Examples Of Figurative Language In 1984 By George Orwell

1984 by George Orwell is a dystopian novel that follows protagonist, Winston Smith, as he retells the past in his own point of view. This novel is set in a fictional country, known as Oceania, during the year 1984. This novel is told in the past tense and contains elements of figurative language, including hefty loads of foreshadowing. Dark and frustrated, the author utilizes this tone to illuminate the dystopian aspects of the book. Winston is a low-ranking member of society, which is under the rule of the Party. Big Brother, leader of the Party and the antagonist within this tale, has a constant watch over everyone in Oceania and leaves Winston to feel like a prisoner in his own home. The Party is the ruling force in Oceania, therefore

Winston is forced to undergo tortuous procedures and brainwashing. While incarcerated, Winston has terrible nightmares about rats, in which O’Brien uses to his advantage. Winston is forced to have a cage of rats strapped to his head and eventually these rats eat Winston’s face. After receiving such tremendous amounts of torture, Winston pleads with O’Brien to torture Julia instead of himself. This utter lack of hope and feeling of helplessness is what O’Brien desired from Winston the entire time. Winston, with a broken spirit, is released from jail following his pleads. Winston is reunited with Julia, but his time in prison has changed him. Winston no longer feels any compassion towards Julia and in turn has learned to comply with the Party and Big

The Party thrives on controlling the minds of its citizens from an early age. The Party implements an organization known as the Junior Spies, which encourages children to comply and spy for the Party. The importance of technology is also a recurring theme within this book. There are telescreens and microphones in every citizen’s room and hidden throughout the country. This implements a level of fear within the inhabitants and in doing so creates an atmosphere of compliance. Arguably, the most important theme within this novel is language as mind control. Language is considered to be one of the most powerful influences within the human species. Language structures human’s thoughts and restricts ideas individuals are able to create. Orwell highlights this notion, that if reconstructed in a political way, language may be utilized to rid society of the possibility to think of disobedience because there would be no words to correlate with the ill actions. Newspeak, the language in which the Party is implementing throughout the land, is being used so no one will ever be capable of even thinking about