Examples Of Oppression In 1984

Can a human truly retain their humanity when under extreme oppression?

In the Novel 1984, a dystopian world of complete and utter government control is explored. The government controls every aspect of life, and enforces its views on the citizens. The government throws lives away. The party starves its citizens, and it’s not just a physical hunger. The citizens of Oceania are starved of their humanity, physically, mentally, and ethically. To be truly alive a human must have their own morals, and be capable of crafting their own opinions. Big Brother’s style of leadership seems to remove the humanity of his citizens until they are nothing but mindless fanatical robots. “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” As the government

uses these statements it proves that oppression is the antithesis to what is required for the full human experience. In actuality, any level of severe oppression will squeeze out any hope of humanity remaining truly human.
The book opens with Winston, an average citizen and a member of the ruling party of Oceania.

Winston, unlike the rest of the nation realizes the problems with the society. Winston notices the corruption in the government, he notices the indoctrination of the children, he even realizes how much has changed since the world of the past. Unfortunately, Winston realizes he can not act because any action is met with execution, he is also aware that even the thought or act of noticing the problems could get him arrested. In a nation where free thought is illegal, Winston strives to think as freely as possible. However, Winston is more cowardly than a typical hero, he is unwilling to cause a change, because he does not wish to die. Winston is more of an average citizen in a strange and dangerous world than he is a hero in a normal world. Winson fears much, and he even sells out the love of his life, when he is threatened with rats. However, of his many fears; Rats excluded, Winston seems to fear children the

most.
Winston fars children because of the indoctrination he noticed. Children in 1984 seem to be as corrupted as humanly possible. He notes the fanaticism and joy the children experience when exposing a “thought crime”. The children are described as willing to turn in their own parents, and they seem to experience great joy at executions and hate rallies. This level of hate, barbarity, and lack of empathy is in quite inhuman proportions. Towards the end of the novel, Winston is arrested, and he encounters a father who was arrested and turned in by his own daughter, and the father says he is proud of her for it. “Im proud of her for it”. This truly is a moral endangerment. The way the government functions in Oceania is closer to a cult than to a government, and it's not the only one in the world of 1984.
In the world of 1984, there's 3 major nations mentioned, Eurasia, Oceania, and Eastasia.

All three are in a state of perpetual warfare, and civilian lives are thrown away carelessly. “In Orwell's masterpiece, the world is always at war. The enemy changes, but the war never ends. At one point, during a "Hate Week" rally, the nation's alliances abruptly change and the speaker seamlessly shifts mid-sentence from denouncing one enemy to denouncing another.” As Keri Blakinger says, The unending war has unending enemies, and the government presents whoever they are at war with as an eternal enemy. Eternal war is eternal death, this is physical endangerment, and a loss of human life in a literal sense. In addition to physical endangerment in terms of military action, there are also ailments due to stress, the main character Winston suffers from an ulcer, and he has aged far beyond what he should have for his age. This is proof of malnourishment, and an unsuitable environment for human

survival.
In addition to physical and moral endangerment, their is mental endangerment. The capability to distinguish fact from fiction is a major part of being a human. And as Winston says, "Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two makes four.” And as O’brian quickly replies, “You are a slow learner, Winston.", And Winston still says "How can I help it? How can I help but see what is in front of my eyes? Two and two are four." And O'brien concludes with "Sometimes, Winston. Sometimes they are five. Sometimes they are three. Sometimes they are all of them at once. You must try harder. It is not easy to become sane.” This is the death of logic, as logic can argue with the government's decisions, and so they need to kill that aspect of the human mind. And a Human is not truly human if they are not whole.
The overall severity of oppression is what decides whether or not humanity can survive, and unfortunately, for Winston 1984 is more severe in then any regime in the real world. Without any freedoms, the human mind cannot survive, or even begin to grow. With the government literally controlling the outlook its citizens have on reality, the citizens have no awareness. And with the constant threat of physical harm, life can not grow in a numerical sense. Humanity cannot survive in a world like that of 1984.