What Is The Moral Of The Novel 1984 By George Orwell

Improved Essays
Likewise, the favored novel 1984 exhibits the realistic sense of a government which hopes to obtain downright control of the people. George Orwell’s 1984 depicts how the government overpowers the population’s independence with severe regulations, relentless observation, and the establishment of trepidation through propaganda.
George Orwell, originally born as Eric Arthur Blair, has generated a few of the most well-known fiction stories of the 20th century through his career. In 1949, George Orwell published the novel 1984 succeeding from the conclusion of World War II (“George Orwell Biography”). The well-crafted novel was produced in response to the totalitarian governments that were arising following World War II. Orwell’s writing simply
…show more content…
Every life is under control; therefore, the citizens must be sure to follow all of the appointed rules. As specified by George Orwell, “If you made unexpected movements they yelled at you from the telescreen” (226). The telescreen was a piece of technology, operated by the government, which acquired, and relayed information concurrently. The particular aspect of Oceania represented an extremely useful tactic. Everything that was transmitted from the telescreen was applied in manipulation to the citizens. From this, the people had no privileges since they were steadily being supervised and dominated by the government. Similarly, the novel claims that “Party members were supposed not to go into ordinary shops (‘dealing on the free market, it was called’)” (Orwell 6). Although this rule was not harshly retained, it was another regulation which limited the activity of the people. People seemed to elude their originality and independence due to the government. The novel, 1984, reveals the belief that “Consorting with prostitutes was forbidden, of course” (Orwell 64). Winston’s initial encounter with a prostitute directly relates to his subsequent lack of success and demolition due to his own deficiency. If anyone was caught with a prostitute then eventual consequences would prospectively …show more content…
Natalie Saaris argues the idea that “Orwell illustrates the effects of totalitarian government through the figure of Big Brother who watches over the citizens and maintains control over their behavior” (www.enotes.com). In this novel, it is distinguishable that Big Brother is ideally represented as the perceived leader behind all the substantial power. The omniscient figure of Big Brother gazes into the lives of all the citizens since there is no escape from him or the Party. The people may not see Big Brother; however, he is invariably always examining the populace with his vigilant eyes. It is evident that the idea of each specific person being “subjected to 24 hour surveillance” represents an atrocious environment to be living in (http://www.online-literature.com). The idea of being watched twenty-four hours a day imposed people to think and act in specific ways. The continuous monitoring lead most citizens to become nearly futile, and contravene in relation to their rights as human beings. Newspeak Dictionary simplistically identifies that there were “Telescreens in all public and private places, so the populace could be watched to prevent thoughtcrime” (http://www.newspeakdictionary.com). In this novel, the telescreens are extremely superior; therefore, they can detect even the most infinitesimal sounds or movements made by

Related Documents

  • Superior Essays

    “Restrictions of a Totalitarian Society” What if our government kept complete control over our society and how we live our everyday lives? What if I told you that’s how it is today? In 1949, author George Orwell wrote a dystopian science-fictional novel about how the future of our society will be ran by a government who prevents all individualism on a private land known as Oceania. The fictitious idea of “Big Brother” is always watching you allows the party to preserve idea of ignorance with the people.…

    • 1269 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    1984 by George Orwell was published in 1949 to inform people of the dangers of totalitarian regimes that were uprising during this time period. George Orwell lived during a war filled time where he personally experienced totalitarian governments. To express his fear for these governments, Orwell published many novels including 1984 to describe his experiences he first handedly discovered within many citizens who live under this type of government. In the novel 1984, the main character, Winston Smith, lives in a totalitarian government under the rule of Big Brother and is regularly monitored by the secret police. Winston attempts to revolt against his government with a coworker, but he is captured and brainwashed by the secret police and…

    • 154 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In the novel 1984, written by George Orwell, the author shows a dystopian world where everything is monitored by “Big Brother”. During the novel, the people of Oceania are constantly under the supervision and control “Big Brother” by the telescreens set up, one false action and they are instantly caught by the Thought Police. For…

    • 1318 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Despite the restrictive, deceptive, and controlling nature of the world he lives in, Winston is still able to recognize that life is grossly unjust. The only way Winston has of knowing this, he says, is “the mute protest in [one’s] own bones, the instinctive feeling that the conditions [one] lived in were intolerable and that at some other time they must have been different” (Orwell). Winston desires to replace his “world of lies” with “a world of sanity” and equality (Orwell). And to create this new world, Winston is willing to do nearly anything and everything. Referring to the Party, Winston once reflects that he would gladly “have infected the whole lot of them with leprosy or syphilis” if he could have done so, saying that he would do “anything to rot, to weaken, to undermine” (Orwell).…

