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George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984

580 Words3 Pages

George Orwell’s novel takes place in a dystopian society headed by an all-knowing Big Brother. Thought-Police monitor the citizen’s movements and speech through telescreens and mics. The people are supposed to love Big Brother and hate the rebels and their leader, Emmanuel Goldstein, but it is unlikely such a hateful foundation of government will last. In fact, a society based on hate will certainly deteriorate. People can not function without love; it is an integral part of their lives. Hate leads to conflict, and the pursuit of happiness is absent. Stark contrasts appear between children with parents and orphans as they grow up. Children with parents are raised with love, while orphans never experience what other children are exposed to. A lonely orphan raised in a foster home is going to behave differently from a child with a fully supportive family. In like manner, the citizens of Oceania develop with the constant presence of Big Brother, who is an embodiment of hate. Oceana can be equated to Nazi Germany, where people rallied behind someone who they thought was their glorious leader, Adolf Hitler. He had a persuasive air about him, a way with words, as did Big Brother. On …show more content…

We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. . . (272). This is where O’Brien is wrong. Human beings are selfish; they are on a journey to find happiness whether that comes from power, opposite sex, or fame. Hateful beings will turn on each other and conflict will ensue. The fight to be the top dog, leader of the nation will never cease if power is the only incentive in O’Brien’s world. Depression is a common symptom of darkness in one’s life. A life consumed with anger, fear, and hate will lead to darkness and failure in the system. It will destroy itself without any outside forces to fix

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