Preview

What Is George Orwell's 1984?

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
768 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What Is George Orwell's 1984?
1984 by George Orwell, written in 1949 is a product of an emerging threat to Communism and a global level power struggle between Russia, China and now at this time in 1949 the United States of America. The struggle only existing out of fear and respect for each other over the possibility of one being able to destroy the other and only needing each other to exist, as “…they are unable to destroy one another” for the specific purpose of holding power in the first place. This is also the beginning of classism in the United States with the dawning of the “Top 1%” post-World War II. Orwell himself; was born into a British military family and lacked the bond of a family with an absentee father and ultimately boarding school via partial scholarship, …show more content…
Out of each great physical War change in classes did come about; however, through government influence, change reverted back to its natural state, a separation of classes “…there have been three kinds of people in the world…but the essential structure of society has never changed.” When 1984 was published the United States did have three social classes, High, Middle and Low, over the next few decades the classes merged into two: Upper and Lower. In today’s society working with just the two class system, we can see the patterns of inevitable struggle continuing. Orwell thought the when the Higher class shows a sign of weakness, ”they are overthrown by the Middle, who enlist the Low on their side by pretending to them…Once they have reached their objective, the Middle thrust the Low back into their own position.” This concept of using each class to gain power and wealth and then the disposal of said class runs rapid with American politics and the democratic process of the wealthy, powerful 1% parading themselves around with empty promises for an improvement in the quality of life for the masses as if the American people are to be just another notch on the 1% bedpost. Once the powerful achieve their goal promises are retracted and legislation is passed for what seems to be the purpose of the benefit of the whole, the whole 1% and the idea of equality is gone because the people representing the people forgot what it was like to be “the people” or have never experienced the war on survival with the inherent legacy of wealth and power can we blame them? Why would we the people put our trust in someone who is not “the people” but we continue to play the game fight the war that will always exist and only change at face value? The top 1% needs

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    What does ‘prole’ mean? The Oxford dictionaries describes ‘prole’ as ‘a member of the working class.’ The book 1984 portrays the Proles in similar way, who are weak, animal-like, working class people. The Proles in 1984 are the vast majority (85%) of the populace, but they do not have a significant part in the novel. The Proles live in a deserted area which is described as very filthy, “He was walking up a cobbled street of little two-storey houses with battered doorways which gave straight on the pavement and which were somehow curiously suggestive of rat holes” (Orwell, 86) Furthermore, Orwell represented the Proles as “swollen, waddling women” and “old bent creatures shuffling along on splayed feet” (Orwell, 86) which shows that they…

    • 237 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In Nineteen-Eighty four, the protagonist begins a diary and finds that he hates the party that rules and watches over him. With that being said Winston begins to do things to rebel from Big Brother. Towards the middle of the book, Winston meets and falls in love with Julia. Winston and Julia believe that they are sneaking around behind Big Brothers back undetected. However we find out later that they have been betrayed and turned in. After being beaten, they separate the two and drag them to the Ministry of Love. This incident affects both Julia and Winston, they have to be separated and tortured to wipe away any rebelling thoughts about Big Brother. Once they have been captured we begin to wonder if they will crack under the pressure and accept…

    • 294 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory 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

    A major theme for both of Orwell’s works is the idea that people, ignorantly, don’t care about what they say or think, and then because they don’t have minds of their own they are easier to manipulate. In his Politics and the English Language, Orwell says how people don’t think about what they are writing and how they have no control over their own mind as ready-made phrases fill their paper and their mind. Then in 1984, Orwell takes this idea a step further showing how easy a civilization of thoughtless ignorance can become one of mindless devotion towards the government. In the book the characters lose their sense family ties, lose sense of time, they lose emotions, they lose their individuality, they lose their ability to remember the past,…

