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Peter Lawal
January 4, 2018
5th block
MA #4: Research

Nineteen Eighty-Four
The question of how much power should citizens concede to their government has always

been an issue. Individuals often aspire to live in a perfect nation, there is a belief that a perfect

nation is where everyone is not only equal but of the same mindset. However the concepts

behind a utopian country are only idealistic, by trying to create a utopia there will be an

inadvertent creation of a dystopian nation. Throughout history there have been several

occurrences where individuals and governments have attempted to build a utopian society but

ultimately failed. George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four explores how society would never be

able to create a utopia due to humanities need for autonomy. Orwell explains that self-

government is an essential part of human nature, individuals will never be able to conform to the

government's will, they will always think independently and act on their own thoughts. The

messages and warnings expressed in Nineteen Eighty-Four have transcended throughout time

making it one of the most influential novels ever written.

George Orwell's final novel Nineteen Eighty-Four is based on a dystopian society called

Oceania. The nation of Oceania has been riddled with war and Big Brother's totalitarian rule. The

protagonist Winston wrestles with the ideologies of The Inner Party. He works in the Ministry of

Truth where he falsifies history in favor of Big Brother. One day a woman named Julia whom he

thought to be against him slips him a note confessing her love. They meet up and begin to

commit crimes against Big Brother and The Inner Party. They are eventually caught in an above

room at Charrington's shop by O'Brien who was previously taught to be an alley. They are

persecuted for their crimes and ultimately tortured until they submit to Big Brother's will. Later
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on, when they run into each other it is clear that the loyalty they once had for one another has

been replaced with loyalty to Big Brother. The story told in this novel has been used to criticize

the problems of governments and politics worldwide.

To understand Nineteen Eighty-Four you must understand the author, and what drove him

to write the novel. George Orwell was a well-cultured man, he lived in different areas throughout

Europe and experienced many customs. In The Orwell Biographer, Michael Sheldon states,

"Orwell feels for the life he describes, a life which is ultimately the work of his imagination, but

based on real life events." As a young boy in preparatory school Orwell was tormented by the

school officials, the relative form of tyrannical rule he experienced at the school can be

compared to the dictatorship of Big Brother in Nineteen Eighty-Four. Later on in his life, he

worked for the Indian Imperial Police. The tactics and combat used by the thought police in the

novel were inspired by his own experiences as a police officer in an oppressive justice system.

Furthermore, his time amongst the lower class led to the creation of the different social classes

and the virtues each held in the novel. The different experiences Orwell encountered throughout

his life can be seen in the fictional society he creates in Nineteen Eighty-Four.

For the majority of Orwell's adult life he has witnessed the internal struggle of many

European nations. Twentieth century Europe was plagued by fascism and totalitarian rule. Orwell

witnessed this first hand in Spain during The Spanish Civil War. Fighting in the war against

Communism he realized that citizens were being imprisoned and shot for being Anti-Communist.

This led to his criticism of the Marxism theory, while concepts of Communism promote equality

and self-government in practice it is used to justify class distinctions and oppression by saying

each person is paid according to their own abilities. In the following years, Orwell continued to

be critical of not only the Communist theory but dictatorships that arose in many European
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nations. Dictatorships such as Stalin in The Soviet Union, Hitler in Germany, and Mussolini in

Italy. During World War II Orwell published several papers which depicted the oppressive nature

of these totalitarian nations and their distorted use of communism to justify their actions.

Following the war the entire world was divided between socialism and fascism. Orwell

saw the division amongst the most powerful nations in the world and sought to write Nineteen

Eighty-Four. The novel was intended to serve as a cautionary warning to the entire world about

the state of society as a whole and what these warnings would lead to. Orwell wanted to warn

against conforming to the government whether fascist or socialist leaving a governmental body

unchecked can be dangerous for society. In Nineteen Eighty-Four Orwell uses the paradoxical

slogan "War is peace, freedom is slavery, and ignorance is strength" to show the dangers that can

be seen in each type of government. The phrase "war is peace" refers to the enormous amount of

propaganda produced during World War II by governments to justify the war and manipulate

their citizens. Propaganda during a war is used to unite citizens so they can focus on a common

enemy rather than the problems within their nation. This creates less trouble for the ruling party

or the government. "Freedom is slavery" refers to the fascist governments need to eliminate

autonomy. They claim self-government only leads to chaos and it is their duty to restrict this to

preserve the nation. Furthermore ignorance leading to strength comes from the government

altering or withholding facts from the people, as a result of this there would be no criticism

against them leading to a stronger government. Although Nineteen Eighty-Four was used to

criticize dictatorships that was not its sole purpose, above all Orwell wanted the world to heed

his warnings even against the most benign systems of government.

