I used to dread the walk down the hallway to the 1st grade classroom due to hearing the derogatory marks aimed at me. My crime was being different. I spoke Punjabi instead of English because it gave me comfort that no one else attempted to give. I wore my clothes differently out of respect for my religion and ate my culture’s food. I kept my head down whenever they told me to go back from where I came and suffered due to my differences. To avoid the abuse, I yearned to be like them. I started speaking English with the help of my fairy godmother, the ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher. She even helped teach my family how to be more “American” by abandoning the flavorful spices, the heavy embroidered clothing, and our beautiful language.
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Conforming to the society around me gave me a sense of relief. I was not alone anymore, and for once, I felt safe. The situation of the people in Oceania, from the book 1984, is similar to that of mine because they conform to fit society’s standards. They suppress any and all emotions, continuously monitor their facial expressions, and try their hardest to regulate their heartbeat in fear of showcasing individuality. As readers, we generally assume that the Oceania government is to blame for such restrictions; however, the people willingly gave up individuality in fear of being different.
In order to progressively reform everyone, the adults had to start with the most moldable minds. Children do not have as much exposure as the adults do and are not as opinionated nor informed. Therefore, it is easier to get them to believe that showcasing individuality is the crux of abnormality. They easily adapt to this mentality because it is what they are raised with. For example, Tom Parson, Winston’s …show more content…
Everyone, including the main character, Winston, refrain from standing up against the “oppressors”, the government (Big Brother), because no one else is known to have done so. In the beginning, Winston allowed his freedom to be suppressed as evidenced by all the laws he would remember when partaking in any action. When he was about to write in the diary he remembered, “If detected it was reasonably certain that it would be punished by death, or at least by twenty-five years in a forced-labor camp” (6). Winston reminded himself as a form of control. The government could not force him to remember such rules, but the society embedded into Winston’s mind, that there is a consequence for standing alone and showcasing your individuality. To conform with society 's wishes, Winston masked his emotions, thoughts, and anything that may give him away. Also, upon meeting Julia (Winston’s love interest), the first thought that popped into his mind was “... the piece of glass in his pocket should be heavy enough for the job” (101). Winston contemplated killing her because she brought out his feeling of desire. One may think the government was at fault for such an outrageous thought; however, the Oceanic society has warped Winston’s mind into believing that any form of emotion is a thoughtcrime. Julia is a lethal weapon that has the potential to bring out
Conforming to the society around me gave me a sense of relief. I was not alone anymore, and for once, I felt safe. The situation of the people in Oceania, from the book 1984, is similar to that of mine because they conform to fit society’s standards. They suppress any and all emotions, continuously monitor their facial expressions, and try their hardest to regulate their heartbeat in fear of showcasing individuality. As readers, we generally assume that the Oceania government is to blame for such restrictions; however, the people willingly gave up individuality in fear of being different.
In order to progressively reform everyone, the adults had to start with the most moldable minds. Children do not have as much exposure as the adults do and are not as opinionated nor informed. Therefore, it is easier to get them to believe that showcasing individuality is the crux of abnormality. They easily adapt to this mentality because it is what they are raised with. For example, Tom Parson, Winston’s …show more content…
Everyone, including the main character, Winston, refrain from standing up against the “oppressors”, the government (Big Brother), because no one else is known to have done so. In the beginning, Winston allowed his freedom to be suppressed as evidenced by all the laws he would remember when partaking in any action. When he was about to write in the diary he remembered, “If detected it was reasonably certain that it would be punished by death, or at least by twenty-five years in a forced-labor camp” (6). Winston reminded himself as a form of control. The government could not force him to remember such rules, but the society embedded into Winston’s mind, that there is a consequence for standing alone and showcasing your individuality. To conform with society 's wishes, Winston masked his emotions, thoughts, and anything that may give him away. Also, upon meeting Julia (Winston’s love interest), the first thought that popped into his mind was “... the piece of glass in his pocket should be heavy enough for the job” (101). Winston contemplated killing her because she brought out his feeling of desire. One may think the government was at fault for such an outrageous thought; however, the Oceanic society has warped Winston’s mind into believing that any form of emotion is a thoughtcrime. Julia is a lethal weapon that has the potential to bring out