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Examples Of Manipulation In 1984 By George Orwell

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How does someone acquire power? How do they keep the power they tried so hard to obtain? Power is about greed. It is obtained through multiple forms of manipulation, including physical and psychological means. Psychological manipulation is at the core of retaining power, especially in 1984 written by George Orwell. 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. …show more content…

This power-struggle led to the manipulation of the masses. Psychological manipulation is the primary tactic used to gain power within Oceania. The entire Oceanic society is built upon lies, false reports, and the manipulation of human nature. According to Orwell, “We control life, Winston, at all its levels. You are imagining that there is something called human nature which will be outraged by what we do and will turn against us. But we create human nature” (Orwell 269). The antagonist, O’Brien, uttered these words to Winston, and he was speaking on behalf of Big Brother. The Oceanic society is built upon these lies, the lies that make Big Brother seem more powerful than he actually is. Big Brother and the party are not Gods; they do not have the power to design human nature. Nevertheless, the rulers of Oceania achieved the ability to manipulate each generation of people enough so that the citizens slowly forget who they are. The citizens can no longer feel, think, or act freely. The distinct idea the citizens are taught to know is how to

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In 1949, an author by the name of George Orwell decided to put the tragedies that were happening in real life onto paper to create a frightening story that would haunt several generations. In the thrilling dystopian novel 1984, tells of a story of a new world that is filled with manipulation, fear, control, and a brainwashed public. This world depicts a government who is everywhere, sees everything, and controls every aspect of every person's life. Not only is the government controlling the public, but they are also in the media. Mainly the news being the source of manipulation, many stories get rewritten and several words get cut out of the news every day.

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Manipulation and Control in George Orwell’s 1984 Pele once said, “If you don’t give education to people, it is easy to manipulate them”. In 1984, written by George Orwell, this quote relates directly to O’Brien, the main antagonist, and how he treats the people in Oceania. O’Brien might even be Big Brother featured on the giant propaganda posters and signs throughout Oceania that keep the people living in fear. All of the people live in terror with an unspoken threat that keeps them all under the control of O’Brien.

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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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674 Words | 3 Pages

In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, the overbearing government of Oceania, Big Brother, controls and monitors everything its citizens sees, hears, and believes. In order to gain absolute loyalty from its citizens, Big Brother has control over every aspect of their lives, prohibiting them from using their own minds and causing them to fully depend on Big Brother. Through the use of manipulation and fear, Big Brother and the Party are able to decide what is real and what is not real. Big Brother believes that in order to gain absolute loyalty from its citizens, it must control everything, from the spread of information to media.

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In George Orwell’s novel, 1984, Orwell conveys the theme of conformity though his diction, and through his depiction of the “fixing process” employed by the government. After every governmental message in the novel, Big Brother, the leader of Oceania, states the country’s slogan of “War Is Peace, Freedom Is Slavery, Ignorance Is Strength.” (Orwell, 16). Orwell’s diction in this slogan is used to essentially list the characteristics of a conformed society, showing that they do not have free thought, are ignorant towards governmental flaws, and believe that what they are doing is for a good cause. As O’Brien is “fixing” Winston, he has Winston to believe that when he is holding up four fingers, “there are five fingers there.”

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1008 Words | 5 Pages

Oceania, where war is peace, slavery is freedom, and ignorance is strength. In this dystopian society the majority is controlled by the minority and they have complete authority over not only the people but the past future and their minds. Oceania does many things to control the minds and actions of its population. These issues include the hiding of history, the creation of enemies, and the control through silencing and tricking the people.

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The author shows the dangers of this form of leadership and demonstrates extremism in the control and demonstration of power. The author is apparently a socialist and continually tries to criticize the kind of power shown by the Party. The Party's rule over Oceania is a well-calculated propaganda machine. The Ministry of Truth where publications to the public are done disseminates wrong information, and the Party chooses what to tell the people. To achieve total loyalty from the public, the Party instills ideals to citizens, and none is aware of the

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Government Manipulation in 1984 People generally rely on the government as a source of protection and stability. However, the government does not always have the citizens’ best interests in mind, as shown in 1984. The government has the power to distort realities and the ability to detect the truth. They can manipulate, or influence people’s minds without them even knowing. George Orwell’s 1984 uses a futuristic dystopia to show how the government is able to manipulate human values through the use of fear.

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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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Physical versus Psychological tactics in 1984 Is it possible that the nursery rhyme “Sticks and Stones” is a common misconception? The children’s rhyme states that “ 'Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me”. Although sticks and stones may break bones, the bones usually heal. However, words can have a lifetime impact on people. In 1984, slogans and manipulation of language scar citizens more than the Party’s physical control.

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The following shall be discussed further; the physical (external) and mental (internal) means of control inflicted on the people of Oceania, followed by the interrelationship between both mechanisms of control and if there is a chance for liberation/rebellion. The government uses many methods to control the people of Oceania. The people have no sense of privacy, freedom or independence. They have little say in their personal future.

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Most of the citizens that lived in Oceania seemed hypnotized and under the control of the government through psychological manipulation. Some, however, like Emmanuel Goldstein, didn’t agree with the way the government did its bidding. Emmanuel Goldstein had risen to power as a member of the Inner Party of Oceania’s government. The Inner Party of the government of Oceania made Goldstein a powerful figure in the government, instead he had other plans. “Goldstein had been one of the leading figures of the Party, almost on a level with Big Brother himself, and then engaged in counterrevolutionary activities, had been condemned to death, and had mysteriously escaped and disappeared.”

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1176 Words | 5 Pages

The proposal of Big Brother is to strip away the human qualities, such as emotion, so that everyone is alike and easier to control. To contrast, Winston is able to tell the difference and able to detect the false ideas of tyranny and disobeys the rules. His first rebellion was writing his thoughts

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1115 Words | 5 Pages

The book 1984 describes a totalitarian society where citizens are forced to renounce all liberties for the sake of social order. They are guided by the rule of a single figurehead called Big Brother, whom the they are manipulated to entrust their lives to. This figurehead exercises his powers of governing every aspect of the people 's lives by observing and manipulating the populace. Big Brother also divides his subjects into classes as a means to keep the populace oppressed. Throughout this literary narrative the main character, Winston Smith, struggles to survive in this society as he struggles to fit the conventional mold that is preached.

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George Orwell’s 1984 has resonated with many who have experienced first-hand what life is like under a dictator. The novel describes how everything is controlled and monitored by the government and how even mere thoughts can be detected by ThoughtPolice. Readers get to experience Oceania’s system of ruling through the eyes of an Outer Party member, Winston Smith. At first, Winston is adamant to destroy The Party and its figurative leader Big Brother, but eventually is captured and converted into a lover of Oceania’s system of government. Children, although not playing a significant role in this book, are mentioned as devious little spies.

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