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Examples Of Paranoia In 1984

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“There is no such thing as paranoia. Your worst fears can come true at any moment.” - Hunter S. Thompson American journalist Hunter S. Thompson had an idea similar to that of the citizens of Oceania in George Orwell’s 1984. Their worst fears can come true, and they fear what the Party wants them to fear. In the novel, the totalitarian government known as the Party, maintains a strict system in order to control the citizens of Oceania. They use paranoia and fear in order to keep their power over their citizens. The main character, Winston Smith, is not immune to this paranoia.Throughout the novel, Orwell continuously presents instances when the Party utilizes fear and paranoia to retain the control they have over the citizens of Oceania. …show more content…

In the novel, children are trained to become Spies and learn to identify what are known as thought criminals that have ideas against the Party. Parents become afraid of their own offspring, supposing they accidentally allow heretical thoughts to be vocalized. Orwell illustrates this image in the reader’s head by Winston’s thoughts of how “within two years [Mrs. Parsons’] children would be denouncing her to the Thought Police. Mrs Parsons would be vaporized.” (61) Winston believes Mrs. Parsons, his neighbor, will commit a crime that her children will inform the Party of. This paranoia that leads Mrs. Parsons to be afraid of her children in the sense that they will rat her out to the Party is how the Party is able to control her, along with its other

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