One of the main themes of 1984 is totalitarianism, a form of government in which no opposition to the leader is allowed. Big Brother and the Inner Party managed to keep to totalitarian government through several means: newspeak, Thought Police, and propaganda. Newspeak is the official language of Oceania and its purpose is to provide a simple way for citizens to communicate without allowing the use of words that would cause controversial thoughts. Most words are either changed in meaning, simplified, or are opposites of other words. For example, the word ‘free’ exists in Newspeak, but it is only possible to use it as something being taken away. “The word FREE still existed in Newspeak, but it could only be used in such statements as ‘This dog …show more content…
Another way of controlling information is by having a device known as a ‘memory hole’. These chutes are found throughout the different Ministries and lead to an incinerator. Workers are instructed to throw invalid information down the chute so it is then erased from written records, “He crumpled up the original message and any notes that he himself had made, and dropped them into the memory hole to be devoured by the flames.” (pg 50) There are other instances in which the ‘memory holes’ are used to destroy information that could indict someone in acts of treason. A photograph that proves Big Brother lied about past politicians and their crimes (pg 100), as well as a note saying “I LOVE YOU” (pg 136), and an address at a meeting place to discuss joining the rebellion (pg 200) all were burned in the ‘memory hole’. It’s portrayed that anything burned in a ‘memory hole’ will be erased from all memories and essentially will not exist and would have never existed. ‘Memory holes’ are a way for the government to burn written records of the past to remove blemishes and misconceptions that could cast doubt on the ruling