George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four
Shaped by Fear : How George Orwell Used Fear in Prophesizing the Future
“War is peace, Freedom is slavery, Ignorance is strength,” (Orwell 6). George Orwell the author of Nineteen Eighty-Four, heavily influenced by the events of World War Two used these slogans in his prediction of what the world could become. Nineteen Eighty-Four is a novel set in a dystopian society however, to be understood one needs to fully examine world history during the 1900’s. By examining this history one begins to understand Orwell’s prediction of the future. George Orwell’s 1984 portrays the effects generated by the fear of World War Two and prophesizes what the world could be like if that fear is perpetuated.
To understand Orwell’s prediction one needs to first …show more content…
examine some of the leaders of Orwell’s time. Nazi Germany led by Adolf Hitler had killed 6 million Jews in a mission to “exterminate” all the Jews in what would come to be called, “The Final Solution.” The Soviet Union in Russia was led by Joseph Stalin, “Stalin ruled with an iron fist and was famous for his midnight purges: he would round up hundreds of citizens at a time and murder them in masses in deserted areas,” (“Historical Context: 1984”). In China Mao Tse-tung was fighting to become dictator. Ultimately succeeding and implementing a totalitarian regime. Inspired by these oppressive leaders Orwell would think of Big Brother, “The ultimate Totalitarian leader who dominates all political, social, and economic activities,” (“Historical Context: 1984”). Big Brother will come to demonstrate the qualities of the leaders Orwell grew up with.
In Nineteen Eighty-Four Orwell creates a Totalitarian regime which is ultimately his prediction as to what government our society will be governed by. According to Peter Baehr: author of Dictatorship in History states that, “Totalitarianism extreme in its denial of liberty, conveys a regime type with truly radical ambitions. Its chief objectives are to rule unimpeded by legal restraint,civic pluralism, and party competition, and to refashion human nature itself,” (Baehr 1). Orwell’s utilization of a Totalitarian government ultimately says a great deal about his views on government. Orwell took special notice to the spread of Fascism and Nazism viewing it as the government of the future. Baehr goes onto say that one characteristic of Totalitarianism is, “A revolutionary, exclusive, and apocalyptic ideology that announces the destruction of the old order; corrupt and compromised, and the birth of a radically new, purified and muscular age. Totalitarian ideology creates myths, festivities… and rituals designed to commemorate the destiny of the elect,” (Baehr 5). Nineteen Eighty-Four uses this characteristic in its description of life before and after Brother. The party is described as revolutionary however, Winston (the main character) suspects that the parties rule is doing more harm than it is good. Big Brother is viewed as more of a God than an actual person creating those myths and rituals that are generally created in Totalitarian regimes (Orwell). For example, Hitler took this idea and created a ritual of people having to hail him in order to show respect. Orwell took this idea to an extreme by saying that, “Big Brother is always watching you,” (Orwell 3). This was to intentionally show what would happen if society continued to allow Totalitarian leaders to create these rituals to commemorate themselves. Orwell was trying to prove that if these leaders keep taking power they will eventually become God like figures as demonstrated by Big Brother.
Orwell recognized that these Totalitarian leaders used fear to intimidate and isolate the population in order to obtain and sustain power (Horowitz).
Orwell was able to successfully summarize what he noticed the early totalitarian-style governments were doing. He took these methods of fear and created three slogans for the party. “Ignorance is strength,” (Orwell 6) referring to the abolishment of speech. For example, “In Nazi Germany, it was strictly forbidden, under penalty of serious reprisals to spread “rumors” about the camps” (Roviello). Orwell takes this idea of oppression of speech and once again takes it to an extreme by gradually removing words from speech so people could not say anything wrong about the party or Big Brother (Orwell). “War is peace,” (Orwell 6) referring to the constant conquest and violence of the 1940’s governments. For example, “Adolf Hitler declared that the impending war with the Soviet Union would be a “war of extermination,”” (Weingartner). Hitler also went onto say that the solution to all of Germany’s problems was the extermination of all the Jews. This mentality of war and violence solving all problems is a common theme demonstrated throughout Nineteen Eighty-Four. This can be seen in the scene where Winston is being tortured by the ministry of Love (Orwell). This torture is designed to ultimately cause him to love the party reinforcing the theme that violence will eventually cause peace. Lastly, “Freedom is slavery” (Orwell 6). This slogan is the most complicated. By saying that freedom is slavery it implies that these Totalitarian government’s care about their people. However, when your citizens are “vaporized” such that in the Soviet Union (Historical Context: 1984) it can be argued that the population is not the leader’s concern. The leaders can however, manipulate the people to believe that the citizens need the protection of the government and make the people think that freedom is slavery just not those exact words.
However, because Nineteen Eighty-Four is an extreme example the government has the people manipulated so heavily that they rely more on the party than they do themselves. When examining these three slogans it becomes evident that Orwell wrote this book as warning to society.
