1984 Totalitarianism Analysis

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First of all, to understand the novel, we have to go through the time period background of this novel. The background of this novel In the dystopian world of 1984, a totalitarian form of rule dominates the country of Oceania. The novel’s author, George Orwell, depicts the struggles of life under totalitarianism, and warns his readers of the potential dangers and consequences that follow such forms of centralized and authoritarian government. Of the many dimensions of totalitarianism, Orwell appears particularly interested in exploring the role of language in subordinating public and private life to the authority of the government. Language is the bedrock of all human interaction, and once the government in 1984 turns its focus to restricting…show more content…
Winston calls the Party’s propaganda simply a “substitution of one piece of nonsense for another” (43), used by the Party to manipulate the people with disturbing ease. Aware of the Party’s constant change of regulations, Winston tries his best to remain conscious and not allow the party to fool him with its lies and deception. However, when confronted by their own imminent death, most humans, even heroic ones, will likely succumb to fear and the instinct to survive at any cost. This desperate desire to live consumes Winston when he is faced with the prospect of being eaten alive by rats, and, in his final, frantic attempt to save himself, he betrays Julia, casting his love for her aside and begging for her to be killed instead of himself, as he cries, “Do it to Julia!... I don't care what you do to her” (300). This is the final straw that ultimately breaks Winston. After months of torture, the Party not only has his mind under control but his heart and soul as well. For Winston, there is now nothing and no one left to fight for. With all aspects of his being now dominated by the Party, Winston is finally defeated, and with a forced, newfound love for Big Brother, he becomes just like all the others — unconscious and orthodox. The Ministry of Truth’s relentless manipulation of language raises the question of the limits of language’s integrity. If everything becomes the opposite of what is said, and words are manipulated to accommodate a political agenda, language as a means of communicating loses all credibility. Orwell seems to imply such a criticism, reminding his audience of the importance of language and warning them of what can happen when words become, or are allowed to become, wholly subject to political
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