On the Diction, Satire, and Allusion of Orwell’s 1984 The novel 1984 is yet another masterpiece written by author George Orwell, and indeed it is written with a direct purpose in mind. The novel is written in such a way that it exposes and dispels the hypnotic allure of the rising Socialist movement that manifested itself following the Second World War. Although Socialism ideologically appears to be for the general benefit and wellbeing of the people, Orwell incongruently observes that a significant portion of Socialist leaders seize complete control of the government via intellectual manipulation and emotional repression. In this staunch reprise of Totalitarian government and its contemporaries, Orwell focuses on creating a setting that will …show more content…
be both recognizable and easily interpreted. Orwell frequently demonstrates usage of common vocabulary and diction, which allows the readers to fully comprehend the message of his work. This succinctness and simplicity of word choice in the novel does not necessarily mean that the novel is for the intellectually inept; as it is simplistically direct enough that it resembles a sophistication of prose. The novel is composed utilizing sophisticated diction to discredit European Socialism though the use of satire and allusion. Orwell makes great strides to criticize and satirize the popular musings of utopian society; a society in which Winston, the protagonist of 1984, finds himself inadvertently a part of.
A utopian society is defined to be “any visionary system of political or social perfection” (Dictionary.com), but this is true only as far as the ideals of the individual are concerned. Two individuals may not share the same ideals and visions, and likewise their concepts of what a utopian society will look like will not always be shared. One particular problem with utopian societies is that they are also subject to the emotional beliefs of the individual who synthesized that particular utopian ideology. Orwell chides the notion of utopia by using this sophisticated piece of diction: “History has stopped. Nothing exists except an endless present in which the party is always right” (Orwell 195). Orwell dislikes the way that utopian socialist states often control every facet of government, which in his opinion leads to the corruption of these so-called ideal societies. Orwell utilizes sophisticated diction to provide examples of how an all-controlling government can manipulate a general populace and therefore create a dysfunctional society in which anything but the ideal …show more content…
exists. A government lead by a select number of men can be emotionally prejudiced to certain types of sociological groups, and in 1984 a group that is targeted it the Jewish population. The primary antagonist of the story is named Emmanuel Goldstein, and this eloquent use of diction utilizes a flagrantly Jewish surname Goldstein. Scholar Marion Delvai argues that Orwell purposefully and craftily chose the name Emmanuel Goldstein for the unseen antagonist in 1984 in this quote: “Goldstein is a recognizably Jewish name; this choice is not coincidental considering that anti-Semitism was a substantial component of the political reality of Totalitarian states” (Delvai 1). The creation of Goldstein’s name is indeed an impressive usage of sophisticated diction; however it also presents an intriguing allusion to the early foundations of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Many leading figures of the Russian Bolshevik revolution were of Jewish descent, and these figures would later be persecuted under the purges of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the utopian government of the USSR. Stalin became the leader of the soviets shortly after creation of the USSR, and is believed by many literary scholars to be the sole inspiration for the caricature of Big Brother, who is the unseen leader of Airstrip One in the novel. Orwell satires Stalin’s personal resentment of the Jewish population in his clever application of a Jewish name, Emmanuel Goldstein, on the enemy of Airstrip One. Stalin grew to distrust the Jewish population due to his paranoid psyche, and eventually came to persecute them. Through the usage of the aforementioned quote, Orwell satires such an emotional bias in the managing of a supposedly utopian state; the idea that Stalin would persecute Jews in the USSR because of his own personal bias against them is both immature and worthy of criticism. Orwell creates a realistic comparison between the supposed enemies of the USSR and Airstrip One, and thereby uses satire and allusion to carry his point across. The novel is replete with subtle criticism of the socialist governments of Europe. The government of Airstrip One maintains its power keeping the populace in a lulled and brainwashed state of being. Orwell subtly critiques this in his usage of diction, especially during pivotal points in the plot. One such point in the plot is when Winston traces a mathematical equation in the dust of a table, which reads: “2+2=5” (Orwell 366). Winston was brainwashed by O’Brien and the government of Airstrip One to believe that two plus two could equal five, which is of course a false statement. The brainwashing of the populace aids the government in maintaining control, and in this way socialist societies are dysfunctional. Orwell similarly critiques European forms of propaganda, “power is tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing” (Orwell 336). The use of propaganda to influence the will of the populace has held a negative connotation throughout its existence as a tactic to maintain power, and Orwell likens the government of Airstrip One to the governments of Nazi Germany and Communist Russia, which were both known for making use of propaganda to firmly command power. The overall structure of the sentences found within the novel depicts the sagacious use of exaggerated diction, which takes on the form of satire. Orwell hints that another problem with utopian societies is that they force one ideology upon all peoples, and similarly quell any differing ideologies that may happen to be expressed.
