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Andrew Sanchez

Mr. Fano

Theology 12

27 March 2021

1984 by George Orwell goes into many topics such as the effects of totalitarianism,

psychological manipulation, information, and history manipulation, and physical control.

Orwell’s main goal was to warn of the serious danger totalitarianism poses to society.

Throughout the novel, he demonstrates the horrifying degree of power and control a

totalitarian regime can acquire and maintain. Whether it be controlling the media the people

consume or the overbearing fear of the thought police and being caught and killed for thought

crime. These examples show the truly terrifying nature of a totalitarian society.

A major factor in the Party’s rule over the people of Oceania lies in its extremely well-

organized and effective propaganda machine. The Ministry of Truth is responsible for

disseminating all Party publications and information. Winston, the main character in the novel,

is responsible for rewriting historical documents so they match the constantly changing current

party line. Winston is literally adjusting and altering history in order to erase party members

that have been killed by the party. This means the true history of Oceania will never be truly

known and in turn all be fabricated and rewritten in some way.

Doublethink is used in 1984 as part of its large-scale campaign of propaganda and

psychological manipulation of its leadership and the public. Doublethink early on in the novel

refers to the ability to control your memories as well as to choose to forget something. Later
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on, people ultimately lose the ability to form independent thoughts because of the party’s

mind-control techniques. Orwell defines doublethink as, “ To forget, whatever it was necessary

to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then

promptly to forget it again, and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself.”

1984 showcased many themes and messages corresponding to totalitarianism. In my

opinion, this novel really opened my eyes to the inner workings of a totalitarian society and

how it affects life and living. If I were to compare 1984’s culture with ours today I would say

that I don’t believe we are living in remotely the same society that they are living in the novel.

In our society today we have the freedom to say and do as we please within the confines of the

law, while in 1984, things such as the media they consume and the propaganda they are forced

to listen to contradicts our society.

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Works Cited

Stephen Groening Assistant Professor of Cinema and Media Studies. “What Orwell's '1984' Tells
Us about Today's World, 70 Years After It Was Published.” The Conversation, 31 Oct. 2019,
theconversation.com/what-orwells-1984-tells-us-about-todays-world-70-years-after-it-was-
published-116940.

Study.com,study.com/academy/lesson/doublethink-in-1984-definition-
examples.html#:~:text=In%201984%2C%20the%20Party%20used%20newspeak%20to
%20control%20the%20language,also%20control%20what%20they%20thought.