George Orwell 1984 Essay

In this essay I intend to investigate experiences and historical events in Orwells bearing clock time. These events may progress to signifi coffin nailtly captured Orwells style, structure and theme, contri entirelying to the semipolitical and tasty temper of his wise. I alike intend to comp argon the contradictory realiseations of Orwells message. Did he intend 1984 as a contendning, a prediction, or a historical refreshing? Despite its critics 1984 has get through a epoch-making low on the unsanded(a) globe.Its infiltration into ingenuousness boob tube may not be a tri only whene Orwell would get down appreciated notwithstanding termy of his terms and phrases throw away been utilise to highlight threats to well-disposed and individualal freedom. I will physical exertion this as a basis to as genuine whether there be other aspects of Orwells novel that take on become humankind in the young manhood. 1984 by George Orwell was pen in1947/48. This er a has been key outred to as The age of anxiety, the age of the lost generation. (www. chronicleguide. org/ europium/lecture10) It was a nightm argon man where individuality was lost.The naturalitarian states of the time, exercised complete realize everyplace the stretch forths of their tender subjects. The Great state of war ( terra firma struggle One) served totalitarian regimes, exactly beca go war has only wiz objective victory. individuality is sacrificed for collectivism and freedom is restricted as politicss reject liberal values. (www. historyguide. org/europe/lecture10) This musical mode of anxiety and con skeletonity, is cl early illustrated in 1984 this is visualised in the early pages of the novel and is declareed d unmatchedout. Orwell cleverly offices his descriptive talent, to make up ones mind the scene for his contri sightly nowor.At the very pedigree of his novel the vile wind, the swirl of coarse dust (Page 4) projects a negative moving- picture show of life in 1984. The maintenance of these optical images is preserved and comparisons, amidst post-war Britain and 1984, atomic number 18 identifiable. Examples of these ar the shortages, rationing and the bombsites of the 1940s. Orwell successfully engages the refs mother wits to conjure up images within the mind of the contributor. The h all toldway smelt of boiled cabbage and old put one across mats. (Page 4) I found phrases like this one actually made me feel the squalor and deprivation he was describing.The use of ocular cues is as well as a theme, which starts on the outgrowth page of Orwells novel. He continually put ins images that could be describing Lon take in during the 1940s, precisely are in fact describing life in 1984. A coloured poster withal large for indoor display has been tacked to the fence (Page 4) Orwell has managed to reaffirm the squalid surroundings by the use of the invent tacked skipperly he has even described the poster . It depicted simply an enormous verbalism, more than than(prenominal) than a sentence wide the face of a man of about forty-five with heavy caustic moustache and ruggedly hand-some features. umteen exhaust send worded that Orwell based his defend of facts enormous brother the attractor of the ships company on Stalin and Hitler because they all shared corresponding physical characteristics and had the top executive to manipulate the minds of the masses. (The human beingss close to evilness Men). besides, Churchill was overly recognised for his skill in altering peoples minds(The History Of experience domain war II) which could be interpreted that, the people of the 1940s were being manipulated, regardless of their countries political status. His productive talent excelled itself with the run away water of his totalitarian attraction. hulking Brother conveys an image of trust and subjection with the idea that he is a outgrowth of your family who is a fi gure affording protection and security. This is a complete contradiction to the lives of the Russian citizens to a lower place Stalin or the German people during Hitlers rein and indeed the population of xix eighty four had weeny hazard to feel safe. The naming of other characters within his novel, I suspect, had a deeper meaning. For role model Emmanuel Goldsteins face was described as It resembled the face of a sheep and the voice, too, had a sheep like quality.The mo handst of this description becomes more meaningful if you expect at a poster (see concomitant 1) employ during introduction state of war II. Henri Guigon delineate Churchill as a British assail in an American poster. To the whole beingness Britains new prime government minister epitomised the stubborn and proud nature of the British. Orwell uses animals for descriptive comparison oft time in his composition but the use of a sheep, in this instance, is a curious choice. The character Goldstein is the le ader of the encounter and sheep like qualities conjure up images of low intelligence and all followers the crowd.This is a realise of sarcasm that implies ridicule, disapproval, or contempt Sarcasm often includes an agent of irony. Winstons description of the opposition is not unhomogeneous to party members. Orwell could deal been expressing his concerns with how Churchills war Cabinet, had on occasions, be pick outd no other than from the fascist regimes of the era. News was censored, wages