1984 'And Lowry's The Giver'

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To what extent does the government exercise control over its citizens in Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Lowry’s ‘The Giver’? Dystopian novels often depict a society which is governed through tyranny and complete dictatorship, where the protagonist(s) ultimate goal is to abscond the tyrannical rule of the state and obtain the liberty they believe society deserves. This genre borrows aspects of our contemporary reality, and combines them with daunting possibilities. This constructs a conceivable future where control is exerted through illicit and clandestine means. In the novels of ‘1984’ by George Orwell and ‘The Giver’ by Lois Lowry, a key component throughout is governmental reign, and the extent of control that is exercised over society serves to signify the chilling effects a tyrannically ruled future can…show more content…
These slogans are contradictory statements which “the Party” refers to as “doublethink”. Constant reinforcement of these slogans would eventually lead an individual to become psychologically exhausted, meaning that their mental state is weaker and hence easier to control. Moreover, fear is also a strong motivator for compliance. The concept of the “Thought Police”, a possible team of individuals whom could potentially know when someone is committing “crimethink” will lead a person to conform and obey. In “The Giver”, the control tactic employed is harder to distinguish, there doesn’t seem to be a mechanism which leads the “community” to behave in the manner they are behaving. However, there is instant obedience to every command made. The only aspect which stands out is “releasing” as Jonas states that being “released” is a “terrible punishment, an overwhelming statement of failure.” This leads us to wonder what “releasing” actually is, and its effectiveness, as it clearly has a huge
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    A New Classic In 1994, The Giver won the John Newbery Medal for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children ("1994 Newbery Medal and Honor Books”). Although Lois Lowry’s novel was written twenty-one years ago, the novel is still read in many classrooms despite it being banned and not being an official classic. Other utopian novels such as 1984 by George Orwell are often read in later years because Winston’s society is so relatable to ours today. Both novels have won awards

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