The book, 1984, written by George Orwell and published in 1949, is a dystopian novel which portrays a super-state named Oceania and the perpetual war between the other two states, Eurasia and Eastasia, of the world. “Big Brother” is the Party leader of the Inner Party in Oceania, which persecutes individualism and independent thinking, or “thoughtcrime,” and dictates a political system that manipulates the public with omnipresent government surveillance and blatant lies. The turmoil of the time surrounding the publication of the book lead Orwell to insert striking similarities in the ways the government was run by the Nazi party as well as the Soviet Union, in their respective countries before and during World War Two as well as “The Party”
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During the short twentieth century, or 1914-1991, and especially 1914-1946, the whole world, but more specifically the world of politics, was in chaos. For example, on August 23, 1939, shortly before World War Two, Germany and Russia signed the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact, in which the two countries agreed to take no military action against each other for the next ten years. This pact, however, lasted a mere two years, and in June of 1941, the Nazi forces invaded the Soviet Union. This is a parallel with the book, and the constant switching of sides, coupled with the perpetual war between the three super-states, is one of the main reasons the Department of Truth is constantly changing the history in order to prevent any chances of rebellion. As well as the changing of the history because of the constant war and changing allies, both the leaders of The Soviet Union and Germany as well as “Big Brother” and “The Party” glorified their leaders in ways that portray them as “saviors” or “part-god.” This portrayal is prevalent in both the political conditions of 1984 as well as the conditions of the short twentieth century, such as Hitler being revered in an almost god-like manner. “Big Brother” was widely used as an oppressive fear source, in 1984, as well as Hitler’s Nazi propaganda in Germany and German occupied states before and during World War
During the short twentieth century, or 1914-1991, and especially 1914-1946, the whole world, but more specifically the world of politics, was in chaos. For example, on August 23, 1939, shortly before World War Two, Germany and Russia signed the Nazi-Soviet Nonaggression Pact, in which the two countries agreed to take no military action against each other for the next ten years. This pact, however, lasted a mere two years, and in June of 1941, the Nazi forces invaded the Soviet Union. This is a parallel with the book, and the constant switching of sides, coupled with the perpetual war between the three super-states, is one of the main reasons the Department of Truth is constantly changing the history in order to prevent any chances of rebellion. As well as the changing of the history because of the constant war and changing allies, both the leaders of The Soviet Union and Germany as well as “Big Brother” and “The Party” glorified their leaders in ways that portray them as “saviors” or “part-god.” This portrayal is prevalent in both the political conditions of 1984 as well as the conditions of the short twentieth century, such as Hitler being revered in an almost god-like manner. “Big Brother” was widely used as an oppressive fear source, in 1984, as well as Hitler’s Nazi propaganda in Germany and German occupied states before and during World War