How Does Orwell Use 1984 To Maintain Power In 1984

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1984, by George Orwell, shows a futuristic dystopian society. There is a totalitarian government where the Party and an unknown all-powerful leader, Big Brother, rules the people by using their fears against them. Winston is a part of the Outer Party and tries to rebel to stop others from turning into “robots” or automatons. Big Brother wants the people, in Oceania, to believe that “ War is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength.” (16) He also wants to make the people living in Oceania believe that two plus two is five. He wants them to believe these ideas because this is how he controls their minds to maintain power. In this world you cannot trust anyone because people are not always what they seem to be. Orwell warns us of a future where the government uses the fear of the people against them to manipulate them to conform to the rules they place on the people. The first example that shows the destructive power of a totalitarian government is the influence of propaganda on the people. All over the streets of Oceania there are posters with …show more content…
In 1984, the Party implements fear to manipulate people into thinking that anything they do is for the people to benefit from it which isn’t true. On page 263, O’Brien tells Winston, “The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power.” O’Brien tells Winston this after he has betrayed him and admits that he was never really planning to rebel against Big Brother, or the Party. Orwell tells us that in this type of government you can never trust anyone, and in this book, especially not the members of the Party The Party is not for the people, but they act against the people to keep total control; they instigate fear to maintain their power and stop