1984 By George Orwell

At what point do we surrender our freedom to read? One of the most controversial issues currently seen in legions of secondary educative institutions throughout the United States is the matter over banning “inappropriate” novels. Such an example is the dystopian narrative 1984 by George Orwell. It has been challenged for a plethora of rationales, many of which condemn the novel for “…being Communistic, containing sex references, and being depressing.” (Davis 1) These accusations are simply absurd. While 1984 does include some slightly inappropriate references and provokes some controversial thoughts, it contains very intricate literary techniques and lessons that students around the country will be able to benefit from as aspiring English scholars;
Throughout the novel, the fictional nation of Oceania uses a variety of relentless tactics to influence its’ citizens ways of thinking. The most apparent approach is the implantation of posters of “Big Brother” – the figurehead of the ruling Inner Party – in almost every public sector with the ominous slogan, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU,” to remind inhabitants everywhere that they were constantly under surveillance. (Orwell 3) Yet another extremity was the placement of Telescreens, two-way TV like instruments that were used by the Inner Party to continue the distribution of propaganda and to further spy on citizens through sound, in almost every room and main corridor. They were used every minute of every hour of every day, and could only “…be dimmed…there was no way of shutting [them] off completely.” (Orwell 4) This allowed the Thought Police, a task force specifically designated to work against those who dared to question the Inner Party, to “…observe all citizens to see that they are responding in a desirable manner-hating enemies and loving BIG BROTHER.” (Davis 2) These fictitious examples of a futuristic, crooked society serve as prominent examples
The most apparent and reoccurring literary technique is the allusion to figures of history that were highly influential at the time of the novel’s composition. The iconic Big Brother of the novel is often regarded by literary analysts as the infamous Joseph Stalin, as they both used extreme tactics to control their respective countries. Take for example the Ministry of Truth, which rewrites history to depict Oceania as an outstanding country with a rich past, just as Stalin did when he needed to portray himself in a good view when he was actually abusing his power in Communist Russia. Another literary element is the oxymoron in the motto “WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.” (Orwell 6) By WAR IS PEACE, Orwell means that by keeping the country at constant war, peace is achieved among the people of Oceania. By FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, he means that if people were allowed to be free, they will soon see that freedom is actually a way to become enslaved to one’s weaknesses and senses. By IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH, he means that an easily manipulated populace is easy for the government to use for strengthening itself. These are just two of the countless literary devices that show how 1984 provides secondary students with an outstanding display of literary techniques that they can analyze for