What makes Nineteen Eighty-Four one of the most transcendent novels of all time is its

ability to resonate and capture individuals of any time period in history. During the mid-
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twentieth century the novel introduced controversial topics that caught the attention of millions

of people in the world. V.S. Pritchett's review of Nineteen Eighty-Four states, "I do not think I

have ever read a novel more frightening and depressing; and yet, such are the originality, the

suspense, the speed of writing and withering indignation that it is impossible to put the book

down." Orwell entices the reader throughout the novel with the suspense of Julia and Winston

being caught and what their punishment may be, by profusely mentioning "Big Brother is

watching" every time they commit a crime. Others however were drawn to the novel because of

its political statement. P. H. Newby described the novel as "the most arresting political novel

written by an Englishman." The similarities between the fictional world and reality were easily

recognizable by the readers, which caused them to take more notice in Orwell's political

warnings. The overall development of literary elements such as the plot and theme by George

Orwell allowed the novel to capture the attention of millions worldwide during that decade.

Even after seventy years since its inception it is still one of the most highly praised books

in society. Throughout time the different dangers Orwell warned society against has started to

become more prevalent causing people to take a closer look at the book. In the fictional

government or "Big Brother" they use telescreens to monitor the citizens' private lives. Similarly,

in today's society the government uses surveillance cameras, social media, and tracking devices

to spy on civilians daily. Furthering this the endless war between Oceania and the other fictional

nations can be compared to the never ending war in the middle east. In the same way that the

enemies in the war against Oceania seem to change, so does the enemies in the middle east

making an end to the war nearly impossible.

Some may say however that what makes Nineteen Eighty-Four more prominent today is

that the dystopian society George Orwell warned against is now amongst us. North Korea and
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Oceania share many similarities from the immortalization of a tyrannical ruler to the suppression

of any opposition. Although Big Brother is not seen or heard like North Korea's dictator Kim

Jong Un, they are both still worshiped as gods. The paradoxical slogan "War is peace, freedom is

slavery, and ignorance is strength" can also be seen in North Korea. They justify the war on

South Korea stating they are trying to bring peace by uniting all Koreans under one nation. They

also denounce any form of democracy claiming the nation has prospered under The Kim

Dynasty. Moreover, they do not allow any outside programming making the people of North

Korea oblivious to the world around them. What is most evident is the resemblance between

each nation's tactics to suppress any opposition against their laws. Any thought or action against

Big Brother can result in imprisonment or torture, likewise for The Kim Dynasty. Over time as a

result of the accurate predictions made in Nineteen Eighty-Four the book has gained more

notoriety and attention across the world today.

Despite the amount of praise Nineteen Eighty-Four has received there has still been

millions of people that have criticized the book since its initial publication. The controversial

messages that the book expressed have been dismissed by several readers because of Orwell's

infamous bias towards Communism. In a review of the novel writer Edward Shanks writes,

"Nineteen Eighty-Four breaks all records for gloomy vaticination." The critics of the book

viewed it as Orwell unfairly lumping all communist nations into one bad stereotype after his

dreadful time in Spain. Many critics also claimed that the book lacked any clear proof of the

dangers society will face due to the government. Besides the book failing to provide proof, it also

gave a poor reflection on the political climate of the world during the twentieth century. Orwell

was so immersed in his discontent of Communism he neglected the growing concerns of

capitalism. Furthermore they have been critical of his assumption that all governments can fully
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control its people. For example, in the novel, the phrase "ignorance is strength" refers to Big

Brother simplifying the language with Newspeak, as well as their involvement in withholding

and changing facts to manipulate the people. However critics argue none of these claims are

possible. Language is arbitrary different cultures create and develop their own jargon all the time

to express themselves. In the case of withholding or changing facts society has proven that

governments cannot suppress the truth, it will always be uncovered. Amongst some people

Nineteen Eighty-Four is seen as a false prophecy created by George Orwell to destroy any

righteous perception of Communism.

The influence Nineteen Eighty-Four has had since the turn of the mid-twentieth century

is unparalleled to any novel of its time. The book has impacted the literary world by changing the

way authors use their themes to connect with society. Orwell like many authors of his time was

known for writing about their political stance. What distinguished him from the others was being

able to incorporate literary elements that hinted towards Nineteen Eighty-Four being a political

manifesto, and what the message of that manifesto was. Other novels written by different authors

during his time would simply express the problems in society at that point, however, Orwell took

a more progressive step by showing society what the world would be like if they fail to fix their

problems. Many marveled at Orwell's prophecy as it started to unravel throughout the world.

Authors longed for their novels to have the same profound effect as Nineteen Eighty-Four had,

so they began using fictional novels to connect their political proclamations with the evolution of

society. These patterns can be seen in books such as Fahrenheit 451, Lord of the Flies, and

Nineteen Eighty-Five. The success George Orwell had in capturing the essence of human nature

in Nineteen Eighty-Four have been copied throughout literature but none were as resonating as

his.
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The novel's influence does not stop at the literary world, but its influence can be seen

throughout the different sections of society's culture. Society often depicts the themes expressed

in the book through pop culture. Many punk rock bands have referenced the novel and its

messages through their songs. In Civil Disobedience, Harold Bloom mentions how bands such as

Anti-Flag, Muse, and Spirit performed music that was inspired by political warnings in the book.

