Conflict Allows Us To Grow In George Orwell's '1984'

“Conflict allows us to grow.” To what extent is this true of your prescribed text?

In George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty-Four,' conflict presents an inherent paradox, while it serves as the fuel that propels Big Brother's oppressive regime, it also becomes the catalyst of disaster in Winston's rebellion. This intriguing duality challenges the conventional notion that conflict inevitably leads to personal growth. Within Winston's relentless struggle to contain his rebellious nature, essential for survival, readers are starkly exposed to the nightmarish reality of a totalitarian society. The Party's insidious manipulation of language emerges as a decisive factor in Winston's tragic downfall and the Party’s increased absolute control. Finally,

Within the Party's carefully crafted Newspeak, language becomes a tool of oppression, restricting the boundaries of thought and expression and ensuring the populace remains incapable of articulating dissent or unconventional ideas. Winston's reflective moments subtly underscore the Party's absolute command, leaving no room for ambiguity with high modality words like "reject.” The Party employs ethos to disguise its orders as benevolent suggestions, compelling compliance without overt coercion, as they “narrow the range of thought… make thought-crime literally impossible”. By controlling language and thought, the Party ensures a false sense of security among its followers, so as to make rebellion inconceivable. Dramatic irony serves a6s another potent weapon, within the dialogue “the revolution will be complete when the language is perfect'' illustrating that citizens such as Syme are already convinced the language itself is imperfect and is an obstacle for the greater aim in creating a perfected version of society. As pessimistic expressions of the party are stifled, individuality diminishes, and the capacity for meaningful communication withers. The power of language

Orwell's use of anaphora, exemplified in the repetitive phrase "he had won victory over himself. He loved Big Brother," portrays Winston's inability to connect his thoughts and emotions, symbolising the eradication of his identity as an insurgent, now viewing Big Brother as a benevolent guardian. This showcases Winston's complete submission to the Party's indoctrination, highlighting the tragic loss of his individuality and spirit of rebellion. The stark disparity between Party rhetoric and actions is evident, wherein the Ministry of Plenty's proclaimed “success” is contrasted with the reality of scarcity in “razor blades” and essential items experienced by Winston and the populace. Through the manipulation of information the party is providing a false sense of progress, this itself creates a conflict between the official narrative of success and the harsh reality faced by the citizens. The destructive impact of conflict within such societies reveals the Party's manipulation of its citizens through terror and oppression. Big Brother alludes to Stalin’s dictatorship of the USSR, the infamous regime that was founded upon propaganda and censorship as means to control the nation. Additionally the CHEKA, the brutal secret police service during Stalinist period, draws parallels to the Thought-Police, as