1984: Diminishing Freedom by Orwell Totalitarianism leads the novel, by George Orwell, through it’s twisting, cynical, and conforming values of an omnipotent government. Cruelty is portrayed throughout the novel as the use of the “Party” or “Government” taking total control of all freedoms of its population and their lives. In the novel, 1984, by George Orwell, the main character, Winston Smith explores the world under strict ruling while experiencing cruelty through his own mind, betrayal of a friendship, and physical harm forcing mind control to change his life into conforming to the extreme views of “Big Brother”. As Winston starts out by following the strict laws and conformity around him, he then experiences life as it should be, becoming …show more content…
Winston constantly lives in a state of fear from the party, the totalitarian government they are meant to follow strictly. Orwell begins the novel with Winston being alone and explaining his life living in his own mind as he navigates the harsh conditions that surround him. Winston keeps a diary, in which he can write down all of his thoughts to relieve the mental pressure of these things that can be punishable for in his world, as he starts to question the life he lives and the people that control it. Orwell explains this when Winston say’s, “If there is hope, It lies in the proles.” (Orwell 69) Winston begins to question the life that could come if the Proles, the citizens of Oceania, would rebel against the party and fight back for the life that they are deserving of, after being secluded by the party for so long. The mental state of Winston portrayed throughout the novel shows the impacts of an empowering government that limits the freedoms of its citizens and drastically changes the minds that lead to each others …show more content…
The reality of Winston’s life comes together as he meets new people who set him free to be relieved of the immense cruelty striking him down in his everyday life. The mental toll that “Big Brother” takes on him is lessened as he meets Julia, the girl that he rebels against and has a romantic relationship with. Orwell talks about the effects of feeling the freedom and not giving into the extremist views of an empowering government by thoroughly picturing Winston's freeing experiences away from society. As Winston becomes more comfortable with this new life of becoming a rebel, he then meets O’Brien, who is at first a friend who then betrays him in the end. As Winston and Julia meet with O’Brien, they become convinced they are alone in secrecy and can be honest with each other about who they are and how they are teaming up against the party as the conversation between them reads, “That thing is really turned off? Said Winston. “Yes, everything is turned
The novel 1984 by George Orwell is a fictional future where The Party controls everything. The Party is lead by a larger than life figurehead named Big Brother. The main character is Winston Smith. The story is divided into 3 parts and chronicles Winston’s rebellion against and then re-entering of The Party.
George Orwell creates a dark, depressing and pessimistic world where the government has full control over the masses in the novel 1984. The protagonist, Winston, is low-level Party member who has grown to resent the society that he lives in. Orwell portrays him as a individual that begins to lose his sanity due to the constrictions of society. There are only two possible outcomes, either he becomes more effectively assimilated or he brings about the change he desires. Winston starts a journey towards his own self-destruction. His first defiant act is the diary where he writes “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER.” But he goes further by having an affair with Julia, another party member, renting a room over Mr. Carrington’s antique shop where Winston conducts this affair with Julia, and by following O’Brien who claims to have connections with the Brotherhood, the anti-Party movement led my Emmanuel Goldstein. Winston and Julia are both eventually arrested by the Thought Police when Mr. Carrington turns out to be a undercover officer. They both eventually betray each other when O’Brien conducts torture upon them at the Ministry of Love. Orwell conveys the limitations of the individual when it comes to doing something monumental like overthrowing the established hierarchy which is seen through the futility of Winston Smith’s actions that end with his failure instead of the end of Big Brother. Winston’s goal of liberating himself turns out to be hopeless when the people he trusted end up betraying him and how he was arbitrarily manipulated. It can be perceived that Winston was in fact concerned more about his own sanity and physical well-being because he gives into Big Brother after he is tortured and becomes content to live in the society he hated so much. Winston witnesses the weakness within the prole community because of their inability to understand the Party’s workings but he himself embodies weakness by sabotaging himself by associating with all the wrong people and by simply falling into the arms of Big Brother. Orwell created a world where there is no use but to assimilate from Winston’s perspective making his struggle utterly hopeless.
Winston’s rebellion continues when he falls in love with Julia, a woman he actually used to loathe. Nevertheless, they both share the hatred against the Party and thus they rent a room where they meet and talk about joining the Brotherhood, a secret organisation that intends to destroy the Party. This wish can be fulfilled after Winston receives a copy of the Book that reveals and describes the truth about the world they live in. O’Brien is the man who gives him ...
The novel, 1984, by George Orwell, depicts a dystopian society where no freedom exists; not even the freedom of thought. The scene takes place in Oceania, a society in which the ruling power called “the Party” strictly controls everything people do: from the way they speak, to how they move, to their very own thoughts. Winston Smith, the main character of 1984, struggles through the day to day life of having to blend into the brainwashed citizens of Oceania, where monitors called telescreens record and analyze every little movement. Anyone not showing signs of loyalty and homogeneity become vaporized, or in other words, cease to exist and become deleted from history. Tired of his constricted life, Winston decides
Firstly, Winston realizes the Party’s stress on trusting solely Big Brother; however, he is led to trust others in attempt to bring happiness and purpose into his life. Secondly, Winston meets a woman named Julia, whom he grows to trust and love completely; although the love Winston has for Julia causes him to be vulnerable to the Party’s manipulative methods. Finally, Winston betrays and is betrayed by Julia and learns to trust Big Brother, which consequently leads to the demise of his life and will to live consciously. Ultimately, Orwell describes that in a totalitarian world, trusting others can be destructive towards one’s life and will to live.
