1984 Criticism
Michael Kovar Mrs. O British Literature 9 October 2011 27 Years Ago…. 1984, written by George Orwell, is a story in which a society is controlled in almost every sense. Sex, love, sight, feelings, everything is being controlled, by a system created through a variety of media in society which broadcasts suspicions among the people. Even blood relatives have trouble trusting one another with vital information. Clearly everyone wants done with this Government as totalitarianism has not been a favorite to anyone but the government itself.
Showing people whom want a normal life back to themselves. In 1984 Orwell reveal’s the negative impact of totalitarianism, which has corrupted everyone’s minds reflecting how they are all being watched a little too closely. Winston Smith is a man who is not afraid of expressing his feelings about the government control. Such as when he had come up to the “Ministry of Love” ‘which maintained law and order surrounded by large steel walls and mazes of barbed wire such a bastion cannot be entered. (Orwell 8) This fortified building is only entered when strictly business is happening. Crime, Death, Corruption is all included through the book as many deaths occur and people actually enjoy watching them, as Orwell states “Why can’t we go see the hanging? ’ roared the boy in his huge voice. ’ Want to see the hanging! Want to see the hanging’ chanted the little girl” (23) Children’s minds have been corrupted children enjoy seeing hangings as today if they witnessed such a cruel crime they would cry and run away.
I guess crime doesn’t really affect people under a strict government they must be use to it as once again “thought crime does not entail death: thought crime is death” (27). It’s a amazing thing how 1984 can show how corrupt society can be if not run properly. Winston Smith has been trying to escape the wrath of “Big Brother” the all seeing machine, but barriers are in place and he is in for quiet the experience.
Homes are monitored on screens as cameras are perfectly placed to see if anyone is disloyal, some people make concords with others to help out some just wait in atrophy and others try to escape but the penalty is death. The new society is in disarray and needs actual order no one likes where they are at right now and everyone wants Big Brother out. This corrupt society drives Winston’s mind crazy “Recurrent, haunting dreams of his dead or disappeared family” (Gardner 113) how this machine has taken over is ridiculous and what is being done may not be enough.
Some say “Big Brothers eyes are always watching you” (Bloom 45) can you escape no can you stop him maybe but it will take more than one man to do so. Trust comes in to play as the book goes on “They’ll shoot me in the back of the neck”(Bloom 11) Winston’s trust is not high enough for others to enter his life, change is needed and Big Brothers life needs to come to an end. Totalitarianism is a strict based Government and Winston believes that doing away with it would be best for the Society. Smith showed effort and has been hoping it would become reality that “BIG BROTHER” has been defeated.