Orwell lived in an important time where he saw many new and radical ideas that had not been shown to the same extent ever before. He took notice to the leaders and their use of fear to try to explain what society’s future could be like if it continued to follow the same path. However, could Orwell’s prediction ever come true? Ultimately that will be society’s decision however, society is still continuing to move closer to Orwell’s prediction. As a society there is more surveillance than ever before. The government has access to almost all this surveillance claiming it is for protection. However, is it being used for more than protection and is society slowly transitioning to that demonstrated in Nineteen Eighty-Four? Could Terrorism be considered another example of modern-day Totalitarianism (Horowitz)?Terrorists attempt to create fear through violence to ultimately give themselves power. This is similar to that of Hitler and Stalin trying to exterminate other groups to gain power for themselves. Orwell’s prediction might be an extreme however, is he really that far off especially taking into account all the new technology there is today?
George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty- Four is considered a perfect example of a dystopian society. This is because Orwell took his life experiences, examined them, and realized the trends of the World War Two Totalitarian societies. By examining the leaders and their use of fear one is able to understand exactly why Orwell’s prediction for the future could be summed up in three short phrases, “War is peace, Freedom is slavery, and Ignorance is Strength,” (Orwell 6). Orwell recognized these mentalities as future problems, however, if one was to describe today’s society would any of these three phrases still apply or are we improving as a population?
Works Cited
Baehr, Peter. "Totalitarianism." New Dictionary of the History of Ideas, edited by Maryanne Cline Horowitz, vol. 6, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005, pp. 2342-2348. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3424300779/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=2f7a4dfb. Accessed 10 Feb. 2017.
"Historical Context: 1984." EXPLORING Novels, Gale, 2003. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2111500103/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=f59946c8. Accessed 10 Feb. 2017. (Nineteen Eighty-Four in 1984)
Maryanne Cline Horowitz, vol. 6, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005, pp. 2342-2348. Student Resources in Context link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3424300779/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=2f7a4dfb. Accessed 10 Feb. 2017.
Orwell, George. 1984. London: Secker & Warburg, 1949. Print.
Roviello, Anne-Marie. "The hidden violence of totalitarianism: the loss of the groundwork of the world." Social Research, vol. 74, no. 3, 2007, p. 923+. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A171212215/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=0b8ca3b8. Accessed 7 Feb. 2017.
Weingartner, James. "War against subhumans: comparisons between the German War against the Soviet Union and the American war against Japan, 1941-1945." The Historian, vol. 58, no. 3, 1996, p. 557+. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A18516918/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=3da00ffb. Accessed 8 Feb. 2017.
“War is peace, Freedom is slavery, Ignorance is strength,” (Orwell 6). George Orwell the author of Nineteen Eighty-Four, heavily influenced by the events of World War Two used these slogans in his prediction of what the world could become. Nineteen Eighty-Four is a novel set in a dystopian society however, to be understood one needs to fully examine world history during the 1900’s. By examining this history one begins to understand Orwell’s prediction of the future. George Orwell’s 1984 portrays the effects generated by the fear of World War Two and prophesizes what the world could be like if that fear is perpetuated.
To understand Orwell’s prediction one needs to first …show more content…
examine some of the leaders of Orwell’s time. Nazi Germany led by Adolf Hitler had killed 6 million Jews in a mission to “exterminate” all the Jews in what would come to be called, “The Final Solution.” The Soviet Union in Russia was led by Joseph Stalin, “Stalin ruled with an iron fist and was famous for his midnight purges: he would round up hundreds of citizens at a time and murder them in masses in deserted areas,” (“Historical Context: 1984”). In China Mao Tse-tung was fighting to become dictator. Ultimately succeeding and implementing a totalitarian regime. Inspired by these oppressive leaders Orwell would think of Big Brother, “The ultimate Totalitarian leader who dominates all political, social, and economic activities,” (“Historical Context: 1984”). Big Brother will come to demonstrate the qualities of the leaders Orwell grew up with.
In Nineteen Eighty-Four Orwell creates a Totalitarian regime which is ultimately his prediction as to what government our society will be governed by. According to Peter Baehr: author of Dictatorship in History states that, “Totalitarianism extreme in its denial of liberty, conveys a regime type with truly radical ambitions. Its chief objectives are to rule unimpeded by legal restraint,civic pluralism, and party competition, and to refashion human nature itself,” (Baehr 1). Orwell’s utilization of a Totalitarian government ultimately says a great deal about his views on government. Orwell took special notice to the spread of Fascism and Nazism viewing it as the government of the future. Baehr goes onto say that one characteristic of Totalitarianism is, “A revolutionary, exclusive, and apocalyptic ideology that announces the destruction of the old order; corrupt and compromised, and the birth of a radically new, purified and muscular age. Totalitarian ideology creates myths, festivities… and rituals designed to commemorate the destiny of the elect,” (Baehr 5). Nineteen Eighty-Four uses this characteristic in its description of life before and after Brother. The party is described as revolutionary however, Winston (the main character) suspects that the parties rule is doing more harm than it is good. Big Brother is viewed as more of a God than an actual person creating those myths and rituals that are generally created in Totalitarian regimes (Orwell). For example, Hitler took this idea and created a ritual of people having to hail him in order to show respect. Orwell took this idea to an extreme by saying that, “Big Brother is always watching you,” (Orwell 3). This was to intentionally show what would happen if society continued to allow Totalitarian leaders to create these rituals to commemorate themselves. Orwell was trying to prove that if these leaders keep taking power they will eventually become God like figures as demonstrated by Big Brother.