controlled and propel restricted chthonic the guise of wartime necessity. (Guardian 2002). However Goldstein is a Jewish charge and globe struggle II had just cease when this track record was being written.Goldstein is used as a scapegoat in 1984, which has, parallels with the national companionableists attempt to blame their problems on the Jews. In my survey the name of Orwells main character Winston Smith in any case had a deeper, if somewhat personal meaning. Orwell was a d ying man, when he wrote this novel, and he was probably aware it would be his final legacy to the serviceman. He had a reluctant admiration for Churchill.Although he did not always agree with his policies he esteem him not only for his courage but as well a certain splashiness and geniality. The History Of World state of war II) This admiration was expressed in the work out of poetry that he rarely wrote. (See concomitant 2). It is a fitting acknowledgement of this respect, that Winston became the name of his primary character. Smith is simply a very car park side name, which gives the impression that Winston Smith is a very public citizen not dissimilar to oneself. The caption under the well-favoured Brother posters read Big Brother is watching you (Page 4) Orwells use of capital letters for this caption, and indeed others by and by in the book, gives increased impact to the lecturer of the significance of these oral communication.It gives a sense of the irresponsibl e nature of the society in which the citizens of 1984 lived evermore being watched by the eyes of Big Brother. It was similar to the blackouts enforced during World war II where wardens patrolled neighbourhood, and failure to conform, resulted in humiliate offenders in front of their neighbours. (The History Of World struggle II) The use of posters and slogans in Orwells novel may well have been inspired by the vast get down of similar images used during World warfare II. England and Ger more, among others, used large images, in a poster format, to send messages to their people.These were used to supercharge complaisance, solidarity and patriotism within each nation. At clock they were alike used to blow a commingle morale at foundation and ab road, while at the same time mortify and ridiculing their opponents. (See appendix 3) A nice spokesperson of this, used in World War II, is the startance of V on walls in German- occupied Belgium. The Flemish communicate Belgi ans would interpret this as vrijheid, which means freedom, and the French speaking Belgians would understand this to mean victoire (victory). This is a brutal psychological attack on an already defeated nation.Winston describes party slogans, in 1984, on the walls of grammatical constructions, which also have contradictory meanings. War is peace, Freedom is Slavery and Ignorance is Strength (Page 6) Orwell uses this event of psychological approach in disparate ways throughout his novel. Orwells wife, Eileen OShaughnessy (1905-1945) had a degree in psychological science from Oxford University. Obtained in the 1920s this would have been a significant achievement for a char at that time and her influence on Orwells piece has been recognised. Eileen wrote a poesy called End Of The Century, 1984(1934). in that location are similarities between the futuristic vision of Eileens poem and Orwells 1984, including mind control and the conclusion of personal freedom. (www. arlindo-corre ia) The aggression, described by Winston, during the two-minute hate, and the hangings could have been influenced by Eileens psychological knowledge. There are various psychological theories as to why people display aggression. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) believed warring pulse rates are a reaction to frustrations of daily lives. This theory could easily be apply to the citizens in 1984.Freuds theories were very prestigious during the 1940s/50s and his written holds had an near political words, when referring to human conduct, which may have appealed to Orwells political and artistic nature. Behavioural psychologists believe deportment is learnt through reinforcement their theory is that humans resolve to social reinforcement such as social approval. In the 1940s solidarity and conformity in Britain was achieved via camaraderie every one doing their bit. (Yesterdays Britain) In 1984 it was built on fear.In the following quote Winston describes what happens to citizens who don t conform to the partys political orthodoxy. In the vast majority of cases there was no trial, no score of the arrest. People simply disappeared, always during the night. Your name was pull awayd from the registers, everything you had ever through with(p) was wiped out, your one-time cosmos was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated vaporized. (Page 22) This compositors case of enforcement was common by and by the finis of Lenin in 1924. His heir JosefStalin turned a popular innovation based on freedom and equality, into a totalitarian dictatorship championed exclusively by terror. He said The death of a man is a catastrophe the death of a thousand is a statistic (World Most Evil Men). A census in 1937 estimated that Russias population was twenty million short of what it should have been, although this tuition was withheld and emigration and famine were factors Stalins purges accounted for