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1984 Theme Essay

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Every story has themes that are used throughout the book, they also have a main theme. The main theme for the novel 1984 by George Orwell is the dangers of totalitarianism. Totalitarianism is a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial. The key element of totalitarianism in Orwell's 1984 is Big Brother. By altering people's memory and making them pliable, Big Brother ensures that all those in Oceania will accept the facts of the Party and their doctrine, creating a totalitarian state in which the people are subservient to their dictatorial leader, Big Brother. “With the development of television, and the technical advance which made it possible to receive and transmit simultaneously on the same instrument, private life came to …show more content…

In nearly every aspect of daily life, Big Brother controls what you do, think, eat, and feel. Big Brother controls everything; information, history, physical, and even psychological needs. "If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.” This was said because the thought police would arrest you if you had any bad thoughts, therefore you have to keep everything a secret from everyone, even yourself. ''War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength,”. These quotes demonstrate the totalitarianism of the party.
1984 takes place in the dystopian future in what was once Great Britain but became part of Oceania. Oceania is ruled by the Party, a group that spreads propaganda to keep control of the state. The purpose of the elite group is to incite fear of and loyalty to the totalitarian government to maintain power over its citizens. Big Brother is the leader of the Party and Oceania. Big Brother is described as a hero who started the revolution, and his image is instilled in Oceania as a larger-than-life figure. The novel doesn’t state whether or not Big Brother is a real person. Big Brother appears on posters and televisions, so civilians see him everywhere they go. They are told that he watches over them to keep them on track. Throughout the novel there are a lot of quotes that demonstrate totalitarianism. “The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others ; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently,”. "Who controls the past controls the future: who controls the present controls the past,". These quotes are very important and show a lot of totalitarianism. They also demonstrate the totalitarianism of the

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