1984 War Is Power Analysis

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Pages: 4

Since the dawn of the human race, humans have had to fight for survival against predators, nature, and themselves. Dystopian regimes use this instinct as a tool to control and manipulate their population. They influence the flow of power from the citizens to the regime, so that they can gain more control over their people. 1984 by George Orwell and Lord of the Flies by William Golding both represent how corrupt leaders use the population's fears against them, for the continuation of their hierarchical dominance.

In 1984, the Inner Party uses the fear of war to manipulate the Outer Party into swapping what nowadays is considered rights and freedoms for protection using the slogan WAR IS PEACE. When Winston is reading The Book, he reads, “And
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This allows Jack to offer security, in the hunt for the beast. When the hunters have surrounded Simon, the narrator says: “ The boys found themselves eager to take a place in this demented but partly secure society”(pg #). The hunters believe that Simon is the beast, and by killing Simon, they are truly killing the beast. However, all it really does is unlock the beast inside all of them and allows them to embrace it. This makes them feel safe, and they trust Jack’s leadership as he provided this false safety. After Simon’s death, a lot of Ralph’s group consider joining Jack, because it seems to be safer. This makes Jack look like a good person, and a leader to look up to. Now that the boys are willing to follow Jack, he uses his new power entirely for his selfish needs, the narrator says: “Jack spoke. “Give me a drink”. Henry brought him a shell and he drank, watching Piggy and Ralph over the jagged rim. Power lay in the brown swell of his forearms: authority sat on his shoulder and chattered in his ear like an ape.” (pg #) Jack uses the boys that helped him achieve power, as his own personal servants. He belittles them and acts as if he is better than all the rest. He offers more freedom as well as more security in his tribe as opposed to Ralph’s, although as part of Jack’s tribe it’s more like slavery. In Jack’s tribe they can do whatever they want, whether it be sit around or play all day, but they must follow Jack and do everything he asks, as if he is a slavemaster. Jack controls and manipulates his people by providing false freedom and false security. This is the second slogan of the Inner Party: FREEDOM IS SLAVERY. The Inner Party has laid out the exact way it controls their people for all to see. The three slogans of the party are: WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH. By constantly being in a state of war, the people devote themselves to their