millions of deaths during his rule. Winston describes the u se of purges during the formation of the party.The intense anger and hatred that Winston describes are characteristic of mob behaviour and learning. The characters of Orwells novel show al close animal like hatred for the opposition and hero worship for Big Brother. This behaviour appears unrealistic, but if you look at Britain during World War II there are some undischarged similarities. The people of Britain were hurt a savage war with horrors, deprivation, shortages and bombings. remainder and loss were a constant threat, to that degree ordinary British people obeyed government instructions remark calm and have on.The conformity of the people of 1984 is depicted in different ways first party equals remove any conjecture of individuality. The idea that men and women wore the same uniform also removed gender as a source of individuality. Im going to get hold of a real womens frock from someplace and contain it instead of these bloody trousers. Julia goes on to say In this room Im going to be a woman, not a party cuss. (Page 164) During the war womens role potpourrid and they were necessary to do the work previously done by men. The uniforms they wore, although practical, had a distinctly manly appearance.Clothing was rationed until March 1949 and women had learnt to live self-directedly. The Bible (Deuteronomy 22. 5) understandablyly states, The women shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man highlighting the social unacceptability of women wearing trousers. This did not change until the 1960s. Gender identity refers to the psychological and biologic dimensions of sex. Freud (1925) described this as Psychical consequences of anatomical distinction between the sexes(Freud 1925) In the current world, there is legislation that prohibits discrimination, because of a persons gender identity, which is part of the human slumps laws. (www. ransgenderlaw. org)Although Orwell gives his characters names, the society he is describing mainly refer to each other as comrade. This was also a common term used in Nazi Germany, during World War II. Removing the use of personal names is some other means of removing an individuals identity and individuality. The party is all-powerful, colleagueships and family structure is suppressed to point of accumulation the possibility of divided loyalties. The party demands imperative loyalty in thought and deed. Children are brainwashed via organization such as the Junior Spies and Youth Groups these are similar to Adolph Hitlers Youth League, during World War II.Education was designed to suppress independent thought and sources of schooling were restricted and controlled. In the 1940s most educational establishments, enlightened children via the didactic model sometimes called teacher- centred teaching. This rule is where knowledge is passed from teacher to bookman. The teacher speaks and the pupils listen. In the innovational world students are educated via the critical mode th is is sometimes called student-centred learning. This is a growth where students are taught to explore, question and formulate impartiality and opinions for themselves.The use of investigating, discussing and debating are used to facilitate the education of independent thought. (Pollard1998) One of the most chilling depictions of the repressive and controlling nature of life in 1984, in my opinion, is the cellular inclusion of the telescreen.. The telescreen receives and circulariseted simultaneously, you had to live did live, from habit that became born(p) in the assumption that every weighed down you made was over heard, and except in darkness, every movement scrutinised. Page 5) The use of the telescreen was an ingenious concept, taking into account the era. engine room was primitive compared to the modern world. However, the military during World War II improved radiolocation and rockets, this enabled the post war development of goggle box set (1946) and close circuit television (CCTV) (1949). The hint newspaper (January 14 1949) included an article explaining a New system of television being used to aid road safety. This system carried signals direct from a camera to a screen with both visual and audio reception, this was known as CCTV.The summer of 1949 saw the technology and the knowledge but not the resources available to gear up satellites (The Star 1949) which we now know can be used to oversee, observe and transmit around the world. In todays society Britain has earned a temperament as a world leader of surveillance. It is estimated that the average British citizen is caught on camera up to three hundred times per day (The Star 2005). However, verbal expression of British citizens is not a new concept. During World War II mass observation was the governments way of keeping in touch with the mood of the people. tomcat Harrison, the director of mass observation called for observers to monitor war morale. Citizens reactions in cinema s were monitored to perceive the mood of the nation (Yesterdays Britain). Orwell used irony extensively through out his novel. For example He was alone no telescreen, no ear at the keyhole, no nervous impulse to glance over his shoulder or cover the page with his hand. (Page 214) This contradicts appearance with reality and allows the reader to understand Winstons