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1984, by George Orwell, is a political and psychological analysis of oligarchical power and social oppression. In the novel, George Orwell dissects the struggle for power and the risk of oppression. Orwell uses a model oligarchical oppressive society that far surpasses the power of the inquisition and the oppression by Nazis and Russian Communists to develop his political theories and societal analysis. Throughout the novel many themes are developed and many political theories are discussed. Orwell exposes the evils that can accompany the subservience of society to a power-hungry government. In 1984, Orwell creates a simulation of what life might be like if a country was under totalitarian rule by an oligarchical power. The novel illustrates the total subservience of society and describes the horrors through the eyes of one of the few people who was able to look beyond the force and see its terror. The oppressive world is seen through the eyes of Winston Smith, a rebel who can see that without rights, life doesn’t exist. The government in the novel attempts to gain power through taking away every right thinkable by man. The government even abolished laws because, while laws are restrictive, they implicitly give too many rights to man. (6) The government’s theory is that if they can remove every right, including management of memories, they will have complete control of a mass of people. If the government can shape what happened to them, what they think about what happened to them, and what will happen to them, than the government controls them. Winston’s character is introduced in the first chapter as a depressed, rough figure whose life is intertwined with oppressive rhetoric and subservient actions. In the first few chapters Winston seems to be very resistant about rebelling against the force. Winston began truly opening his eyes to the real world after he began writing in his journal. The second Winston’s pen hit that paper there was proof of him committing thought crime and he was destined for torture (28). Thought crime encompassed any negativity or resistance against the ruling party. “ The essential crime that contained all others in itself.” (19). Winston accepted this and began on a downward spiral rebelling against the force. Winston was deeply disturbed by the government’s ability to shape the past. Winston knew that if the government could control the history, then they could control the future.
Approximate Word count = 1529
Approximate Pages = 6.1
(250 words per page double spaced)
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