In a society gripped by social, educational, and governmental fears, dystopian literature offers a narrative in which a worst case scenario is presented to the audience. The aspect of these pieces of literature that captivates the consumers is the real possibility of this dystopian future becoming a reality. These dystopian worlds are most often the result of an apocalyptic event that destroyed humanity and its comfortable state of living. The concurrent theme between dystopian literature, in this case being 1984 by George Orwell and V for Vendetta (2005), is the use of fear to suppress thoughts of rebellion. Different forms of propaganda reinforce this fear and create a society in which free thought is abolished. As both works present a …show more content…
In 1984, a society has been created in which the protagonist Winston Smith and the people that live alongside him are under the influence of Big Brother. Big Brother put simply is a tyrannical that controls every aspect of the public's lives through fear tactics and propaganda. Similarly, V for Vendetta tells the story of the protagonist Evey Hammond and her unlikely but instrumental part in bringing down the fascist government that has taken control of a futuristic Great Britain. Evey Hammond and Winston Smith play very akin roles in contribution to their government. Evey works at the British Television Network which controls the population through propaganda. Winston's job is almost a parallel to Evey's, he is a worker who works in the Historical Department in the Ministry of Truth, in which he changes past events to match the events the Party wants the public to believe. Additionally, the love interest for both characters while different are comparable in the sense that their love seems very unorthodox. Furthermore, similarities between the film and novel can also be found in the overall setting and theme. Both works have a very lifeless atmosphere that
Between the poem, ¨ No one died in Tiananmen Square¨ by William Lutz and the novel, 1984 by George Orwell there are multiple similarities. Subjects such as their government, their denial of history, and the use of doublethink and re-education are all parallel between the novel and the poem. For instance, both the governments have a highly strict government. Their governments are so controlling of their people that they use brute force in order to help re-educate them. For example, in 1984 the main character, Winston Smith was trying to go against their government, The Party, and because he tries to do so, he is placed in The Ministry of Love and brutally beaten by the man whom he assumed was a part of the Brotherhood, O'Brien. O'Brien claimed
In 1948, George Orwell wrote one of the most memorable dystopian novels, 1984. This novel depicts a totalitarian world where there are no ways to use freedom, express free though, or express individuality, but there are various sources of brainwashing propaganda. The Party’s slogan ‘war is peace, freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength’ is where the brainwashing process in Oceania begins. Brainwashing and government control are also crucial elements in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. In the world of Panem, 1 boy and 1 girl are chosen from each of the 12 districts to fight to the death. The game’s slogan ‘may the odds be ever in your favor’ shows the Capitol’s usage of doublethink. These slogans are used by the ruling groups as propaganda and show one of the similarities in how the governments brainwash, torture, and control the past of their people.
Winston works for 1 of the 4 government agency’s, The Ministry of Truth. In his job he re-writes old news articles so they show that The Party has always been and will be in control. By re-writing everything in print, The Party effectively changes history. The only proof of actual history is in the minds of the people who were there. Winston realizes that there is something wrong with this, yet he doesn’t know what. The re-writing of history is all he has ever known. It is most likely Winston’s job that leads him to rebel against The Party.
Conclusively, dystopian texts are written to provide a warning about future times. Authors and directors use a variety of techniques to put their idea forward and have an impact of the audience. Rules that the chosen texts exhibit include that citizens have a fear of the outside world and all citizens adhere to a strict set of rules, but there is a main protagonist who scrutinises the governments or society’s nature. The rules that authors and directors use to put forward their messages of the moral issues human cloning and relying too much on technology and instinctively perusing traditions are evident throughout all three texts.
Out of the smoke and coal came fear as well, fear of the unknown. What was this bright thing called electricity and what could it do? Mary Shelley’s Gothic novel Frankenstein showed this fear. Through this single book many concerns were addressed. This made sense, people fear things they don’t know and this was a time of confusion just as it was a time of advancements. This deep rooted fear was the cause of Frankenstein. Another fear arose as individuals gained more power and monopolized more influence over people, dictatorship. George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984, understood this fear well and went in depth on the idea of this suppression of the people. The book introduces what it might be like to live in a society that contains and suppresses its population. These two books were written during a time of great change, and when change is sudden it’s hard to handle. This is obviously shown in these books. The current dreams and imagination of the people at the time is reflected in these two works proving people continued to look to themselves as the source of their literature from Old English even to the
In 1984 and V for Vendetta, the different behaviours of the anti-heroes, Winston and V, illustrate their approach to attaining freedom from the totalitarian government. George Orwell’s 1984 and James McTeigue’s V for Vendetta use the anti-heroes’ behaviour to identify their approach to their cause—liberation from the totalitarian government. For example, Winston is the typical citizen who rebels against the government in a quiet and peaceful way, whereas V is a revolutionist in an excited and violent way. This comparison helps classify the key behaviours, which explains the different approaches the anti-heroes took towards liberation.