motives and rebellion. ulterior the reader is informed that in fact the telescreen is hidden behind a picture, which was offered for sale by Mr Charrington earlier in the novel. This suggests to the reader that an enemy is not always obvious. The friend and opposite situation between the Communists and the Nazis during the 1940s is a extend example of a hidden enemy. In the place world, America and Britain are fleck a War on terrorism. It appears humourous that we are fighting a war against an unknown enemy at home and abroad. Orwells character Winston Smith is frequently have-to doe with with the parties alteration of facts and history.The quote He who controls the one-time(prenominal) controls the future is a scare notion. The alteration of history, whether personal or social removes individuality and identity it also, to a certain extent, changes reality into anything the ruling party deems it to be. Stalin, afterward the Russian revolution, had history rewritten to magnify his part in events. Trotskys part had been erased from Soviet textbooks. (Time Archive 1940) For instruction and historical events to be constant and unalterable they need to be remembered. Humans have a multifactorial memory system, which enables development received from the environs to be processed.Short-term memory (STM) is information that is held temporarily and long-term memory (LTM) is a permanent storage system. For information to pass from STM into LTM individuals need to give way attention to the received information. Repetition, relearning and making the information meaningful help to maintain the inf ormation permanently. Orwells 1984 society appears to be attempting to remove LTM from its citizens. Information is received via telescreens but due to poor LTM development this information can be adapted without the individual remembering the authentic information.This is doable partly due to the act that new information interferes with previous memories. Orwell expressed his concerns (Politics and the incline language) that government officials debating on historic events trivialised the legality and found ways to convince everyone that history never happened or happened but it didnt mater any way. Young children have a limited memory potentiality due to underdevelopment of the pre frontal cortex but also because they are not specially interested in remembering the past thus make little motion to develop ways of making memories meaningful, which also makes recall more difficult.Orwell uses this concept in his novel in a variety of ways. Firstly the characters in 1984 are mor e concerned with option than the past. The present is more relevant to this remove than events from the past. With the invention of Newspeak, the official language of Oceania it enables the party to restrict speech, thought and consequently memory. Many in todays society, would suggest that politicians have perfected their own form of Newspeak. The use of text messaging is also a modern day form of newspeak. Orwell was concerned with the use, or misuse of the English language.He felt that words with variable star meaning were often used with the smell to deceive and that language was intended for expression not concealing or preventing thought. In the modern world the media is required to present a balanced coverage of news and public matteres. However this results in a form of double think in which truth is immediately neutered by an opposite truth. The second discussion section of Orwells novel deals mainly with the love affair between the characters Winston and Julia. This g ives the novel direction and hope. However, the inclusion of the book makes this a difficult section to read.Orwells intentions may well have been to explain the futility of war where there are no winners or indeed losers just simply the maintenance of war. Hitler wrote a book called Mein Kampf (My Struggle) outlining his vision of the future of Germany. It was a ranting, sometimes unreadable vision of the future of Germany (The worlds most evil men). This may have been the inspiration for the inclusion of the book in Orwells novel. Orwell uses various metaphoric language through out his novel, this gives the writing greater power of expression and meets Orwells criteria for artistic blueprint (Why I Write).For example the melodramatic use of the nursery frost Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St Clementss (Page 112) Is an epigram, the verse line symbolizes, in an almost child like way, the past. Orwell maintains the original historical names of the London churches before the formation of the party. Through this symbolic mold it gives Winston hope that, fragments of the past can survive. separate characters gradually piece together the rhyme until Charington finally completes it during the capture of Winston and Julia. These Churches are recognisable in London today and keep the novel relevant after the division 1984.Orwell uses innuendo with the words we shall meet in the place where there is no darkness (Page 118). Winston believes these words are from OBrien but Orwell manages to keep the origin and the significance of these words unknown until Winston and Julia are captured. This creates and develops a sense of foreboding and suspense, which maintains the controlling and manipulating society, which is being portrayed in 1984. Winstons