George Orwell 1984 Analysis

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1984 is a dystopic novel by George Orwell where man is in conflict with society in the form of a totalitarian government which uses mind control to take away the individuals freedom of choice and thought. The government is personified in ‘Big Brother’, who appears on all surveillance telescreen in every room and cubicle to ensure complete compliance from the proletariats. The audience is shown the horrors of being constantly watched, the sense of entrapment and the loss of freedom The Party uses the media to remove any signs of individuality and they constantly rewrite their history to make it seem as if things are constantly getting better. The government exists as its own entity, enslaving the people who should be ‘free’ under them. The protagonist, …show more content…
Their government weakens independence and the strength of the individuals mind, forcing them to live in a constant state of fear. The Party is able to force its followers to believe anything they announce, even when it is entirely unreasonable ie. The Ministry of Love is in charge of political torture, the Ministry of Peace is in charge of their wars affairs and the Ministry of Truth is in charge of changing the past to reflect the Party’s ideology. The inability of the individuals to identify the contradictions helps reinforce the power of the government. Another conflict that arises is of man is at conflict with himself. While Smith works at the Ministry of Truth, rewriting and falsifying history and he becomes self-aware and starts to question the past.. Later in the novel, we are introduced to a powerful member of the Inner Party we know as O’Brien, who tricks Winston into believing that he is a member of the rebel group called the Brotherhood. Smith eventually confesses his anti-Party crimes to O'Brien, a confession that leads to Smith being arrested. O'Brien has Smith tortured and then re-educated to reflect the Party’s principles. Orwell's novel ends with Smith's confession that ‘He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother.’ As a result, the lesson that Smith learns is to gain mastery over his own thoughts and