The Totalitarian Tyrant
The Totalitarian Tyrant
George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 addresses the dangers of having an all powerful government by including propaganda, mind control, and physical force within the novel.
The author uses propaganda to warn society about the dangers of a totalitarian government. In almost every room and hallway of Airstrip One, there is a television screen of Big Brother watching the citizens of Oceania. The monitors are supposed to provide a feeling of security and safety, but instead, they spy on people about to commit thoughtcrime. These screens force everyone to be absolutely perfect because one wrong action could send them to prison. Orwell discourages society from following the Oceanic path so they can have their own freedom …show more content…
The children of Oceania are taught to be on the lookout for people who commit thoughtcrime so they can tell the thought police, even if it happens to be their own parents. While waiting in a prison cell, Winston asks Parson who denounced him for thoughtcrime. He replies, “It was my little daughter, said Parson with a sort of doleful pride. She listened at the keyhole. Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh? I don’t bear her any grudge for it. In fact I’m proud of her” (233). The Party uses the junior spy program to become stronger than everything, even family bonds. Instead of hating his daughter, however, Parson praises his daughter for reporting him, showing how he too, believes that the Party is stronger than family. By including propaganda throughout the story, Orwell hints that a totalitarian government will never stop until it is in control of …show more content…
On many occasions, the Party does not predict the correct amount of rations or clothing it needs for its people; instead of announcing their mistake, however, the Party sends all of its records to the Ministry of Truth to have them all changed. The rest of the population believes that the Party is always correct, letting the government grow their power even more. When Winston works on his daily routine, the author explains “As short a time ago as February, the Ministry of Plenty had issued a promise that there would be no reduction of the chocolate ration during 1984. Actually, as Winston was aware, the chocolate ration was to be reduced from thirty grams to twenty at the end of the present week” (39). Winston’s job is to change the records so the Party would be correct about the rations, and only he is aware of the change. Orwell shows Winston’s job to warn that a government with great power will try to keep its power, even if it means constantly deceiving its
George Orwell’s dystopian novel 1984 addresses the dangers of having an all powerful government by including propaganda, mind control, and physical force within the novel.
The author uses propaganda to warn society about the dangers of a totalitarian government. In almost every room and hallway of Airstrip One, there is a television screen of Big Brother watching the citizens of Oceania. The monitors are supposed to provide a feeling of security and safety, but instead, they spy on people about to commit thoughtcrime. These screens force everyone to be absolutely perfect because one wrong action could send them to prison. Orwell discourages society from following the Oceanic path so they can have their own freedom …show more content…
The children of Oceania are taught to be on the lookout for people who commit thoughtcrime so they can tell the thought police, even if it happens to be their own parents. While waiting in a prison cell, Winston asks Parson who denounced him for thoughtcrime. He replies, “It was my little daughter, said Parson with a sort of doleful pride. She listened at the keyhole. Heard what I was saying, and nipped off to the patrols the very next day. Pretty smart for a nipper of seven, eh? I don’t bear her any grudge for it. In fact I’m proud of her” (233). The Party uses the junior spy program to become stronger than everything, even family bonds. Instead of hating his daughter, however, Parson praises his daughter for reporting him, showing how he too, believes that the Party is stronger than family. By including propaganda throughout the story, Orwell hints that a totalitarian government will never stop until it is in control of …show more content…
On many occasions, the Party does not predict the correct amount of rations or clothing it needs for its people; instead of announcing their mistake, however, the Party sends all of its records to the Ministry of Truth to have them all changed. The rest of the population believes that the Party is always correct, letting the government grow their power even more. When Winston works on his daily routine, the author explains “As short a time ago as February, the Ministry of Plenty had issued a promise that there would be no reduction of the chocolate ration during 1984. Actually, as Winston was aware, the chocolate ration was to be reduced from thirty grams to twenty at the end of the present week” (39). Winston’s job is to change the records so the Party would be correct about the rations, and only he is aware of the change. Orwell shows Winston’s job to warn that a government with great power will try to keep its power, even if it means constantly deceiving its