The protagonist Winston is eventually found to be in defiance with the laws and ideologies of Airstrip One, and is subsequently made to endure a form of brainwashing that focuses on removing all dissenting opinions from an individual’s mind. The government of Airstrip One has so convolutely brainwashed its citizens that they react with barbaric hostility to the very iconic image of Emmanuel Goldstein. “As usual, the face of Emmanuel Goldstein, the Enemy of the People, had flashed on the screen…” (Orwell 15). In this opine of Winston, he notes how the populace of Airstrip One blindly takes on an aggressive stance towards the man depicted on the screen, Emmanuel Goldstein. Orwell delicately presents this situation as he is eager to demonstrate the success that Socialist government have in their propaganda ventures. By utilizing brainwashing techniques and manipulation , the government of Airstrip One dupes the general populace into thinking that they are living in a utopian commune, which is in fact anything but a utopian society, and more accurately resembles that of a dysfunctional oligarchy. Orwell reinforces his satire by having the character O’Brien discuss Socialist regimes of the past: “The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had
the courage to recognize their own motives” (Orwell 332). Due to the fact that Orwell mentioned the Nazis and Communists in his novel, the reader is left to logically assume that he intended to compare the machinations of Airstrip One to those of the twentieth century socialists. Western Society in general views the actions of the Nazis and Communists to be in violation of the establish notions of Human Rights, and therefore Orwell intends to portray the Airstrip One government of 1984 with subtle yet noticeable negative connotations associated with the Totalitarian dictatorships of the twentieth century. In Orwell’s sophisticated diction that alludes to twentieth century Totalitarian states, he concludes that mankind will always fail in its attempts to achieve utopian society. Orwell writes 1984 with the intent of exposing a myth that has long perpetuated itself in human fantasies and illusions of grandeur. Mankind, in light of all of its fallibilities, cannot realistically synthesize an ideal form of government. Sociologists such as Marx, Engels, and Lenin have written about the utopian societies that surely follow the oppressive nature of Capitalistic society, yet all efforts to effectively establish such a utopian Socialist government have ended in horrible sociological and economical failure. Orwell notes that the primary object of a utopia is an ideal government which best suits all of mankind, yet he satires the ways in which individuals foolishly believe that their own utopian beliefs will be held in universal high regard, when in actuality human beings have varying opinions. Throughout 1984, Orwell uses intelligent forms of diction and prose so that he can best present his satire and allusion, and overall he finds great success in the utilization of this writing method, as it greatly aids in putting forth a logical theme of the novel: Utopia by nature is Dystopia; this theme emphasizes the paradoxical use of Doublethink.
This itself alludes to America’s extreme response to communism during the Cold War era, under the influence of Senator Joe McCarthy. Similar to the paranoia that characterized the McCarthy era, Orwell’s dystopian society was expected to betray their friends, family and co-workers for the benefit of the state and themselves. This is made explicitly evident during Winston’s visit to the cafe, in which the telescreen sang; “Under the spreading chestnut tree/ I sold you and you sold me…”Foreshadowing Winston’s eventual betrayal of Maria in order to save himself, and his conformity to the party. Furthermore, the notion that “nothing was your own except the few cubic centimetres in your skull” becomes ironic as the novel develops in which the criminalisation of unorthodox ideologies leads to the punishment of “thoughtcrime”, and the eventual “vaporisation” of dissidents. This itself alludes to the ‘great purges’ that took place under the terror that characterized Joseph Stalin’s reign. Likewise, the inherent fear of eccentricity amongst the oppressed citizens of “Airstrip one” is highlighted by the nature of “facecrime” in which the presence of an improper expression or any suggestion of abnormality could be punished. Thus, through Orwell 's effective use of allusion and characterisation, contextual audiences are provided with a didactic warning regarding the nature of a totalitarian reign, in which a “hideous ecstasy of fear” influences society’s
While the tone may range from playful to angry, satire generally criticizes in order to make a change. Exaggeration, parody, reversal, and incongruity are satirical devices. Author’s use satirical devices to strengthen their central idea.
George Orwell’s novel, 1984, is a dystopian literary text that illuminates the tenets of totalitarian and authoritarian governance in most areas where the leaders seek total loyalty and near hero worship. It was published in 1949, but has since remained relevant because its details promoted authoritarian political constructs and the political leadership concepts that evolved in the globe over time. Set at Oceania province in Airstrip One, formerly known as Great Britain, the book displays an omnipresent government that institutes constant state surveillance on the people that it suspects to be a threat to its regime and agitators of rebellion. It infringes on human rights
The authors therefor saw the ‘utopian’ societies to be a trap for weak minded publics, and that once in place, such systems would be able to perpetuate indefinitely due to the efficiency at which they protect and propagate themselves. Through fear, diversion and sedation the utopia can maintain a strong grip on the people it encompasses before anyone realizes the sacrifices made. The popularity of these books does rule out the possibility of such a society coming into existence in the future, however. The state of people is not about to change, and their ignorance will continue regardless of the harshness of the wake up calls issued.
