Why Is Thoughtcrime Literally Impossible

Decent Essays
The Party wants to eliminate thoughtcrime, which is having unorthodox thoughts. Newspeak replaces standard English and it enables the citizens from thinking negatively about the Party. This makes “thoughtcrime literally impossible” as the range of thought gets smaller which is the “aim” of the Party. The citizens of Oceania will not be able to speak badly about Big Brother if there are no words in which to convey negative thoughts about him. Newspeak as a language is limiting, furthermore controlling the citizens as they are only able to express what the Party believes acceptable to express. By using Newspeak the Party changes what the citizens communicate about. The Party decides what words get eliminated and what words don’t. They have the

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    Newspeak is the new edition of the English language where words are destroyed and made shorter by combining them with another word which doesn’t mean the same but is made the same, while doublethink is where two words which are contradictory are put together. America uses newspeak and doublespeak in explaining war, government, trade, and much more. Words used by America to appear to the American people as being positive or negative towards someone or a group is how words can play in telling someone about a bad thing through the use of good words. This use of words has controlled how people think about their government because they are seen as doing the right thing instead of something…

    • 1487 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    In the novel 1984, one of the most frightening aspects is “Newspeak,” the systematic destruction of language as a medium of truth. “Newspeak” is used to reconstruct the language so that any way of verbal opposition to the Party is impossible. By creating “Newspeak”, the government could remove or change the meanings of different words to assist the power of Big Brother and overall eliminate thoughtcrime. The people of Oceania are greatly controlled by “Newspeak” and the new language it has created.…

    • 517 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Doublespeak: an Ironic End to Ethical Civilization What would life be like if government controlled all radios, televisions, and newspaper? Imagine being told that only one thing acceptable is to believe. Imagine if an individual is told what to speak, what to think, how to act, and who to trust. North Korea is a communist country in Asia.…

    • 1016 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Even though there are infinite variations of individuals in the Party’s society, the outcome is the same in every situation; the Party has mastered the tools needed to obtain absolute control in Oceania. For the few that attempt to resist the apparent conforming society around them, through torture, precision, and persistence the Party will break their spirits and their hearts. For those who struggle to accept the manipulative concepts present in their society, the Party’s genius methods will whittle them down until one’s reality is the Party’s reality, and there is no path that harms the present and/or future of Big Brother’s society. As for the true believers, the true reality is they are slaves to an all-knowing and all-powerful force who…

    • 217 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    As a society, we continue to choose words that essentially hold no substance. Orwell believes that as a direct repercussion, our society is on a downward spiral. In his famous work, 1984, he illustrates this by creating the dialect of Newspeak. Newspeak is a government initiative to limit the amount of ‘negative though words’ in their citizens vocabulary. Any word in Newspeak can serve as a different part of speech.…

    • 530 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Dehumanization In 1984

    • 873 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The limitations Newspeak creates is further shown in the quote, “ ‘Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.’” (55). The Party’s…

    • 873 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The problem with the “speakwrite” is that is operates under only one language; Newspeak. The aim of Newspeak is to remove rebellious or meaningful words and their meanings from society, so that Oceania’s citizens no longer possess independent thoughts. When certain words are removed, these individuals are no longer able to find the words necessary to describe their feelings. Instead, these individuals are only be capable of producing thoughts that fit the motives of the government. This repression of critical thinking and…

    • 1238 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The slogan “Uneducation is Power” captures how the Party remains in control by keeping the masses ignorant. In Goldstein’s book, the Party accomplishes this by being perpetually at war, eliminating contact with foreigners, and fabricating the past. The three superstates are always at war with one another to ensure that the general population does not become more educated. On page 191, Goldstein states, “The essential act of war is destruction, not necessarily of human lives, but of the products of human labor.…

    • 518 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Big Brother thought if he could control the language in the society he would be able to manipulate and distract the population from thinking and rebelling against him. His idea of altering the old English was to manipulate and control the minds of Oceania. Language was very important in expressing ones idea with each other and to the world and by controlling the amount of words one can use limited the idea for the people in Oceania to think or to be intelligent and this how Big brother controlled the society. Big brother and the party continued to control the language in Oceania by destroying old English words. Big brother created Newspeak to limit thought, his ultimate goal was to distract the citizens from questioning his…

    • 1633 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    17: In what ways does the concept of "freedom of choice" inform your reading in any two works you have studied? Thesis Statement: In The Handmaid 's Tale by Margaret Atwood and 1984 by George Orwell, the concept of freedom of choice is informative as it enables readers to consider the restrictions of a dystopian society, thus allowing greater understanding of the main characters, Offred and Winston.…

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Thesis: In George Orwell’s 1984, Winston resists the Party’s degradation of basic human rights through his intimate relationship with Julia in an effort to maintain his individuality. His example inspires people today to find ways to preserve their civil liberties when faced with oppression. Party’s degradation of basic human rights Winston’s resistance to the Party’s dehumanization through his intimate relationship with Julia Conclusion: Orwell’s call for all people to fight for the preservation of their civil liberties Outline: The Inner Party ruthlessly denies its citizens their basic human rights to individually interpret the world, have private lives, and be informed of the truth.…

    • 1012 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength" (Orwell 4). In other words, the party’s motto is basically brainwashing the people completely. Big Brother’s way of society is basically the opposite of ours. The spread of these ideas and the government following them, makes the community or all of the people of the society want to follow them and be scared if they think differently.…

    • 1850 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Power of Language “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows” (81). This phrase, written by Winston Smith in George Orwell’s 1984, reflects the twisted truth that is manipulated by the government in his “Nation” of Oceania. In this dystopian future, the government seeks to control the thoughts and actuals of its citizens, leaving them incapable of challenging the government’s authority.…

    • 1158 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Social Issues In 1984

    • 1016 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The party’s success is unlike any other powers before them. In the novel Orwell states, “the people before them founded the nation on love, compassion and Justice but, Oceania is founded upon fear, hatred, rage, triumph, and self- abasement” (220). Their goal is to become more merciless and less humane over time. The party is creating a place filled with people who can do anything whether it’s good or bad, they are creating a group of people who doesn’t think, and would follow anything and everything the party wants them to do. They are founded upon their loyalty towards Big Brother, they love him and thinks he will never fail.…

    • 1016 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Room 101 1984 Analysis

    • 1185 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The feeling of someone constantly watching and controlling you is prevalent in the city. With the use of technologies such as telescreens, and mics, Big Brother is able to watch each and every single move of his citizens. Big Brother controls people’s thoughts and beliefs, through what is called speakwrite, by constantly changing, and rewriting history. The technologies the party uses to control its citizens are the telescreens, microphones, Ministry of Love, and speakwrite.…

    • 1185 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays