Theme of Fear in George Orwell's Novels

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Fear within the ignorant animals of Animal Farm and defeated humans of 1984 exist to uphold each novel’s totalitarian government. Each of these George Orwell novels delve into the power and manipulation of an absolute dictatorship. Napoleon in Animal Farm and Big Brother in 1984 both claim the newly established system of authority is of superior quality than the preceding regime. Apprehension is due to both fictional and realistic threats, twisted for the government’s power-hungry use. Feelings of fear permit the pigs and the Party to control devotion and independence in ignorant citizens. Animal Farm and 1984 simulate fear utilized by authoritarian rule to control, keep citizens loyal and modify reality. George Orwell’s two novels warn against totalitarian government’s exploitation of fear to maintain power. Dictatorial governments’ use of fear to control citizens in ways that maintain the authority’s power is illuminated in Animal Farm and 1984. The leader of the animals, Napoleon, trains Jessie and Bluebell’s newborn puppies to follow his commands, transforming them into ferocious dogs. These puppies instill fear into the other animals by monitoring their every movement. The animals fear that if they are caught violating Napoleon’s orders the vicious puppies will devour them, hence why the animals dutifully follow his rules. This fear of making a mistake keeps the citizens from questioning actions and laws. Therefore, totalitarian government’s ability to infuse fear upon its populace and control them is sustained. Administration of citizens is also upheld via the commandments. Laws are created in the beginning of Animal Farm to verify the attributes of equality that the animals desired. However, when Napoleon and the pigs bec... ... middle of paper ... ...st man.’” No longer does any memory exist to contradict the government’s imaginary reality, retaining power via the reduced insubordinate thoughts. Orwell’s novels, Animal Farm and 1984, reveal reality as a state of mind, easily distorted by means of fear that allows the totalitarian government to retain its power. George Orwell’s message in Animal Farm and 1984 cautions against the frightening ways a totalitarian government will uphold its command. Fear is easily utilized by a completely tyrannical authority to control citizens, keep the populace loyal and to adjust actuality. Fear is easily utilized by all to obtain preferred results. Controlling powers desire most to maintain its authority, hence the extreme control over citizens and reality through terror. Knowledgeable inhabitants are competent and eager enough to abuse fear for maintaining and gaining power.

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