Orwell recognized that these Totalitarian leaders used fear to intimidate and isolate the population in order to obtain and sustain power (Horowitz).
Orwell was able to successfully summarize what he noticed the early totalitarian-style governments were doing. He took these methods of fear and created three slogans for the party. “Ignorance is strength,” (Orwell 6) referring to the abolishment of speech. For example, “In Nazi Germany, it was strictly forbidden, under penalty of serious reprisals to spread “rumors” about the camps” (Roviello). Orwell takes this idea of oppression of speech and once again takes it to an extreme by gradually removing words from speech so people could not say anything wrong about the party or Big Brother (Orwell). “War is peace,” (Orwell 6) referring to the constant conquest and violence of the 1940’s governments. For example, “Adolf Hitler declared that the impending war with the Soviet Union would be a “war of extermination,”” (Weingartner). Hitler also went onto say that the solution to all of Germany’s problems was the extermination of all the Jews. This mentality of war and violence solving all problems is a common theme demonstrated throughout Nineteen Eighty-Four. This can be seen in the scene where Winston is being tortured by the ministry of Love (Orwell). This torture is designed to ultimately cause him to love the party reinforcing the theme that violence will eventually cause peace. Lastly, “Freedom is slavery” (Orwell 6). This slogan is the most complicated. By saying that freedom is slavery it implies that these Totalitarian government’s care about their people. However, when your citizens are “vaporized” such that in the Soviet Union (Historical Context: 1984) it can be argued that the population is not the leader’s concern. The leaders can however, manipulate the people to believe that the citizens need the protection of the government and make the people think that freedom is slavery just not those exact words.
However, because Nineteen Eighty-Four is an extreme example the government has the people manipulated so heavily that they rely more on the party than they do themselves. When examining these three slogans it becomes evident that Orwell wrote this book as warning to society.
Orwell lived in an important time where he saw many new and radical ideas that had not been shown to the same extent ever before. He took notice to the leaders and their use of fear to try to explain what society’s future could be like if it continued to follow the same path. However, could Orwell’s prediction ever come true? Ultimately that will be society’s decision however, society is still continuing to move closer to Orwell’s prediction. As a society there is more surveillance than ever before. The government has access to almost all this surveillance claiming it is for protection. However, is it being used for more than protection and is society slowly transitioning to that demonstrated in Nineteen Eighty-Four? Could Terrorism be considered another example of modern-day Totalitarianism (Horowitz)?Terrorists attempt to create fear through violence to ultimately give themselves power. This is similar to that of Hitler and Stalin trying to exterminate other groups to gain power for themselves. Orwell’s prediction might be an extreme however, is he really that far off especially taking into account all the new technology there is today?
George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty- Four is considered a perfect example of a dystopian society. This is because Orwell took his life experiences, examined them, and realized the trends of the World War Two Totalitarian societies. By examining the leaders and their use of fear one is able to understand exactly why Orwell’s prediction for the future could be summed up in three short phrases, “War is peace, Freedom is slavery, and Ignorance is Strength,” (Orwell 6). Orwell recognized these mentalities as future problems, however, if one was to describe today’s society would any of these three phrases still apply or are we improving as a population?
Works Cited
Baehr, Peter. "Totalitarianism." New Dictionary of the History of Ideas, edited by Maryanne Cline Horowitz, vol. 6, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005, pp. 2342-2348. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3424300779/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=2f7a4dfb. Accessed 10 Feb. 2017.
"Historical Context: 1984." EXPLORING Novels, Gale, 2003. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2111500103/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=f59946c8. Accessed 10 Feb. 2017. (Nineteen Eighty-Four in 1984)
Maryanne Cline Horowitz, vol. 6, Charles Scribner's Sons, 2005, pp. 2342-2348. Student Resources in Context link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CX3424300779/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=2f7a4dfb. Accessed 10 Feb. 2017.
Orwell, George. 1984. London: Secker & Warburg, 1949. Print.
Roviello, Anne-Marie. "The hidden violence of totalitarianism: the loss of the groundwork of the world." Social Research, vol. 74, no. 3, 2007, p. 923+. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A171212215/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=0b8ca3b8. Accessed 7 Feb. 2017.
Weingartner, James. "War against subhumans: comparisons between the German War against the Soviet Union and the American war against Japan, 1941-1945." The Historian, vol. 58, no. 3, 1996, p. 557+. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A18516918/SUIC?u=pl2020&xid=3da00ffb. Accessed 8 Feb. 2017.