A Big Family

In the passage, Neil Postman contrasts George Orwell's vision of the future from the novel 1984 with that of Aldous Huxley's in the novel Brave New World. In 1984, Orwell warns that we will be “overcome by an externally imposed oppression”, whereas Huxley’s vision is that no external force is required to deprive people of their autonomy because we will come to love oppression, “to adore the technologies that undo their (human) capacities to think”. Huxley’s assertion of modern society is more…

a moustache that they print on posters and put up. On the poster the words “Big Brother is watching you”. That is in fact true with the telescreens that watch everything you do in your house. What Big Brother really represents the authoritarian government that watched and controlled most aspects of your lives. Some people who’ve written blogs about 1984, also believe that the warming picture of the man who represents Big Brother, represents warm and comfort because it can protect you. At the…

Originally coined in 1972 by psychologist Irving Janis, the term “groupthink” has its roots in 1984. The Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology defines the phenomenon as “a condition in which highly cohesive groups in ‘hot’ decision situations display excessive levels of concurrence seeking that suppress critical inquiry and result in faulty decision making” (Aldag). Janis chose the name groupthink due to Orwell’s “doublethink” in 1984, a similar condition marked by the simultaneous acceptance of…

George orwell decides to give the people who are under the big brother establishment a language called newspeak. Newspeak is the english language shortened to make language easier and less descriptive with statements like, “times 3.12.83 reporting bb dayorder doublespunungood refs unpersons rewrite fullwise upsub antefiling.” This translate in english to, “The reporting of big brother’s order for the day in the Times of december 3rd 1983 is extremely unsatisfactory…

The notion of the government being omnipotent alarms people of all ages, recalling Communist years, and various other occurrences of absolutism. George Orwell’s dystopian novel, 1984, encompasses a futuristic totalitarian state under the control of “Big Brother.” Warnings to the Western world delineating possible despotism, remain prominent throughout characters. The protagonist, Winston Smith, works at a propaganda department for the state, labeled the “Ministry of Truth,” where inopportune…

This is a saying used by Big Brother to instill fear and remind the people that there is no hiding. There is no way for those who are aware of what is happening to spread their ideas or even act on them without being taken in by the Ministry of Love (the ministry that deals with law and order) and most likely killed. This is one of the most memorable quotes from the book. This is an example of what is called Doublethink. This essentially confuses the mind and ensures that the population is not…

is on every poster and telescreen in Oceania, with the caption “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” (3). Big Brother’s face is intentionally meant to look strong but caring in order to make the proletariat masses both respect and fear him. He is revered as an all-knowing perfect leader who never makes mistakes and cares for each citizen. Even the name Big Brother implies that he is both familial, yet wiser and more powerful than you are. Big Brother represents the aspects that the party wants the…

the panoptic design and totalitarianism ideologies are shown entirely within the pages of 1984 by George Orwell. The mind within, is a trap. Imagine living within the dystopian society of 1984, where thinking is wrong. Big Brother is the trigger that catches all those who question Big brother. There is only one way to survive in a world where ideas are commonly practiced and enforced is to become one with yourself. Which boils down and leaves but one choice, trust cannot be put in the hands of…

Throughout Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, it does not take long to notice that a certain code of conduct, or code of ethics, is very prevalent throughout the poem. The poem includes several key aspects of medieval life, especially how following the code of chivalry is a requirement for knights. The knightly code of chivalry explains the bravery of Sir Gawain that is portrayed throughout the poem. During the story, Gawain’s chivalry is continuously tested, but it is not just Gawain’s chivalry…

persisting to maintain individuality. A prime example of this is Winston and Julia’s interactions. Conroy and Mills have been effective in their gestures, facial expressions and body language remaining true to realism as their super-objective of defying big brother to savour their love and prolong their liberty symbolises hope, relating to the true-to-life nature of their characters, since affection and freedom are a part of life and normality. The Convention of Realism, of believable characters…