1984 Dystopia Essay

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1984: The Government of a Dystopia
In 1984 by George Orwell, Orwell relates his novel to many other governmental dystopias in the past, present, and future generations to come. A dystopia is an imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, and is typically totalitarian or environmentally degraded. Orwell uses past governmental party leaders, such as Stalin and Hitler, to symbolize “Big Brother” in this novel. Big Brother is one of the main characters in the novel who controls The Party and the people of Oceania. Orwell uses himself many ways as a basis for the main character Winston. Winston is against Big Brother and The Party, but acts as a civilized follower of The Party by following the daily routine along with his fellow …show more content…
An important character to keep in mind is Big Brother. Big Brother is the leader of The Party in this novel and controlled the people of Oceania. Big Brother is viewed on posters throughout the country with visuals of him titled, “Big Brother is Watching You” (Orwell 5). The people of Oceania view these posters and remember that with every move they make, they are watched. The posters and billboards screening with Big Brother subside by the telescreens to warn everyone to be sly and think only of praise towards their leader. According to what critics say, because of Big Brother, “Orwell’s 1984 is a dystopia that holds forth no hope and against all resistance is unavailing” (Erickson). What the critics do not know is that Orwell wants this to be the image his novel portrays. Without a background of merciless leaders Orwell would not have the opportunity of writing with such imagery as he has in his novel. Orwell used Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Francisco Franco, and Mao Tse-tung as leaders he thought to resemble his dystopian leader Big Brother (Stanley). Orwell believed that leaders like these got innocent people to be brainwashed into believing anything they said was true. An author allowing an antagonist to portray no mercy would show the effect that power and corruption of one single person can have on a society of

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