Besides this, it can also be seen impacting social movements against the government. Many

people reference the book as they contend against the government's ability to track citizens. In

November of 2011, the US government brought a case before The Supreme Court in which they

argued the constitutionality of utilizing GPS trackers on individuals without a warrant. Justice

Stephen Breyer challenged the validity of their argument by mentioning the message of Nineteen

Eighty-Four. He states that if they win the case there is nothing stopping the government from

monitoring every citizen 24 hours of the day, essentially creating a society similar to Oceania.

Additionally, the book has been adapted in the entertainment business to fit modern society's

obsession with reality tv. The hit tv show Big Brother is loosely based on the book. The show

invites a group of people to live in a house together isolated from the rest of the world, but

continuously being watched by cameras and televisions. The unprecedented cultural impact

Nineteen Eighty-Four has had is what separates it from all other novels of its time.

The themes expressed in George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four has been one of the most

insightful observations ever written in a literary novel. In a time where nations were fighting for

power, Orwell recognized the effects on the people of a country with a powerful government. He

had experienced both sides of an oppressive system of leadership, which as a result gave him a

more in depth understanding than most others. Subsequently, he wrote Nineteen Eighty-Four to

warn against what he had observed. The reception behind the novel was unparalleled. Although
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some criticized the novel for being biased majority of readers praised it for its thrilling plot and

controversial message. Many of writers following Orwell have tried to replicate the success of

his novel but none were as impactful as his. The novel has influenced writers to write more

political changing novels, as well as motivated society to be more invested in their government's

policies. It is imperative that society continues to read Nineteen Eighty-Four and be alert of its

warnings seeing that the government will continue to push for more rights that infringe on

individuals free-will.

Works Cited

Blair, Robbie. “Your Favorite Book Sucks: '1984'.” LitReactor, 25 Sept. 2013,
litreactor.com/columns/your-favorite-book-sucks-1984

I plan to use this online source to show the other sides point of view on why they

believed 1984 was not a good book. It is essential to show the other sides point of view

because it gives acler picture of the novel's inception history.

Bloom, Harold. George Orwell's 1984 (Bloom's Guides). Chelsea House , 2004.

This book will help me give background on the author George Orwell and how his

writing has been used in other literary novels. It gives information on the time period he
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lived in and how he addressed political issues in his writings. Furthermore it analyzes the

story of 1984 and indicates certain writing styles that George Orwell uses in the novel.

Harold Bloom then points out the same writing styles used in other novels to tell same

message used in 1984.

Bloom, Harold, and Blake Hobby. Civil Disobedience. New York: Bloom's Literary Criticism,
2010. Print.

I plan on using this book to show the impact 1984 has had on society since it was first

written. In this book the themes 1984 expressed are explained and examined in today's

society. The book explains the role of civil disobedience and the effects of defying

society's so called norms and rules. Harold Bloom shows how the ideologies expressed

by George Orwell in this book is beginning to take place in society.

Orwell, George. 1984. Toronto, Ontario: Penguin, an Imprint of Penguin Canada, a Division of
Penguin Random House Canada Limited, 2017. Print.

I chose this book for my essay because it is the foundation that my essay is built around.

My essay is based on the influence of the book 1984 on society and the literary world so

it is crucial that I cite excerpts from the book that impact both society and literary world.

Also if I plan on showing this correlation I would need to analyze the mood, tone, and

literary devices that the author originally uses in the book.

Peters, Sarah. “Justice Breyer Warns of Orwellian Government.” TheHill, The Hill, 4 Feb.
2016, thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/192445-justice-breyer-warns-of-
orwellian-government.

This article will help establish the cultural impact the novel has had on society and its

perception of the dangers the government can pose.

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Pritchett , V.S. “Nineteen Eighty-Four .” New Statesman, New Statesman , 18 June 1949,
www.newstatesman.com/node/198158.

This citation will be used to provide evidence to the positive reception the novel received

during its initial publication.

Rothman, Lily. “1984 By George Orwell: Read TIME's Original 1949 Review of the Book.”
Time, Time Magazine , 8 June 2015, time.com/3903841/review-nineteen-eighty-four-
history/.

This article will help in analyzing the historical reception of the book. It shows the

positive receptions critics gave 1984 when it first was published in 1949 because of how

it was so relatable to the events happening during WWII. As well as why it has continued

to be highly praised by the literary world throughout time.

Wilber, Jennifer. “A Historical Analysis of George Orwell's 1984.” Owlcation, Owlcation, 8 June
2018, owlcation.com/humanities/A-Historical-Analysis-of-1984-by-George-Orwell.

This article will help me give historical context to why the novel was written. It shows

the intended audience George Orwell wanted to reach and why he needed to address

totalitarianism. It will also bring clarification to symbolism gone unnoticed throughout

the novel.