Room 101 1984

905 Words2 Pages

In the midst of a controlling government in Argentina (the Dirty War) and in a London dystopia, there was fear and silence among the people of the two countries. This essay aims to compare and contrast the effect of a controlling government on the people of a country. The parallels between Orwell’s dystopian vision and the harrowing reality of the Dirty War highlight the insidious nature of disappearance as a means of control. In both contexts, disappearance served to reinforce the power dynamics at play and quash any form of opposition or dissent. In Argentina, the military overthrew the president and took control of the country. If you talked about the government or asked any questions, they would take you and disappear you, never to be seen …show more content…

When they gave birth, the military would kill the women, and sell their babies. In 1984, by George Orwell, there was a society called “Big Brother” who would listen in on you at home, at work, basically anywhere you go, always being under surveillance. Like in Argentina, if you spoke against the government, you would disappear. They would find you, and take you to prison, then interrogate you, change your mind, and if you didn’t comply, you would go to Room 101. In Room 101, the people that bad-mouthed the government would face their worst fears, break their spirit, and make them loyal to the Party. If one person seemed rebellious, they would vanish without a trace, erased from history. In 1984, the government used advanced surveillance technology to monitor and control every aspect of its citizens' lives, instilling fear and paranoia. The party in power rewrites history and controls the flow of information to manipulate the population's perceptions and maintain its grip on power. Citizens in "1984" are stripped of their individuality and forced to conform to the party's ideals, leading to a society where independent thought is …show more content…

By erasing individuals from society, dissenting voices were silenced, and the spread of information was curtailed. Disappearances were not just physical; they extended to the erasure of history and memory, creating a void where truth should have been. The deliberate act of disappearance perpetuated a narrative of total control and subjugation. The concept of individuals disappearing after going against the Party is a chilling tactic employed to instill fear and control. Similarly, during Argentina's Dirty War in the 1970s and 1980s, the military junta implemented ruthless tactics to suppress dissent, resulting in the forced disappearance of thousands of people. Going back to surveillance, in both scenarios, pervasive surveillance was used to monitor and control the population. Information was tightly controlled to manipulate public perception and eliminate dissent. The dissemination of propaganda served to maintain power and influence public opinion. The most harrowing similarity lies in the tactic of making individuals disappear; In "1984," individuals deemed rebellious vanish without a trace, erased from

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