Doublethink Quotes In 1984

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Imagine living in a world that you are forced to believe in something that is illogical. Imagine being forced to accept two contradictory ideas at the same time. This is exactly how the people live under the Big Brother’s rule in this deeply depressing and dystopian novel, 1984, written by the renowned English author, George Orwell.

One of the major themes throughout the whole book is the dangers brought about by totalitarianism, which serves as a warning to the whole mankind. To begin with, “doublethink” is an important concept in this book. “Doublethink” is a word in Newspeak, which is a language invented by the government to limit people’s freedom and thoughts, that refers to the “ability of holding and accepting two contradictory beliefs in one’s mind simultaneously” . People are forced to believe the contradictions of the government, such as “War is Peace”, “Freedom is Slavery” and “Ignorance is Strength”. For instance, Winston believes that “2+2=5” after the torture in the Ministry of Love. “Doublethink” severely affects people’s critical thinking, and eventually caused them to lose their own minds and individuality. …show more content…

For example, Thought Police is set up to arrest people with “thoughtcrime”, which refers to having the thought of overthrowing the government. Telescreens are installed everywhere to monitor citizens’ behaviour; and every slight facial change or sound produced is recorded under the surveillance by the Thought Police. Children are even encouraged to report their parents of thoughtcrime to Thought Police, which seriously damages the normal family structure. Therefore, people dare not to think of revolting against the government, as they know very well that there would be unbearable punishment if they are caught, and they would be

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