Dystopian Fiction Vs Parody
1984 is a dystopian novel written by English author George Orwell that was published in the June of 1949. Although George Orwell himself called his novel a parody, not many consider it to be one. I believe that Orwell’s novel 1984 fits into the category of dystopian fiction and parody. Utopian fiction is the creation of an ideal society while dystopian fiction is the creation of a terrible or tainted society that is generally headed to an irreparable oblivion (dystopia).
Unlike a Utopian novel in which the writer intends to portray the perfect human society, a novel of dystopia does the opposite: it demonstrates the worst human society imaginable in an effort to persuade readers to avoid any and every path that might lead toward such societal
degradation. George Orwell’s 1984 is one such novel. It’s a novel that took the images and ideas from utopian imagination and turned them upside down. Orwell does so mainly through the use of setting, themes, and characters. All these elements make it clear that 1984 is a parody of the utopian principle.
An example of a typical utopian city is ordered, harmonious, and just all around perfect. In 1984, a utopian city is represented by a decaying, ruined city where the buildings lack windows and are in a state of disrepair. The London that Winston smith calls home is a dilapidated, rundown city in which buildings are crumbling, conveniences such as elevators never work and necessities such as electricity and plumbing are tremendously unreliable. Orwell makes it clear that the sloppy disintegration of London, just like the widespread hunger and poverty of its inhabitants, is due to the Party’s mismanagement and ineptitude. London is falling apart under the Party’s leadership.
In the story itself, Orwell portrays a totalitarian state in which the government monitors and controls every aspect of human life to the extent that even having a disloyal thought (a thought against the government, the Party) is against the law. The day to day life is controlled by the ever-watching “telescreens” in which people are watched 24/7. The people are never allowed to turn them off. All the simple joys and freedoms that we would want, are taken away from the people of Oceania.
Unlike a Utopian novel in which the writer intends to portray the perfect human society, a novel of dystopia does the opposite: it demonstrates the worst human society imaginable in an effort to persuade readers to avoid any and every path that might lead toward such societal
degradation. George Orwell’s 1984 is one such novel. It’s a novel that took the images and ideas from utopian imagination and turned them upside down. Orwell does so mainly through the use of setting, themes, and characters. All these elements make it clear that 1984 is a parody of the utopian principle.
An example of a typical utopian city is ordered, harmonious, and just all around perfect. In 1984, a utopian city is represented by a decaying, ruined city where the buildings lack windows and are in a state of disrepair. The London that Winston smith calls home is a dilapidated, rundown city in which buildings are crumbling, conveniences such as elevators never work and necessities such as electricity and plumbing are tremendously unreliable. Orwell makes it clear that the sloppy disintegration of London, just like the widespread hunger and poverty of its inhabitants, is due to the Party’s mismanagement and ineptitude. London is falling apart under the Party’s leadership.
In the story itself, Orwell portrays a totalitarian state in which the government monitors and controls every aspect of human life to the extent that even having a disloyal thought (a thought against the government, the Party) is against the law. The day to day life is controlled by the ever-watching “telescreens” in which people are watched 24/7. The people are never allowed to turn them off. All the simple joys and freedoms that we would want, are taken away from the people of Oceania.