, and anyone who plots against them or Big Brother will eventually either betray their own mind and accept Big Brother as their leader, or be betrayed and revealed to The Party by one of their so-called comrades. Overall, Orwell is using this constant theme of betrayal to show how alone and alienated the protagonist (Winston Smith) is in his quest against Totalitarianism, thus showing how flawed and hopeless the political system is.
War Is Peace. Freedom Is Slavery. Ignorance Is Strength. The party slogan of Ingsoc illustrates the sense of contradiction which characterizes the novel 1984. That the book was taken by many as a condemnation of socialism would have troubled Orwell greatly, had he lived to see the aftermath of his work. 1984 was a warning against totalitarianism and state sponsored brutality driven by excess technology. Socialist idealism in 1984 had turned to a total loss of individual freedom in exchange for false security and obedience to a totalitarian government, a dysutopia. 1984 was more than a simple warning to the socialists of Orwell's time. There are many complex philosophical issues buried deep within Orwell's satire and fiction. It was an essay on personal freedom, identity, language and thought, technology, religion, and the social class system. 1984 is more than a work of fiction. It is a prediction and a warning, clothed in the guise of science fiction, not so much about what could happen as it is about the implications of what has already happened. Rather than simply discoursing his views on the social and political issues of his day, Orwell chose to narrate them into a work of fiction which is timeless in interpretation. This is the reason that 1984 remains a relevant work of social and philosophical commentary more than fifty years after its completion.
Comparing Orwell's 1984 and Huxley's Brave New World. In Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Huxley’s Brave New World, the authoritative figures strive for freedom, peace, and stability for all, to develop a utopian society. The Utopian society strives for a perfect state of well-being for all persons in the community, and over-emphasizes this factor, where no person is exposed to the reality of the world. As each novel progresses, we see that neither society possesses family values nor attempts to practice them.
After reading the book and watching the movie 1984 there were similarities and differences between the two. The novel is about manipulating people in believing in something that isn’t really there and about erasing history. Both the book and film focused on: authority, government, and war. The book and film follow the theme of conformity to control society.
What does it mean to be human? Is it the millions of cells that you’re composed of? Or is it something more? In George Orwell’s book 1984, through the use of his protagonist, Orwell looks at what it really means to be human. In a world that is built on destruction and manipulation, Orwell takes a look at how a totalitarian government affects humankind and a person’s ability to stay “human”.
What does it mean to be human? Is it the millions of cells that you’re composed of, or is it something more? In George Orwell’s book 1984, through the use of his protagonist, Orwell looks at what it really means to be human. In a world that is built on destruction and manipulation, Orwell takes a look at how a totalitarian government affects humankind and a person’s ability to stay “human”.
Identity, in today’s society, is often taken for granted. We have the ability to be anything we wish to be and act in any way we wish to act, but in the novel 1984 by George Orwell, identity is not taken for granted because it does not exist at all. Winston Smith, the narrator, lives in a dystopian society based on the idea of totalitarian government rule. This government is known as Big Brother. In order for Big Brother to stay in power, a few things are necessary: identity cannot exist; everything and everyone must be uniform; the past must be controlled in order to regulate the present; and the people must constantly be practicing the ideas of Newspeak and Doublethink, a form of control the government holds over the people. By enforcing these simple laws and regulations, the government is able to keep a tight grip on its people, with few ever releasing themselves from its grasp. Winston Smith on the other hand, seeks to know the truth behind the government, he is constantly questioning everything and repressing all the ideas forced upon him. Winston “seeks truth and sanity, his only resources being the long denied and repressed processes of selfhood” (Feder 398). All identity is gone in this place called Oceania, and for the sake of Big Brother and its continuous control of the people, it will never exist again. In 1984, the absence of identity strips the people of all creativity and diversity, as well as takes away any chance the society has to advance as a people or in the area of technology.