1984 Blog 1

The book 1984 by George Orwell is replete with displays of a dystopia. Displayed through the strong willed protagonist, propaganda usage to control citizens, and exaggerated fear of technology, Orwell accurately heightens the reader’s awareness to government tyranny both fictional and present day.

    Main character, Winston, reveals the majority of the dystopian characteristics making him the obvious dystopian protagonist. His role is displayed through his level headed viewpoint of society. Winston not only realizes some faults in the government system, but he also has the courage to rebel. By purchasing a journal and inkwell in the black market and actually writing in it, whilst escaping view of the telescreen, Winston willingly puts a target on his back for vaporization for “he was already dead.” (pg. 28) To betray the government, “…does not entail death, …but IS death.” (pg. 28)

   Propaganda grossly controls the citizens of 1984.  The government power requires its civilians to participate in a daily watching the Two Minutes Hate, although “…The Hate varies from day to day,” (pg. 12) it is always essentially a composition of political hogwash that Big Brother (the ultimate government power) wants its people believe without questioning.  The distorted truths that the authorities present are so intense that they create physical manifestations in its viewers.  For example when Emmanuel Goldstein the supposed “…Enemy of the People…” (pg. 11) flashed on the telescreen, even the protagonist Winston experienced a “painful mixture of emotions.” (pg. 12)   All viewers of the Two Minutes Hate basically accept the presentation and all of its gibberish as doctrine simply because they are given no other choice.

   The abuse of technology is depicted as a particular evil within 1984. Creating fear of futuristic developments such as telescreens, the Thought Police, and vaporization all attribute to the dystopian society. The “oblong metal plaque like a dulled mirror,” (pg. 2) , a telescreen, are the government’s single way to watch its citizen at all times, “Big Brother is Watching You” (pg. 2) the citizens are told. The surveillance is so tough that, “any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by [the telescreen].” (pg. 3) Telescreens are manipulated fully by The Thought Police; “they watched everyone all the time.”(pg. 3)  Everyone “lived in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard.” (pg. 3)

  

   Orwell effectively illustrates the antithesis of a utopia in his novel thus far. Although written in the 1950s the author accurately depicts multiple concepts that happen today.