Preview

1984 Metropolis Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1294 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
1984 Metropolis Essay
The quote “The object of power is power” is heavily supported by George Orwell’s 1949 novel ‘1984’ and Fritz Lang’s 1927 film ‘Metropolis’ through their intertextual connections and shared perspectives. Both texts were composed around the context of pre and post World War 2 which is clearly evident through their settings, characterisation, themes and ideas. Through Orwell’s and Fritz’s use of dystopic societies, empowerment of women and detrimental dictatorship rule it is blatant that George Orwell’s quote “The object of power is power” is quite strongly supported by the intertextual connections and shared perspectives of Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Lang’s ‘Metropolis’.

Through the use of Orwell’s and Lang’s intertextual connections of political reform and shared perspectives of dystopic societies it becomes apparent that the quote “The object of power is power” is strongly supported throughout the two texts. The meaning of this quote is also made abundantly clear within the texts as the dictatorship rulers within both texts acquire power simply to have power and authority, instead of for the good of the people. This features predominantly in both texts through their shared perspectives on dystopic settings made apparent by their use of symbolism. In Orwell’s ‘1984’ only 2% of the populace resides in the ‘Inner Party’ whilst the other 98% is suppressed within the lower classes in either the ‘Outer Party’ or the ‘Proles’. This totalitarian, power based society is made dystopic by the overwhelming power and control exhibited by the tyrant dictator ‘Big Brother’. This is emphasised through Orwell’s use of symbolism in O’Brien’s words as he says “If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face – for ever.” (pg 307) The symbolism between the boot and big brother, and the human face and society emphasises the suppressive nature of this totalitarianism rule, casting the society into dystopia. This also forms a contextual connection to Nazi

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Introduction begins with broader positioning of thesis, then introduces text followed by thesis statement which suggests contextual links…

    • 1457 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    George Orwell’s novel, 1984, depicts a totalitarian society, Oceania, commanded by the all power holding “Big Brother”. The Party, the government of the nation, controls everything from the nation’s history down to the citizen’s language. Early in the novel, the main character, Winston, discovers a secret society against Big Brother titled “the Brotherhood”. O’Brien, a member of the powerful Inner Party, recognizes Winston as a non-supporter of Big Brother. This begins O’Brien’s multitudes of deception toward both Winston and Julia. O’Brien’s motives were simple and his plans beautifully executed. His deceitfulness was driven purely by his loyalty to the Party and contribution to the organization’s psychological manipulation of the citizens of Oceania. O’Brien’ character development also adds to the novel’s overall theme.…

    • 685 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    1984, being written at a time where Stalin and Hitler were forces to be reckoned, many knew what could happen if these two ever trusted their way into power. Orwell uses satirical themes in his book to relate to what was going on at present time. Totalitarianism was something to be feared. In this novel where it was a complete totalitarianism society, Winston struggles with ‘Big Brother’ having complete control. “His pen had slid voluptuously over the smooth paper, printing in large neat capitals—DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER (18)”. The fight over ones true identity was also a theme that arose throughout the novel. Orwell mocks the ability for people to not become individuals…

    • 1906 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    1984 Analytical Essay

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages

    All people want power; whether it be through family, work, politics or war, people use different ways to gain power for themselves. In the novel 1984, by George Orwell, a man named Winston Smith learns, in his dystopian world, how the government controls all things through their control of information. Information is more powerful than weaponry or resources because even at the most basic level, information and knowledge are needed to use weapons and resources. Information is the most powerful force.…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    George Orwell’s one of the most famous novel ‘1984’ cynically portrays the corruption of totalitarianism. Through various regulations the party set up for the people and indirectly experiencing it by Winston Smith’s, the main character of the novel, perspective relief the problems of totalitarianism. Among the systems the party set up to control and brainwash people, one of the most significant symbol that reveals the way of totalitarian government regulate people is INGSOC’s motto: War is Peace, Freedom is Slaver, Ignorance is Strength. These paradoxical phrases which do not make any sense to normal people, makes perfect sense when it is referred as in the view of Big Brother, or people in higher position to controlling power.…

    • 596 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    George Orwell’s novel, 1984, includes many power struggles throughout the book involving various characters. If you delve into the content of almost any novel, there’s usually always some sorts of struggle for power. The novel 1984 bases itself on the totalitarian power to control a nation. With Orwell publishing his novel in 1949, Hitler’s power over Germany during World War II shows itself significant in the story. Many parallels to 1984’s reality and actual reality exist in the novel. Goldstein symbolizes the internal enemies of Hitler that were portrayed to help control the population’s thoughts. Orwell’s use of diction, syntax, and narrative strategies show Winston’s struggle of freeing himself from Big Brother’s power, his secret freedom he feels through his sexual engagement with Julia, and his struggle to free himself from the mass torture of interrogation and false confessions during his sleep.…

    • 556 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In 1984 by George Orwell, novelist and essayist creates a dystopian novel that features his frightening vision in 1949 of the world we were soon to become. Orwell’s purpose in this passage is to convey the effect of Winston's stolen and mysterious past. Orwell uses foreshadows and symbols. He adopts a nostalgic and mysterious tone in order to hypothesize a horrific ending.…

