Totalitarianism Society In 1984, By George Orwell

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Recommended: George orwells 1984 analysis

The book “1984” by George Orwell is a fictional work that was penned as a discourse on Orwell’s views of what it would be like to live in a totalitarianism society. It is my belief that his views were based on his personal life experiences as he witnessed first hand many of the violent crimes perpetuated by those in positions of authority. Often, these crimes against one segment of society were carried out by other members of the same society in the name of political advancement or at other times out of fear for one’s life. Due to his experiences, Orwell began to write of his hatred of political power and the concept of a totalitarianism society. “1984” serves as a warning to readers of how a government can become abusive when seeking total control of it’s population. Furthermore, it showcases in great detail how a society can allow itself to be controlled through a series of psychological abuses and manipulation of historical information. The story is written as a narrative being told by the main character, Winston Smith. Winston is struggling with his troublesome thoughts and feelings of rebellion towards his oppressive government that uses devices called telescreens to monitor members of society. These telescreens are placed in central locations in one’s home and are able to transmit and receive both visual and audio data. Winston lives in the country called Oceania and the government is known simply as “The Party.” Winston recognizes the danger of even having his dangerous thoughts and feelings as they are considered to be thoughtcrimes. Indeed, Winston Smith lives in a society that is so controlled by The Party, that even one’s unspoken thoughts and feelings could be punished. Punishment can range from periods of manual... ... middle of paper ... ... for his physical freedom. He is no longer a threat to The Party so he is not executed but is set free. But, he discovers that truly Freedom is Slavery during a chance meeting with Julia in the city. As they talk, they both realize that while they are now free, they are truly slaves because they are unable to love anyone but Big Brother. This book was written in the 1940’s as a warning to society against the danger of allowing a totalitarianism society and even though it is fictional in nature, many of the dangers warned against are still real today. Throughout the world, many live with extreme governmental interference in their daily lives, unable to freely speak their mind without fear of reprisal. Governments use modern technology to invade the privacy of their citizens. There were many aspects to the book that left this reader feeling just a little bit uneasy.

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