How does Orwell’s writing powerfully convey the serious

threat that a totalitarian system poses on its people?

George Orwell convinces his readers that the totalitarian threat is real by mentioning the
squalid living conditions on the inhabitants, the intense constant surveillance wherever one
may go and the nightmarish, dark vision of the future.

Every inhabitant living in this totalitarian system is imposed with harsh living conditions
where the system tricks them into thinking that these living conditions are normal. Even a
place of work, Victory Mansions isn’t maintained as “ The hallway smelt of boiled cabbage
and old rag mats”. Even in the canteen 'All surfaces greasy, grime in every crack; and a
sourish, composite smell of bad gin and bad coffee and metallic stew and dirty clothes'. This
highlights that not only work and living conditions were bad but the food offered at work was
just the bare minimum. This conveys the totalitarian threat posed on its people and living in
these conditions, these people had no complaints and lived like they were asked to unlike
anyone in todays world.

The threat posed on the people through the intense surveillance is immense, however it goes
unnoticed by the members of the party under surveillance. The precautions taken by Winston
and Julia every time they organise a meeting highlight the constant surveillance. Although
they carefully planned their each and every step as to not get caught, they were observed
throughout all their meetings and caught later. It is almost impossible to do an act in secrecy
without the party finding out. In places that seemed like haven they were always observed as
the ‘iron voice’ behind the picture repeated you are dead as a constant reminder that if you
dare to go out of your and betray the party in any way you will get caught.

The future is imagined as dark and nightmarish, a highlight for the threat posed by the party
onto its people. It is highlighted in the text, ‘progress in our world will be progress towards
more pain’. This would normally be a disturbing for anyone in todays world but the people in
the party don’t seem to be too bothered by it. They’ve all been brainwashed to think that this
is normal, highlighting the threat. ‘There will be no loyalty, except loyalty towards the Party.
There will be no love, except love of Big Brother’, again confirms with us that the party
members are living with a threat.

The totalitarian threat is real and if you don’t do what the party says you will get caught! The
constant surveillance, harsh living conditions and nightmarish vision of the future, all
reinforce this.

- Anushka Yadav ( 10 C )