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How Does George Orwell Use Power In 1984

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How Does George Orwell Use Power In 1984
Power is the strength and authority to control one’s thoughts, actions, and beliefs. In the novel 1984, the reader is exposed to the concept of power through manipulation and fear solely by Big Brother. He plays a big role in damaging the mental and physical state of Oceanians and also utilizes his power to benefit him and the Party. Restricting individualism, psychological manipulation, and reverse psychology are used in order for Big Brother to secure a dystopian, uniform society under the jurisdiction of the Party.
Envision a place where everyone is living a life controlled by the government, where everyone lives in unison. George Orwell’s 1984 conveys an identical society in which Big Brother maintains his power by restricting any form of …show more content…
George Orwell effectively conveys the notion of psychological manipulation through Big Brother, as he constantly ensures he has the highest level of authority. In 1984, Big Brother uses power to manipulate the human mind into believing his preferred way of life is the only way. “Power is tearing human minds to pieces and putting them together again in new shapes of your own choosing.” (Orwell, 2008, pg. 279). This quote clarifies Big Brother’s definition of power, he configures everyone else’s life into a more favoured perspective that is an asset to his control. Psychological fear plays a major role in manipulating the people of Oceania. A quote that shows the fear used for manipulation is“The espionage, the betrayals, the arrests, the tortures, the executions, the disappearances will never cease. It will be a world of terror as much as a world of triumph.” (Orwell, 2008, pg. 281). This shows the world of fear that makes the people afraid of anything beyond the doors of the human mind. The concept of psychological manipulation aids in steering the citizens of Oceania towards the ideal dystopian
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