George Orwell’s 1984 novel goes through the life of Winston, who is trying to resist the power of the totalitarian government of Oceania known as The Party. Although the proles do seem to be marginalized by the inner party, they aren’t aware of it. They are free and have the sense of individualism to live their lives. On the other hand, the outer party is aware of the Party’s manipulative powers, and they are capable of rebellion. Because of this, they are put under severe monitoring.
The book, 1984, written by George Orwell, is in the perspective of Winston. Winston lives in an airstrip, which is Britain broken by war. In the beginning, Winston opens up with his frustrations towards the party and Big Brother’s controlling ways. Winston’s freedom is limited by the rules and regulations of the party. Winston finds ways to get out of these rules, but he soon finds out that the people he thought were helping him were actually spies and workers for the party.
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.
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."
Orwell's sets the mood of the book as one of hopelessness for the future of humans. He contrasts this mood with a popular philosophy: belief in the progress of humanity and the ability of people to institute peace and justice in the world. These contrasting views set up the premise for the life of Winston Smith, who is one man caught in a society devoted to conformity. Orwell's warning to this is that if people cannot change the way things are going, our society will lose their human qualities. They will become soulless machines and not have a clue as to their new world they created. This is the world in which Winston Smith is caught in. He is different from the others and in a civilization which does not approve of individuality, Winston is targeted by the government from the beginning. Being different in this populace only means rebellion and that exactly is what Winston sets out to do. Winston believes that although he must conform on the outside, that no one can take his individual thought away. Winston's individuality is the only hope for human nature for he questions the most basic principles of the regime, a thoughcrime. One doctrine Winston questions is the concept of freedom-
Most of George Orwell’s 1984 is written through the eyes of Winston. We gain insight through his thoughts and feelings. We can only reflect on what he allows us to understand. Because of this, we share a close connection with him. We feel love as he builds relationships and we hurt as bonds are broken. Surveillance and big government are two large ideas that are often spoken of when 1984 is referenced. Although extremely important, internal changes Winston experiences teach us invaluable lessons about ourselves and should not be overlooked. Those overarching themes allow us to look out and contemplate our surroundings and the smaller ones us allow us look within ourselves. George Orwell’s 1984 sheds light on the effects of an abusive government
Mind control; a terrifying thought for many people. Throughout George Orwell’s 1984, Orwell delves into the idea of the mind control in a totalitarian government. Written on the 8th of June in 1949, 1984 after seeing the effects that World War Two had on the world, he used a fictional place and relatable characters to help express how scary a totalitarian government can become. Winston Smith lives in a world that is controlled by a corrupt government called the party, where love is illegal and having your own thoughts. When Winston falls in love with one of his co-workers he must face the consequences, face his worst fear and learn to love Big Brother. Orwell expresses the idea of mind control in his writing with allowing Big Brother to have
George Orwell guides his audience through the story with his main character, Winston Smith, while he deals with the challenges of his mind, the Party members, the Thought police, and lastly the imposing member Big Brother. The problems that Winston has falls alongside with his memory including, the past as he remembers it, while a member of the party believes in Newspeak, a way of thinking and speaking produced by the thought police and each ministry. Winston 's thoughts are dangerous considering they are seen as rebellious thoughts against Big Brother. As a result, Winston goes along with the challenges of his mind created by George Orwell, so that the readers can understand that in the end Winston will get caught.To showcase this,
Winston Smith, the protagonist of the novel by George Orwell entitled, 1984, is that of modern tragic hero, notably influenced by the character, O’Brien, according to Arthur Miller and his essay entitled, Tragedy and the Common Man. Winston differentiates himself from the rest of society early on in the novel. We see this through his distaste towards the love and admiration the people of Oceania have towards Big Brother. He automatically feels something towards O’Brien as Winston sees O’Brien as a man, like himself, who secretly opposes the government in an act of rebellion, despite not taking action to instill this feeling. We see recurring dreams of his mother and sister where Winston is at fault for the death or disappearance of his family members. He feels guilt
The term `freedom' is often associated with the notion of living free of restraint and having an unfettered liberty to engage in rational actions with a sense that that our actions will not be controlled or interfered with. Given the above definition of freedom and the principles of positive and negative freedom, this essay shall seek to demonstrate that while they do not experience freedom fully, the proles are more free than Winston in Nineteen Eighty-Four. This essay shall also discuss the reasons why we consider freedom to be important with a particular focus on our assumptions of human nature and its components.