1984 Essay

Shannon Fleming
1984 Essay
Shannon Fleming
1984 Essay
"Perhaps a lunatic is simply a minority of one" (p.80) is one of countless thoughtprovoking statements George Orwell presented in his harrowing novel of the foreseeable future,
1984. After the events of the World Wars and the continuing advancements of technology,
George Orwell predicted the governing forces of the world and the impending mechanically
driven culture would lead society into an unwanted future. Driven by that haunting premonition,
Orwell created a perpetual world of watchful telescreens, the immortal Big Brother, and insanityinducing "doublethink," in which the character Winston Smith would remain until death. Toward
the end of the novel, Winston uncovered the government's greed for pure power was behind the
state in which the people lived. Winston also saw how detrimental the alteration of the past was
on sanity. Additionally, Winston's life showcased the impact technology can have when it is
misused and how pain and fear can have cataclysmic effects on the human mind.
Having spoken his dislike of totalitarianism, Orwell's inspiration behind the government
in 1984 is very noticeable. After reading the book and talking to the traitorous O'Brien, Winston
discovered the government of Oceania disregarded equality and froze time for the sole purpose
of obtaining absolute power forevermore, and the means of doing so resulted in the eradication
of humanity. Ruling with the image of Big Brother, The Inner Party actually held control over the
citizens as a totalitarian government, as well as public ownership over everything in an
alternative version of socialism. Life as a result was terrible with the wealthy Party members
having no human emotion or freedom and the poor "proles" having no intelligence to start a
revolution as told in the quote, "Until they become conscious they will never rebel, and until
after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious."( p. 70) George Orwell can be
understood as warning the world to disallow a government, whose motive is to achieve power at
any cost, to come into existence, or the consequences could be horrendous.
For his work, Winston must rewrite past events and make them seem as though Big
Brother had predicted them so that he is always correct. Afterward, Winston is supposed to use
"doublethink" to believe that what he is writing is true and deny the fact that he just lied to
himself. When everyone does this, except the "proles" who don't know any better, truthful
history ceases to exist, and in turn, the lies become the past until a new lie takes its place. As
O'Brien stated, "We, the Party, control all records, and we control all memories. Then we control
the past" (p.248) Orwell highlights the danger of the individual mind submitting to lies and
losing sight of the past. From understanding the past, people understanding themselves and the
world around them. Without memory, meaning, and emotion, life serves no purpose, and
existence has no worth.
Everywhere the Party members went, there were telescreens watching and listening for
any unorthodox thought or action, which would lead to torture and/or vaporization. Additionally,
the telescreens spread propaganda and lies to the citizens endlessly. Living with a constant fear
of being killed if one is unorthodox will keep a person from having free will. On an occasion
when one is taken to the Ministry of Love for committing heresy, that person undergoes
tremendous pain until submission, and subsequently, that person is shot or released back into
society to live a barren life of nothingness. During the torture, both Winston and Julia experience
so much pain that they would rather the other person be hurt instead. For example, Julia told
Winston this after they were both released, "Sometimes they threaten you with something you
can't stand up toYou want it to happen to the other personAll you care about is yourself."
Shannon Fleming
1984 Essay
(p.292) Orwell illustrates how people can be made entirely vulnerable and controllable using
technology and fear without the protection of laws.
After reading 1984, people can be left with an image of a future so atrocious that it seems
impossible to every become reality. Although, there is possibility a future similar, at least to some
extent, could arise. Over time government changes, but the world can never let the government
turn against human nature and become overly powerful. Furthermore, the past is extremely
valuable and needs to remain the truth in documents and minds. Technology shall too have
limitations in terms of government use as it continues to grow more powerful and in demand. A
world controlled with fear and pain is a world that is to be looked at as a nightmare. The year
1984, has passed, but the message in George Orwell's writing will remain in the minds of readers
as a warning of a path society must never follow, unless people are forced to forget.

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