The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism

The Hunger Games versus 1984 Many dystopian novels portraying alternate universes with authoritarian governments exist for fiction lovers to read. In 1949, George Orwell published the original such a novel, 1984. The novel depicted a war and poverty infested world controlled completely by Big Brother and the Inner Party. Following its successful release, many additional authors began to also write dystopian novels, many of which paralleled the undertones of 1984. One of these novels, The Hunger…

According to The Book, or The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism written by Emmanuel Goldstein, “A Party member lives from birth to death under the eye of the Thought Police. Even when he is alone he can never be sure that he is alone“ (Orwell 219). Thought Police can be anyone, your family…

Across history, human beings have a tendency to obey orders, which ten becomes a norm. The Milgram study of obedience reveals the extent to which people will go in obeying orders and how this is so ingrained in people, that they dare not challenge abuse of power. The Milgram sentiments about obedience are replicated in the Gorge Orwell dystopian novel, 1984, where people show great willingness to obey those in positions of power even when it goes against their ethical and moral convictions,…

When reading 1984 by George Orwell, the first thing that becomes apparent is the near-omnipresent use of symbolism. By using symbolism throughout the novel, George Orwell paints a bleak future that could very well become a reality. From a totalitarian corrupt government to brainwashed citizens and surveillance that blankets the world, the dystopian future depicted in 1984 could easily become our future if we are not careful, and George Orwell wants to make sure that it doesn’t. By placing…

figurative sense in George Orwell’s novel, 1984. Throughout the plot, Winston, the protagonist, is able to recall a world that existed prior to the oppressive government that he knows. Eventually, Winston receives a book entitled The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism. In the volume, he learns of the previous class systems, countries that used to exist, and old-fashioned values. Unbeknownst to Winston, the information is supplied by the Inner Party, officials of Oceania that are…

When authors emphasize an object or event, they do it on purpose because the object or event will play a role later in the story. Orwell demonstrates Winston’s fear of rats in the middle of the story to foreshadow the impact of the creature during the torture of Winston. Julia sees a rat when she and Winston are in their secret room. She goes on to tell Winston that women do not dare leave a baby alone, because the huge, brown rats will hurt the baby. Horrified, Winston tells her to stop and…

Orwell’s 1984 follows the protagonist Winston Smith calling into question the rule of totalitarian leader Big Brother of the superstate Oceania. The author utilizes Winston’s occupation at the Ministry of Truth to showcase the constant manipulation of truth enforced by Big Brother. By changing and creating new documents, the inhabitants of Oceania are unable to differentiate between the original and revised versions. Kim Jong Un, ruler of North Korea controls and limits the amount of information…

People’s lives are boring maybe that’s why they like to imagine a different world inside their heads. But maybe as a professional writer, George Orwell wrote the dystopian novel 1984 to vent out the idea he had inside, which he wanted an outlet, and had the perfect medium to. For most of us, we always perceive the society as a “self-civilizing” process which would eventually lead us to a world with absolute justice. Philosophers in ancient Greek, Rome and China derived some early structures of…

Symbolism 1. Big Brother: Big Brother is seen as the main leader of Oceania. Big Brothers image symbolizes the power and strength of Oceania. He is seen as an overseer or guardian to the citizens of Oceania and is often associated with the party. “At those moments his secret loathing of Big Brother changed into adoration, and Big Brother seemed to tower up, an invincible, fearless protector, standing like a rock against the hordes of Asia” (16). 2. Glass Paperweight: The glass paper weight…

severe oppression of the African people and contributing to the decline of false consciousness concerning colonial capitalism. George Orwell brilliantly reveals financial exploitation through the Book of the Brotherhood: The Theory and Practice of Oligarchical Collectivism. The Book, although fictional, applies to both the fictitious situation in 1984 and real world political interests, for example: Whichever power controls equatorial Africa, or the countries in the Middle East, or Southern…