Examples Of Telescreens In 1984 By George Orwell

Imagine what it would be like living in a society where there is very limited privacy, being under surveillance at all times to ensure there is no plotting against the people in power. In the dystopian fiction novel 1984 produced by author George Orwell, Winston Smith, a member of the Outer Party who works in the Records Department, lives in constant fear of being caught for his ideals against the Party. Throughout the story, he describes his hatred for the Party and has a secret affair with a woman named Julia as a way of rebelling against the government. The two are eventually caught through the works of O’Brien and the Inner Party who specialize in maintaining totalitarian power in Oceania. Through the tactics of utilizing telescreens and

It is a very powerful tool which has been utilized by the Inner Party throughout the story. George Orwell goes on to describe these devices, stating that the telescreen “received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it, moreover, so long as he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque commanded, he could be seen as well as heard” (Orwell 3). Winston lives in constant stress of being both watched and listened to by members of the Inner Party. He, along with every other member of the Outer Party, are monitored by telescreens at all times. Telescreens are utilized by the Inner Party to keep people in fear, thus maintaining their power. Telescreens also limit one’s privacy, so even speaking to one’s self on a personal thought could put people at risk. Later on in the novel, Winston and Julia are eventually caught by the Thought Police in the room above Mr. Charrington’s shop. Prior to being stormed by members of the Thought Police, a hidden telescreen is revealed to them after a picture of a church falls to the ground and shatters. Orwell describes how the telescreen is revealed to them after “there was a snap as though a catch had been turned back, and a crash of breaking glass. The picture fallen to the floor, uncovering the telescreen behind it” (Orwell 221-222). Despite being covered by the picture of the church, the telescreen is still capable of listening to people without making a presence. The telescreen above Mr. Charrington’s shop had been monitoring Winston and Julia throughout their affair. Thinking the room was safe since it was located in the prole district, Winston and Julia were eventually caught by the Inner Party through a telescreen, which are not always visible to people and can at times be secretly