Through different experiences, beliefs, values and ideas, individuals can evolve identity through human nature, in society and critical life experiences. Human nature is elucidated dystopically in the works of George Orwell’s novel, 1984, and James McTeigue’s visual, V for Vendetta, which represent divergent societies, bound by totalitarian oppression and degrading human constructs. Published in 1948 by George Orwell, 1984 is a novel set in a future society, scarred by eternal war, ubiquitous government surveillance, controlled history and tyrannical manipulation by the superstate. Winston Smith, a diligent Outer Party member, inconspicuously rebels against the English socialist, ‘Ingsoc’ Party and despot leader, ‘Big Brother’, by regaining
The dystopian novel “1984” and the movie “V for Vendetta”, share a variety of differences and similarities. Both have a totalitarian government in which they have absolute power over politics, religion and human rights. Extensive speech, critical thinking, thoughtful writing, and voice of opinion has either been restricted or limited in 1984’s Oceania and V for Vendetta’s future London. The protagonists in both novels and films have “resisted” their government. However, the methods used to employ their “rebellion” are quite different.
In the novel 1984 and the film “V for Vendetta”, the protagonist for both stories are captured while performing various acts of rebellion against the totalitarian government, of which is controlling their city. In punishment, the government tortures them with harsh, inhumane methods that are similar to those used in dictatorships during the 1900s like the USSR under Stalin’s rule. However, both protagonists are tortured by different sides, and by people from completely opposite ends of the political ladder: one a government agent, the other a rebel. Although the themes disclosed in relation to the purpose and meanings of torture are similar, the overall message and final opinion that is expressed and conveyed to the recipients are complete opposites.
The conflict between Winston and Big Brother starts from the beginning of the novel when Winston begins to keep his secret diary about Big Brother. Winston Smith is a third-nine years old man who is a member of the 'outer-party'--the lower of the two classes. Winston works for the government in one of the four main government buildings called the ministry of Truth where his job is to rewrite history books in order for people not to learn what the past used to be like. Winston's occupation is the major factor which lets him to realize that Big Brother is restricting people's freedom. However, Winston keeps his complains about Big Brother and the party for his own secret because the party will not allow anyone keeping a rebellious thought. The tension between them gets serious when Big Brother becomes suspicious of Winston. Winston is therefore watched by O'Brien, an intelligent execute at the 'Ministry of Truth', who is a member of the 'inner party'--the upper class. Without doubting Big Brother's trap, Winston shares his ideas with O'Brien. O'Brien mentions a gentleman named Emmanuel Goldstein whom he claims to know the leader of the rebels against the party. O'Brien also promises to help winston, and promises him a copy of Goldstein's book. But O'Brien betrays him as Big Brother has planned.
A dystopian society can be defined as “a society characterized by human misery”. 1984 by George Orwell and Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury both demonstrate dystopian societies. However, that does not mean they do not their differences. In each society the government has different ways of controlling and limiting its citizens for doing only what they want them to do. In 1984, violators are brainwashed into loving and following Big Brother as if they never knew the truth and return back to their everyday lives. Fahrenheit 451 also punishes violators in a way that makes them regret and scared to ever do it again instead of making them forget.
Aldous Huxley’s novel, Brave New World, showcases a world alternate from ours, in a dystopian setting. Where human morals are drastically altered, families, love, history, and art are removed by the government. They used multiple methods to control the people, but no method in the world is more highly used and more effective than propaganda. The world state heavily implemented the use of propaganda to control, to set morals, and to condition the minds of every citizen in their world. However, such uses of propaganda have already been used in our world and even at this very moment.
After reading the book and watching the movie 1984 there were similarities and differences between the two. The novel is about manipulating people in believing in something that isn’t really there and about erasing history. Both the book and film focused on: authority, government, and war. The book and film follow the theme of conformity to control society.
“"Propaganda is as powerful as heroin, it surreptitiously dissolves all capacity to think” by Gil Courtemanche connects to the sad fact of using propaganda as a deadly weapon to feed people with false information and stop them from thinking. George Orwell’s novel, 1984, describes a totalitarian dystopian society where the Party is constantly brainwashing its citizens with information that is beneficial to its own rights. On the opposite side, people are working for the party just like dominated slaves for their masters without knowing what’s going on. But, in order for the party to achieve this goal, they have to use different techniques of propaganda in Oceania to create fear for people so that they can obey the rules. The use of propaganda in the society of 1984 takes away freedom from individuals because of the absence of privacy, thinking and making decisions.
Dystopian novels are written to reflect the fears a population has about its government and they are successful because they capture that fright and display what can happen if it is ignored. George Orwell wrote 1984 with this fear of government in mind and used it to portray his opinion of the current government discretely. Along with fear, dystopian novels have many other elements that make them characteristic of their genre. The dystopian society in Orwell’s novel became an achievement because he utilized a large devastated city, a shattered family system, life in fear, a theme of oppression, and a lone hero.