dreams of the Golden demesne are the direct opposite of his reality in 1984. They represent peace, beauty, unity and uniqueness.These are Freudian theories as they reveal Winstons subconscious. The capture and subse quent distorted shape of Winston shows a curious, frightening and terrifying journey. The absolute and total destruction of the mind and body. However, the language and note is calm and detached with surprisingly little malice, anger or hatred. This gives a deeper more powerful description of what Orwell is suggesting the future could be. It also gives the character OBrien a more complex personality. He is constantly shift between good guy and large guy. This intrigues the reader, as well as Winston.Is he friend or foe? He has the power to do good or evil, which will he convey? Orwell is using an interesting psychological theory. He is suggesting that not all evil men are bad all the time and thus good people do not always act nicely. The reader is left-hand(a) with a feeling of deficient to like OBrien but at the same time hating him for his cruelty. This strange kin is as contradictory and confusing as Churchill and Roosevelts involvement with Stalin (1939). Despite the h armful purges, and the negative value that Stalin had demonstrated over human life, they still became consort.Churchill said of Stalin, at the Yalta summit, I walk through the world with greater courage when I arrest myself in a relationship of familiarity and intimacy with this great man. Stalin concealed a cruel and calculating nature prepared to commit war crimes at least as evil as those of the enemy. (Worlds Most Evil Men) Winston represents mankind (us)If you are a man, Winston, you are the last man. (Page 309) Winstons torture and re-education is his or our chance to save humanity, freedom, individuality, choice, beliefs and the right to be different.Orwell has used psychological habit of the mind to project a horrific interpretation of the destruction of mankind Orwell uses a terrifying concept, by taking Stalin and Hitlers atrocities to a whole new take total and absolute conformity in life as well as in death. So long as human beings stay human, death and life are t he same thing. (Page 156) Orwells novel in my opinion is a slick projection of the future as he saw it in 1948. Projections of the future, often allows the reader to become detached because the people appear different from oneself.However, Orwell creates characters that are not dissimilar from us (the reader). The inclusion of the proletarians, that cleverly maintain sentimental songs and normal human compassion, also prevents detachment and preserves recognisable modern parallels. The setting of this novel is used to maintain the past, the present and the future. For example, the central administration building of The University of London which was used during World War II as the headquarters for the ministry of information. both censoring systems were coordinated from here.It bears a striking resemblance to the Ministry of Love described in 1984 and amusingly its telegraphic address was miniform. (www. orwelltoday. com) each other significant buildings, described in 1984 can be located in London today. This was probably Orwells intention and it keeps the novel viable even after the year 1984. In returning to the original question I feel I have demonstrated that George Orwell used many sources of inspiration, from the world, in his writing of 1984 and it powerfully reflects the times in which it was written.After the publication of puppet Farm (1945) Orwell explained that he intended to fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole(Why I Write). This suggests that Orwell was concerned with Britains future. Even with overwhelming designate of the evil nature of the Stalin regime, they still became allies with Britain and America. Malcolm Muggeride said of Orwell He loved the past, despised the present and dreaded the future. I strongly believe that Orwell intended 1984, as a warning of what the world could become, not of necessity what it would become, if we (the future) did not take action and responsibility.Orwell has left a legacy, a pe rmanent warning. For the present and the future, to prevent the formation of the totalitarian states of the past. His language has given modern day man, the language to express themselves and to protect civil liberties and influence human rights. 1984 is a political irony that exaggerates all that was wrong with the world in 1949 to hopefully shock and horrify a nation into action and prevent this type of society becoming a reality. Although the involution of the book has passed the message is still clear and in some ways more relevant today, than when it was written.The advances in technology have made the surveillance and monitoring of citizens easier and more commonplace. Freedom, in the true sense of the word still depends on where you live, your age and your gender. However, I feel Orwells novel should be recognised for its extraordinary impact and significant contribution to human rights in the modern world. Although Orwells warning has been subjected to many interpretations I feel a novelist is supposed to make you think and possibly reflect you must agree, job well done. Despite its critics 1984 has change millions of copies and has been translated into 65 languages.