    • 1248 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Decent Essays

    1984 Totalitarian Regime

    • 664 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In this novel, Orwell used the image of a man standing in a shadow that covered his face. This was to make him anonymous. This figure was called "Big Brother", and was placed on posters everywhere with the saying "BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU. " This was used to let the people know that no matter where they go, they could not escape omnipotent presence of government. "If the Party could thrust its hand into the past and say this or that even, it never happened-that, surely, was more terrifying than mere torture and death."…

    • 664 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Was Orwell trying to warn us of something that could be a big problem? Orwell writing the book sixty seven years ago never knew his predictions would be so close to becoming true. His predictions of the government spying on its people can be compared to today's “Patriot Act” in the United States Of America. The Patriot Act was step forward after the horrible nine eleven terrorist attack.…

    • 997 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    George Orwell's novel isn’t just a dramatised story of a terrible government meant to scare people; it actually represents real things happening right now, and how they affect the lives of people…

    • 1167 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    These screens are located almost everywhere, with the intention of constantly watching the citizens until one can be incriminated. The Party looks for signs of “thoughtcrime” or any disloyalty to Big Brother; even unconscious acts, such as sleep-talking, are punishable. It is known that “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself--anything that carried with it the suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide” (62).…

    • 1088 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    There Is No Such Thing as Privacy “It was even conceivable that they watched us all the time.” These are the words Winston Smith and all of Oceania had to live by. George Orwell’s 1984 warns us about totalitarian regimes. The government, Big Brother, abolishes the citizen’s freedom and their own personal privacy, and even into their personal thoughts.…

    • 1346 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Orwell creates new technologies and new branches of government to keep each citizen in check, and ensure full control of Big Brother. To avoid any forms of individuality from developing in the community, Orwell’s Inner Party in 1984 creates a government that turns…

    • 1638 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Physiological manipulation and dangers of a totalitarian government make up a huge part of this novel. Orwell, having witnessed first hand the horrific lengths a totalitarian government would go through to increase their power. He had experienced this constantly as he fought with the anarchists in the war. Orwell wrote 1984 to alert western nations on how to deal with the rise of communism. The title of the novel was meant to indicate to its readers in 1949 that the story represented a real possibility for the…

    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Orwell's Warnings

    • 1150 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Physical control, psychological manipulation, control of information and history, technology, and supervised communication all exemplify the ideas of totalitarianism. In “1984” by George Orwell these horrid notions of power, unfortunately, become a reality. In 1949, Orwell wrote this novel in order to express his views of the possible grim future the world could succumb to and to convey his warnings of a totalitarian society. Although his prediction of a complete Orwellian society did not become a reality, Orwell’s warnings still possess large meaning today and can be validated from numerous examples associated with modern existence. For instance, the United States government has been spying on its residents similarly in “1984” the “Party”…

    • 1150 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Through the book, I was able to understand what Orwell was warning people about, a totalitarian government. The purpose of the book was to warn readers in the west of the dangers of totalitarian government. Orwell wrote 1984 before this time period, he was sounding alarms in Western nations still unsure about how to approach communism. The title of the novel says it all, the title is supposed to warn its reader that the world described in the book might become realization if totalitarian is not opposed. Some variation of the world described in the novel could become reality in only 35 years, a 35 year difference from 1949 and 1984.…

    • 1166 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Orwell’s novel 1984 is a great piece of literature that should included in a list of works of high literary merit. Approximately six months before Orwell passed away, he published the novel 1984. This book is taking place in the near-future, or what is the past to us now, in 1984. Its set place is Oceania, which is a large area comprised of the Americas, Australia, England, and part of lower africa, in a city called London. England is also renamed to Air Strip One and is known as the “mainland.”…

    • 1505 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Who controls the past, controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” Quoted by George Orwell. One of the most eloquent and expressive pieces of writing written by Orwell is 1984, which is depicted thoroughly through his use of rhetoric. The novel demonstrates the life of a man stripped of his memory, his pride, and his freedom, coming to realization with the rebellious force driving him to break the rules enforced by the Inner Party.…

    • 549 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays