Methods of Control in the Novel 1984

In the novel 1984, George Orwell creates a dystopian society where people are stripped of their humanity and individuality does not exist. Oceania is one of three superstates in 1984 where the Party maintains absolute power over its people. The party uses a variety of tools to maintain their power through surveillance through the telescreens, child spies, and the thought police. They also used brainwashing with propaganda, and psychological manipulation and physical control. One of the methods the party uses to maintain their power is through surveillance techniques as telescreens, junior spies, and thought police. The telescreens are tools that the party uses to instill fear within the population of Oceania. “There was no place you could be more certain that the telescreens were watched continuously” (Orwell, 107) this quote tells is that telescreens are everywhere in Oceania, and there is no place to hide. All members of the Inner Party and Outer Party have telescreens in their house, and are constantly monitored. Because of the constant surveillance, the telescreens eliminate the threat of a conspiracy against the party. As a reader, one can see that the telescreens are effective in instilling fear into people when Winston starts writing in his diary. Without realizing, Winston wrote “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” (18) in large capital letters. As soon as Winston realized what he had written, he started to panic and was scared that the telescreen saw him. In addition to being used for surveillance, the telescreens also broadcasted false news reports, and other propaganda such as the two minutes hate. “The instrument could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely” (2). Since the telescreen cannot be turned off, party members are forced to listen to the propaganda that is being constantly broadcasted. The party brainwashes children to spy for them. Their main goal is to spy on their parents, and other adults to report any abnormal behaviour, and