1984 Free Will Essay

Thomas Jefferson once said “Government big enough to supply everything you need is big enough to take everything you have … The course of history shows that as a government grows, liberty decreases.” In his novel 1984, George Orwell demonstrates that even though government control seems like a better way of life, free will ultimately proves to be the better path. He proves that free will is better in the novel through the constant government surveillance, how even the slightest demonstration of free will brings about harsh punishments, and through the government induced manipulation of the citizens’ lives. The Party does use its metaphorical “powers” for some amount of good throughout the novel though. Although free will is the superior way
They are referenced within the novel, during which they are used to watch the populace. If misused by the government, then the microphones become more than innocent devices used to benefit society as a whole. In the novel there is a passage where Julia references these microphones. She talks about how microphones can be hidden to listen in on the public. If used the way the Party is in the novel, the microphones can be used to catch criminals and spies, and make Oceania a better place. A very advanced and important piece of technology mentioned multiple times in the novel is the telescreen. It is like a modern-day TV, except it can transmit sound and visuals both ways, like a televised two-way mirror. To ensure the safety of the government, the Thought Police can “plug in” at any moment to check for disloyalty. “You had to live-did live, from habit that became instinct- in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized” (7). This quote demonstrates how careful the Party can be when it comes to keeping Oceania safe and intact. Of course, altogether, all of the