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Examples Of Brainwashing In 1984 By George Orwell

680 Words3 Pages

In order to have total power, one must take control of everything and everyone within that society. The concept of brainwashing is prominent in the process of persuading a designated group of individuals to obey commands and have them not only agree, but believe that the power is credible and has greater authority. In 1984, a dystopian novel by George Orwell, the central ideas of rebellion, sacrifice, persuasion, and betrayal are showcased by the manipulation of the truth through the oppression within the totalitarian society, Oceania. The reader is introduced to the protagonist, Winston Smith, as a normal citizen who is forced to conform to the strict totalitarian rules in order to maintain his survival. In order to keep control in this society, …show more content…

Within his diary entry on April 4, 1984, he writes, “Thoughtcrime does not entail death: Thoughtcrime is death,” (Orwell 36). Although Winston fully understands that simply owning this notebook has the potential to get him executed, he continues to disobey The Party because this is his only outlet. The to-go-tactic for maintaining the power of The Party is to shift blame from themselves to other people within the community in order to provide them with the false liberty of choice. The figure,“Big Brother”, is the face of all the propaganda and dictatorship despite his failure to be seen in person.The overlying rule of Big Brother in each propaganda poster provides a feeling of comfort and safety for the citizens, when in reality, through manipulation, The Party takes advantage of the people’s vulnerability and fear in order to force them to conform to any request that they ask of them because “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU!” (Orwell 2).The daily ceremony, “Two Minutes Hate” is a cruel way that allows the citizens to witness the horror and torture that will be inflicted upon them if they choose to disobey in any way. In an article from the popular social media platform, “The Humanist”, is is stated that, “Clearly, Orwell understood the importance of being self-governed and unapologetically human, and his ideas on language and independence endure today,” (Humanist). However, this contradicts the

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Big Brother was never one to be questioned, and he made the consequences known to anyone who did so. Winston clearly expressed his hatred for Big Brother and all of the restrictions placed on members of society in the beginning of the book. Despite this, he constantly hid his facial expressions and thoughts from the telescreens, in great fear that the thought police would catch him. Contrary to that outward conformity, he was always inwardly questioning Big Brother. He directly broke the law by writing in a journal, especially since

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To What Extent Is 1984 Winston Smith A Hero

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A crime which Winston is fully aware of committing, he wrote, "DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER." (1:1:36) Winston, knowing the consequences, he continued on, "It was not by making yourself heard but by staying sane that you carried on the human heritage." (1:2:37) He then wrote to an audience hoping his thoughts would be passed on someday, “To the future or to the past, to a time when thought is free…from the age of Big Brother, from the age of doublethink-greetings!”

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In George Orwell’s classic novel, 1984, Winston Smith is a secret rebel, fighting the control of Big Brother, who represents the overpowered, all knowing government. Winston is fighting more than his government though, he is fighting his entire society. Big Brother’s power comes from his ability to manipulate the masses, so influentially, that the masses work towards the oppression of themselves. In questioning Big Brother, Winston is questioning the entirety of known society. Winston meets others that share his views on society and expand Winston’s field of thought, leading him to make conclusions about his society; conclusions that lead to direct rebellion against Big Brother.

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The book contains a motif of psychological manipulation, and it is seen through the society that the protagonist, Winston Smith, lives in. Big Brother is the manipulative power in 1984, and his control tactics of Oceania are apparent in current societies. America is one of these societies and is controlled by different factions like the government, companies, and powerful people. It is evident, through the use of conditioning and lies, that the American and Oceanic societies are affected by psychological manipulation.

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As Orwell describes Winston’s flat he depicts a “telescreen”(Orwell, 1) with the caption “Big Brother is always watching you.” (Orwell, 2). Orwell places concept of society always being watched by the government as an allusion to the Soviet secret police always watching society for rebellious thoughts. As Winston is writing his book criticizing Big Brother, he notes that writing this book is “a crime punishable by death.” (Orwell, 62).

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In the novel 1984, by George Orwell, he uses truth and reality as a theme throughout the novel to demonstrate the acts of betrayal and loyalty through the characters of Winston and Julia. Orwell expresses these themes through the Party, who controls and brainwashes the citizens of Oceania. The party is able to control its citizens through “Big Brother,” a fictional character who is the leader of Oceania. Big Brother is used to brainwash the citizens into whatever he says. Orwell uses truth and reality in this book to reflect on what has happened in the real world such as the Holocaust and slavery.

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George Orwell’s 1984 is a precautionary tale of what happens when the government has too much control in our lives. The protagonist, Winston Smith, is at odds in a world in which he is not allowed to counter the government’s surveillance and control. Perhaps more striking is the noticeable relationship between the novel and modern society. In George Orwell’s novel 1984 the book predicts the surveillance of Big Brother in modern day societies.

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Winston is defiant and rebels against Big Brother and the Party through various illegal actions. After purchasing an empty diary, he continuously wrote “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER” when the telescreens were out of view (Orwell 21). This simple thought is considered to be a severe crime where Winston lives because it is direct disapproval towards the Party. Winston feels as if Big Brother is controlling every aspect of his life, so this rebellious action allows for him to vent his frustration.

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