    • 155 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the novel 1984, author George Orwell makes many predictions as to what society would conform to in the year 1984. Although these predictions are jurassic and farfetched, many of Orwell's predictions are expressed in our modern day American society. 1984 showcases the empowerment of a totalitarian government. The main Character, Winston, lives in a society where the government controls every aspect of his life, ranging from his food to his razor portions, and even his thoughts.…

    • 490 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, there were many figurative ideological things that were created. For starters, there was a government known as the Party that had created a recessive regime to have full control over all people to a point where one cannot even think without the fear of being locked up and vaporized for thought crime. Within everyone was instilled a fear that if they acted out in any shape or form, they would be caught by the Thought Police and be dealt with in an unjustly manner. There were 3 countries or states: Oceania, Eastasia, and Eurasia, each country had within it 3 classes: Upper class, Middle class, and Lower class. Each country or state shared the same philosophy and attitude, that the government must have complete control over there people and the only way to do that is through psychological manipulation. By making sure that everyone is at the same level, changing and tampering with documents so that they appeal to what the government is saying, and dealing with people who act out in a severe manner so that no one else does the same makes sure that at all time, the government in power has 100% control over all. In a twisted way, yes, Orwell did foreshadow into the future and predict what is happening in our world today.…

    • 783 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Satisfactory 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

    1984 Related To Today

    • 442 Words
    • 2 Pages

    1984 displays controversial themes that causes reader to question whether those things are occurring in today’s modern life. Some people maybe feel a weight lifted, thinking that our society is no way related to the novel, yet there may be a correlation. In relations to the themes in Orwell’s 1984, modern day United States exemplifies the systematic control depicted in the novel, due to the prevalence of the NSA, the control over marriage and the false information given to the people. In our society today, there are many things that are happening that we are unaware of, such as secrets the government keeps from us.…

    • 442 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    1984 1984 is a science fiction book. George Orwell’s novel, 1984, uses technologies languages, and propaganda to exercise control, and power to its people. This book is about a Party based on hate, control, and suffering. This society could not exist for very long because it takes away a human’s right and freedom to choose; it takes away a family relationship and loyalty from friends, and it controls people’s mind by controlling the past and the future.…

    • 504 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    1. George Orwell’s Classic 1984 depicts a totalitarian government that aims to repress and control its people. It does this in many ways; the most notable are the destruction of the family structure, destruction of language and the most dangerous the rewriting of history. With these tools—and others not mentioned—The Party maintains control of its people and ensures its continued existence.…

    • 2401 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Technology has strived through history to make what it is today. To the making of the wheel, cotton gin, to the first transportation system in America. A particular piece of new technology, the smartphone, allows communication through two screens and permits audio. This has particularly brought to attention because of its similarity to George Orwell’s 1984 telescreens. In the book, an authoritarian government ruled by Big Brother controls its people by various telescreens planted around various places, hidden to the eye. Shown by the quote, “Big Brother is watching you,” the setting in 1984 is ruled by fear. An alarming question brought upon us is, “are we reaching a similar setting as George Orwell’s imagination?” Although there may be important counterarguments, the answer to that question is no.…

    • 523 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    George Orwell 1984

    • 755 Words
    • 4 Pages

    “Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it. Every concept that can ever be needed, will be expressed by exactly one word, with its meaning rigidly defined and all its subsidiary meanings rubbed out and forgotten. Already, in the Eleventh Edition, we're not far from that point. But the process will still be continuing long after you and I are dead.”…

    • 755 Words
    • 4 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

    Lucille Roybal-Allard said, “Even though some in our government may claim that civil liberties must be compromised in order to protect the public, we must be wary of what we are giving up in the name of fighting terrorism”. In the dystopian novel 1984 by George Orwell, the citizens in the community have no rights whatsoever and the society is in terrible shape. It is unnecessary to sacrifice civil liberties in order to live in a safe, egalitarian society because the people will not be equal and safe if the right against unreasonable search and seizure, freedom of speech, and right to privacy are altered.…

    • 882 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