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1984 By George Orwell Context Essay

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1984 by George Orwell is a timeless piece of political satire that exaggerates the imperfections of a totalitarian society in order to criticize its fundamental ideology. Context or surrounding information about the text is required to comprehend it. Specifically, the author uses global context in order to shape the novel to convey the issues at the forefront of public fears and describe his fear of the future under despotism. I aim to discuss how the author’s writing has been influenced by the global context in 1949 particularly threats of totalitarianism and fascism, emergence of nihilism and genocide. In the 1940’s and 50’s communism, fascism and democracy were competing for attention and dominance. This caused an instability in the political …show more content…

He critiques the fascist governments for devaluing human life for purposes of war which is seen when Winston finds severed bodies I quote, “The bomb had demolished a group of houses … A black plume of smoke hung in the sky … in the middle of it he could see a bright red streak… he saw that it was a human hand severed at the wrist. Apart from the bloody stump, the hand was so completely whitened as to resemble a plaster cast." Winston goes into graphic detail and is apathetic towards the situation. Orwell portrays him as completely desensitised towards basic human emotions and feelings of empathy. Orwell further uses the phrase “he kicked that thing into the gutter” to purposely trivialise the genocide that occurred and the value of human life in order to illustrate the effects of a corrupt dictatorship and its hand in depleting the boundaries of human ethicality, morality and empathy. The grotesque imagery can be compared to the author’s experience. The black plume of smoke further emphasizes the calamitous atmosphere that existed during atomic bombing in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In which the United States government ensured victory with genocide as means of faster end to war. Nihilistic philosophies adopted by the US government are demonstrated in the trivialisation of the people in the proles by members of the

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George Orwell's novel 1984 is a powerful rhetorical masterpiece that uses a variety of literary devices to convey its message about the dangers of totalitarianism. Through its vivid imagery, complex characters, and thought-provoking themes, the novel warns against the dangers of giving up our freedom in the face of oppressive regimes. One of the most striking aspects of the novel is its use of imagery to convey the bleakness and hopelessness of life under a totalitarian government. Orwell's descriptions of the city of London, with its crumbling buildings and oppressive atmosphere, create a powerful sense of dread that permeates the entire novel.

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In 1984, there are many universal theme connections that relate to the world of today. Authored by Orwell, Orwell depicts what he believes the future society of Earth would be like. Orwell creates a society governed by a totalitarian political party. He also illustrates what may happen to human livelihood if we fail to recognize and abolish corrupt atrocities committed by those in power. The novel states and expresses such relation of despair and depicts the dehumanizing of individuals that is all too relevant to the world of today.

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In the dystopian world of 1984, written by George Orwell, there is no such thing as freedom. Most would argue that 1984 is not a novel but a public service announcement, informing the government to change their ways before we end up with a fate as horrid like the protagonist, Winston Smith. However, Orwell may be onto something. Since high schools today are starting to resemble the world of 1984; through the idea of school uniforms, and how high schools are solely based on institutions just as 1984 are solely based on their ministries. Most high schools today have a strict uniform policy.

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By looking deeper into the novel and analyzing specific details Orwell included it can be seen how Orwell used the setting of the story, the city itself as well as the workplace of Winston as a few examples, and also the characters themselves, such as the Parsons, to get readers to see the message he was trying to warn of. The idea of conformity was enforced throughout the story, as shown above, in the ways that all citizens are made to essentially be the same as all others around them, with deadly consequences if they refuse. The theme of dehumanization is also deeply explored as all personal feelings and emotions are outlawed by the Party in an attempt to create people who all are the same. As well the setting is used to present the theme of the dangers of totalitarianism as Winston’s job is to change and “fix” any document that is critical in anyway of the government or expresses free speech. This use of literary devices effectively delivers the theme Orwell was trying to

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