Shawn Mosley Mr. Stone English 4, Period 1 12/1/2023 George Orwell predicted Modern Society “IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH” (Orwell 4). 1984 is a dystopian sci-fi novel by George Orwell that explores the key theme of control while following the main character, Winston. Examining the theme of control in Orwell's 1984, this essay contends that the novel's portrayal bears striking similarities to the contemporary US issue of the NSA’s Mass Surveillance program. In the novel, Orwell predicts the future in which we live with constant surveillance. At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to the world that 1984 takes place in. In this world, nobody has any freedom. As the words illustrate the scene taking place, “In the far distance a helicopter …show more content…
The government sees and controls everything. In this world, the government is above the law, allowing them to do whatever they want in order to maintain order as they see fit. Similar to the police control looking into people’s windows, the US government pries into people’s privacy. For example: “Working with companies like AT&T and Verizon, the NSA intercepts and copies Americans’ international internet communications in bulk as they flow into and out of the United States”. The government is working with internet companies to gain the personal information of everyone, watching and listening to people’s personal lives. In 1984, the government was above the law, so they could do what they wanted while the NSA used phones and the internet with help from companies. As Winston heads to the alcove in his apartment, he still needs to be careful because, “The telescreen is received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover,. he could be seen as well as heard” (Orwell 3). Even in somebody’s home, they are controlled, regardless of whether they are being watched, having to live in constant fear and