In the novel 1984, George Orwell uses imagery to strengthen many aspects of the story. Three of these include setting, tone, and characterization. In fact, Orwell uses imagery so extensively in 1984 that entire pages consisted of detailed descriptions of what is being witnessed. Each new image that he introduced added more depth to every aspect of the book and painted a more vivid image in the heads of the audience. He, of course, uses other literary devices, but the imagery was by far the most pronounced. In 1984, Orwell employs imagery to show Winston’s first impressions of other people through their outward appearance or facial expressions. In other words, these characterizations from imagery tell the audience details about each person.
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To start, images depict the street outside of Winston’s house at Victory Mansions as a grayscale and dreary environment despite the harsh nature of the sky. In addition, the only color was the perpetually staring eyes of Big Brother. These images show specifics about the setting along with exciting a gloomy and ominous tone. The picture being described as colorless and bleak also forces the atmosphere of that section to seem cold and unfeeling. The second example is the way in which Orwell describes the cafeteria. In one chapter, Orwell provides a long list of how the cafeteria looks, but in short, it is dilapidated, unkempt, and extremely crowded. One can describe the people inside negatively and at one point Orwell writes that one man sounds like a duck. A person could call The resulting tone words such as confined or uncomfortable; akin to sardines in a can. Lastly, the prison in the Ministry of Love has imagery portraying it as, high-ceilinged, windowless, white walled, lit with cold light, producing a constant humming sound, having a bench just wide enough to sit on, and a telescreen on each wall. This description makes it seem as though it is a sterile environment where the Party will scrub prisoners of any impurities. Other sentences about how the prisoners act created a foreboding tone since Winston will soon have to face their fate. The room itself creates a sense of isolationism and makes him seem separated from the rest of the world. These images each depict a scene in both environment and tone, drawing a clear picture of the story in the readers’
To start, images depict the street outside of Winston’s house at Victory Mansions as a grayscale and dreary environment despite the harsh nature of the sky. In addition, the only color was the perpetually staring eyes of Big Brother. These images show specifics about the setting along with exciting a gloomy and ominous tone. The picture being described as colorless and bleak also forces the atmosphere of that section to seem cold and unfeeling. The second example is the way in which Orwell describes the cafeteria. In one chapter, Orwell provides a long list of how the cafeteria looks, but in short, it is dilapidated, unkempt, and extremely crowded. One can describe the people inside negatively and at one point Orwell writes that one man sounds like a duck. A person could call The resulting tone words such as confined or uncomfortable; akin to sardines in a can. Lastly, the prison in the Ministry of Love has imagery portraying it as, high-ceilinged, windowless, white walled, lit with cold light, producing a constant humming sound, having a bench just wide enough to sit on, and a telescreen on each wall. This description makes it seem as though it is a sterile environment where the Party will scrub prisoners of any impurities. Other sentences about how the prisoners act created a foreboding tone since Winston will soon have to face their fate. The room itself creates a sense of isolationism and makes him seem separated from the rest of the world. These images each depict a scene in both environment and tone, drawing a clear picture of the story in the readers’