    • 397 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The world sixty years ago as seen by George Orwell was a different place than the one we live in and experience today. Technology was quickly developing and become a part of daily life. Atomic warfare was still a new threat, and the aftershock of its use in World War II was still raw in everyone’s minds. Totalitarianism was seen as a social experiment of sorts, and not having yet experienced the Cold War, some of America’s great minds were still looking at these governments with an open mind. Orwell thought that society needed to be forewarned about both the possible and real dangers of these issues, so his manifesto, 1984, was his call for social change, his call to respect the dangers that technology, war, and totalitarianism introduced.…

    • 595 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Orwell did not change anything about Totalitarianism when interpreting into the novel. He put on worshipping country leaders, strong dislike, and war hysterics. Children are brought up in families to work for the government as spies. They watch their elders both day and night (Voorhes 88). Big Brother is supposed to represent a soft element from a children’s story to society. Yet to the readers, he represents a political monster to add to Orwell’s science fiction novel, with horror elements mixed in. 1984 may have been inspired by the super-weapons of the cold war. The technology used in the cold war made a ‘social demand’. These technological advancements all served for the purpose to spread mass murder or even to at least intimidating sheer elimination. This can be seen throughout the novel, like when Syme disappeared (Deutscher 119-120). “ He lunged out a huge filthy pipe which was already half full of charred tobacco. With the tobacco ration at a hundred grams a week, it was seldom possible to fill a pipe to the top. Winston was smoking a Victory Cigarette which he held carefully horizontal. The new ration will not start until tomorrow and he had only four cigarettes left” (Orwell 58). During World War II, the government rations out good and often lowers the ration size so small due to overpopulation.…

    • 223 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    George Orwell’s 1984 is overflowing with a great deal of symbolism. The use of objects such as big brother, telescreens, red-armed prole, and the paperweight are just a few of many symbols found throughout the novel. Sometimes characters and other objects are used as symbols to aid in communicate the underlying meaning of the novel. For example, the use of the glass paperweight in George Orwell’s 1984 represents the many aspects of Winston’s rebellion and secret life of the Party, which will be further explained throughout this essay.…

    • 623 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Repression is a very important issue in George Orwell’s novel 1984. The citizens can not follow their natural impulses because of Big Brother and the party fearing that if they did they would be a danger to their power. Overall Orwell was trying to prove that a totalitarian society does not work because there will always be someone that does not fit into the system and that a government can never fully take away a person's natural…

    • 1142 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Manipulation In 1984

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages

    In 1984, George Orwell is quick to establish the totalitarian Big Brother as an omnipresent frontman to the oligarchy that is the Party. These figures are both constructed to be omnipotent; they demonstrate this power by distorting history, human nature, and the individual’s very singularity at a whim. This deception proves that manipulation is a powerful tool used in the assertion of dominance and for imposing conformity. "Everything faded into mist. The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth” (75).…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1984

    • 355 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Niccolo Machiavelli once said that "Since it is difficult to join them together, it is safer to be feared than to be loved when one of the two must be lacking." When it comes to the governance of human beings, communication and words outweigh violence. It is impossible to have one perfect society. There has yet to be a society in which there was not something wrong. Different attempts at a perfect society have come about but none has been proven to work without fault. Communism was a good thought but when put into action fails. Not far off from Communism comes the term Totalitarianism. A system of government where a class, group or party feel as though their authority has no bounds and strive to regulate every form of public or private life whatever way they see fit. Fighting in battles against totalitarian governments, such as the Nazi Party and the Soviet Union’s Joseph Stalin, was Eric Arthur Blair, better known as George Orwell. It is amongst the rise of dictators and the beginning of totalitarian societies that Orwell wrote and published the novel, 1984, a warning in disguise. Orwell’s predictions for what the future would look like if society continued its ways are seen through the eyes of Winston Smith. Winston’s life in the novel allows one to feel fear and concern toward Big Brother and his methods of power over civilization. Winston was able to experience dealing with three of Big Brother’s “tactics” of the government exploiting history, enforcing propaganda, and manipulating individuals’ thoughts at first hand. Winston lives in Oceania, a dystopia where the terrors of a totalitarian government are unavoidable. A totalitarian society is established through manipulation and control of one’s mind and body. It is maintained as a consequence of the threat of excessive abuse, propaganda, and force which can be seen in Winston’s everyday life.…

    • 355 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Orwell vision of 1984 was shaped by his experiences though out his time as a volunteer in the Spanish civil war and upon returning to Britain post-war when the country was a place of shortages and rationing. Orwell struggled against fascism, but was intent on destroying its anarchist and Trotskyist allies. The defeat of fascism involved the success of and the emergence of the USSR as a great power. Orwell was deeply concerned about this fact. Orwell remained a believer in the fundamental goodness of the “common people”, the workers or “proles”. Due to Orwell’s personal circumstances, his fading life expectancy from tuberculosis may have influenced the bleak creation of the world that is “1984”.…

    • 791 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the year of 1949, George Orwell saw a possible future from his reflection of the totalitarian regimes of World War II and experience in Spain as well as Russia, especially with Stalin. This would culminate into the novel known as 1984, in which the Party and their leader – Big Brother – have complete control of the nation known as Oceania, where everyone is under constant surveillance by the Thought Police. The story is set in London which has decayed just as much as the people’s souls and minds, shown as a “negative utopia”.…

    • 637 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays