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Brave New World And 1984 Analysis

1184 Words5 Pages

Within the two novels, 1984 and Brave New World, written by George Orwell and Aldous Huxley respectively, they both have an overarching theme of extreme manipulation of society by the government. At first glance, the methods used seem simple and cursory. But applying these methods to Sigmund Freud’s theories reveal how each tactic works and why. Both books achieve this control in different ways, but they both use Freud's theories of the unconscious mind in a similar fashion. Whether the control is implemented through conditioning or close monitoring of the population’s lives, it is enhanced through Freud’s theories. Sigmund Freud’s theories on the unconscious mind were developed in 1915. Freud originally compared the mind to an iceberg, …show more content…

“The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself—anything that carried with it the suggestion of abnormality, of having something to hide.” (Orwell 62) Winston referred to this as face crime. If The Party were to find any evidence of rebellion, the person would be arrested, tortured, and killed. The punishment for a lapse in composure was common knowledge among the people. According to Freud’s theories on the unconscious, this is called a Freudian slip. Freudian slips are said to reveal what really lies in the subconscious. The government used different methods of monitoring these Freudian slips to evaluate what was deep inside the person’s mind. The most commonly used methods were telescreens placed in every household in which they watched people without ceasing. “You had to live...in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every moment scrutinized.” (Orwell 3) The constant watching of The Party caused a deep rooted fear in everyone’s mind. Winston wanted to have privacy to record his thoughts and dreams in his diary, so he placed the telescreen in an odd area, as to not be seen by it. “By sitting in the alcove...Winston was able to remain outside the range of the telescreen, so far as sight went.” (Orwell 6) While he was in this place, he was …show more content…

The telescreens were unable to be shut off, constantly playing whatever propaganda the government deemed suitable for that time. “The instrument...could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely.” (Orwell 2) This idea of the constant screeching in the ears of people caused ideas to linger in the unconscious. The government was able to induce different ideas, emotions, and thoughts at a mere mention of something. “...the sight or even the thought of Goldstein produced fear and anger automatically.” (Orwell

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