George Orwell 1984 Analysis

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It has been almost seventy years since George Orwell’s novel, 1984, was first released to the public. Despite the years that have passed since the novel’s inception, the ideas behind Orwell’s fictional story are as prevalent and important as ever. In my view, the fundamental political message of 1984 is how the creation of a mass surveillance state erodes the trust of the people, and ultimately makes the state more fragile. This message has become a central issue throughout the American public and society today; both an issue of national security and civil liberty. Orwell uses several motifs and themes to support this message in 1984, including the notion of “Big Brother”, the emergence and abuse of technology, and overall manipulation of the …show more content…
However, I believe the most foundational and most relevant message within today’s society is mass surveillance and the decline of trust in government. Moving forward, the issue of mass surveillance will only grow as technology advances and social media continues to dominant our society. In order to justify and truly comprehend Orwell’s message of surveillance in 1984, we must make a relevant connection to the current state of our government and foreign policy. First, we must recognize the historical context of the book’s origins, and the current state of the relationship between government and the people, specifically within the realms of U.S foreign policy. Written in the shadows of World War II, George Orwell fully understood the importance of 1984’s message. He had witnessed the effects of Hitler’s Nazi party on Germany and of Stalin’s regime in Russia. The rise of communism around the world, and Orwell’s rejection of its principles in American life, spawned the narrative necessary to …show more content…
The first, and most central to the message, is the idea of “Big Brother” (Orwell 1949: 3). Orwell depicts “Big Brother” as more of an idea and symbol, rather than a physical being who the public could easily avoid. The people of Oceania are not even sure there is such a thing as “Big Brother”, as shown when O’Brien is in the midst of torturing Winston (Orwell 1949: 259). The message “Big Brother is watching you” is constantly repeated throughout the story. “Big Brother” is the Party’s ability to watch all members of the Outer Party and restrict any privacy. It is the most oppressive outlet for the Party, restricting thought, expressions, and even spying on marriages (Orwell 1949: 64). If “Big Brother” senses any rebellion from the citizens, it is considered to be a “thought crime” against the government itself, enforced by a secret police force known as the “Thought Police”. (Orwell 1949: 19). In the book, “Big Brother” is constantly seen and told to the citizens, which is a form of political propaganda on behalf of the government. We see this same tactic currently being used across the entire world, as authoritative regimes like Iran, North Korea, and even Russia use it as a method of preventing riots, keeping public moral high, and coup proofing the state. Nothing is more sacred than creating an unbreakable bond between government and the people. Yet, this notion of “Big Brother”
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