Examples Of Irony In 1984 By George Orwell

Looking deeper into George Orwell’s 1984, it can be easily identified that there are all sorts of irony in his novel. Irony is the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect. It can be seen by the government's alteration of history and all reality. The use of irony was present throughout the entire novel, whether it was in the Party's slogan, or just by revealing background information. Orwell used irony to bring attention to the importance of the theme of brainwashing and totalitarianism. To commence, the Oceanian society Winston lives in, is entrenched with irony. The party’s slogan is “War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength” (Orwell, 6) is an example of verbal irony. In addition to being ironic, the party's slogan is an oxymoron, a statement which on the

Winston is scared to open his diary because he would be punished by death, or at least by twenty-five years in a forced-labor camp” (Orwell 9), the only thing is “nothing was illegal, since there were no longer any laws” (Orwell, 9). Winston is not the only one, everyone fears the government, and the government does not have to do a single thing, and it controls the citizens. This exemplifies how controlling any government can be, power can effortlessly corrupt anyone. The fears what the government runs on, that is how they keep rebellions at ease, no one dares challenge the government, completely out of fear. Another way the government controls its citizens is with deceit, from the outside, Oceania may seem perfect, but from the inside, it is a prison. This control seems to be like a story of a man stepping on a tiger’s throat, the man has full control until the tiger musters enough force to overcome the man. Oceania is the foot, and the people are the tiger, they just need to unite to overcome the government, but they are too