In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, O’Brien claims that living in a society full of hatred is doable in the hands of Big Brother. The reasoning for having Big Brother is to persuade people that the government is in control and no one needs to worry about anything else. Just as many people in 1984 were trained to believe in the the choices and decisions the government makes I feel that today many people are also in the same situation. I agree in O’Brien’s point of view that we can carry on living in a society full of hatred. A society based on hate can and will exist as long as the society remains isolated from the outside world and how the society stays tied together in their hate.
George Orwell, author of 1984, summons visions of an ominous society and the descent into a spiralling abyss of hopelessness. Tone expresses how the author feels about a subject. Often mistaken with tone, mood depicts how the author perceives and conveys an event to the audience. Situational irony occurs when the audience expects an event to happen that does not actually occur within the timeline. Whereas, dramatic irony occurs when the audience knows of an event the character does not. In the book, the dark tone of the novel conveys the numbing of society while the irony demonstrates how trusting others affects views and relationships. However, paradox suggests something contradictory to logical reasoning. Doublethink contributes to the hopelessness by illustrating a paradox within society. Therefore, Orwell illustrates tone, paradox, and irony through how the government controls emotions, time, thoughts, and trust in order to
The novel 1984 is one that has sparked much controversy over the last several decades. It harbors many key ideas that lie at the root of all skepticism towards the book. With the ideas of metaphysics, change, and control in mind, George Orwell wrote 1984 to provide an interesting story but also to express his ideas of where he believed the world was heading. His ideas were considered widely ahead of their time, and he was really able to drive home how bleak and colorless our society really is. Orwell wrote this piece as a futuristic, dystopian book which contained underlying tones of despair and deceit.
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.
In 1984, George Orwell explores the many facets of a negative utopia. Orwell seems to focus on the measures that the government takes to maintain a public of plebeians who have no personality or identity and believe that they are not unique individuals, but instead are part of a greater senseless mob of people who constantly work for a hostile and oppressive government which is involved in incessant wars. These people are taught to love. They then learn to fear their government because they believe all of the propaganda that is constantly instilled into their minds. They willing follow their government without contest for the duration of their meaningless lives. The government controls all forms of the media (thus denying the people the basic right of free speech) and use it to personify the government (known as “big brother”) .The government therefore seems omnipotent, or all knowing and always correct. Forecasts are changed from one week to the next always proving the government was correct. As was mentioned before, many of the rights that present day Westerners take for gran...
An overview of the Orwellian world of 1984 will give some context for comparison between what is happening in our world today, how it mirrors the situation in the novel, and the implications that it carries regarding what is happening within our society...
George Orwell’s intent in the novel 1984 is to warn society about the results of a controlling and manipulative government by employing mood, conflict, and imagery.
The novel 1984 by George Orwell presents the readers an image of a totalitarian society that explores a world of control, power, and corruption. The main idea of government control presents itself in the novel by protecting and listening to the people of Oceania. However, Orwell suggests giving too much power to the government is a mistake because eventually the decisions they make will not be about the people anymore but rather themselves. In 1984, the power and corruption the party has is overwhelming for the people. There are no ways around the beliefs of the Party, the party attempts to control and eventually destroy any mental or physical resistance against their beliefs. The agenda for the party is to obtain mind control over its people and force them to adore their leader. The methods the Party uses to achieve its goal are: the use of constant propaganda and surveillance, the rewriting of history, and Room 101.
George Orwell’s novel, 1984, portrays how a totalitarian society would not have the capacity to exist without love and hatred. The society of Oceania is manipulated with double think by Big Brother. Oceania has been able to withstand several years governing a society full of hatred. It has 1984 proves that a society like Oceania can only thrive to a certain extent. Which is why a society based off of hatred will not survive.
In the words of Bob Dylan, “No one is free, even the birds are chained to the sky.” It is ironic how this saying profoundly explains the political satire of the novel, 1984. Living under a tyrannical system, no one is safe in the novel, including 39-year-old, Winston Smith who lives in a society where he is taken away of all his rights and freedoms, in which even a tiny facial gesture can be deemed a detriment to society. 1984, written by George Orwell, depicts a dystopian future, where freedom and individuality are lost to totalitarian government systems like “Big Brother” and “The Party” who brainwash society through inhuman tactics of psychological and physical control forcing its citizens into submission. Therefore, in a society where a totalitarian government exists, freedom is restricted through technology, psychology and history, and resistance is futile.