I. Introduction
A. Orwell's life as it relates to his works.
B. The danger of a totalitarian government.
II. Freedom of mind and body
A. Physical control
Extreme force and coercion
Effects of torment
B. Psychological manipulation
Doublethink
Use of propaganda
III. Technology role in government control
A. Compromise of privacy
B. Tele-screen vs. computers
IV. Control of communication
A. Control of information
Control of news
Control of history
a) Importance of history
b) Repeating history
B. Abuse of language
Language as control of the mind
Newspeak
V. Conclusion
A. Ignorance of Society
Danger of naïve working class
Society letting the government getaway with its abuse
B. Significance of Orwell's novel in modern day
George Orwell was the alias of Eric Blair, the author of 1984 and Animal Farm. Orwell was a political writer whose novels and essays criticized the political oppression taking place in Europe in the middle of the twentieth century. Orwell was a relentless opponent of capitalism and communism. He witnessed firsthand the horrific lengths to which totalitarian governments in Spain and Russia would go in order to sustain and increase their power during the Spanish Civil War. Orwell was deeply disturbed by the widespread cruelty and oppression he saw in communist countries (Duiker, 16-20). Orwell can be remembered through his works as a supporter of freedom and contester of capitalism and totalitarianism. Two of his greatest works, Animal Farm and 1984, form the basis of his fight against totalitarianism. Orwell's 1984 foreshadows the sadistic personality of the authoritative government. Animal Farm demonstrates that society's ignorance will prove to be the reason the government gets explicit control, even in a democratically ruled government.
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