How Is 1984 Similar To The Russian Nkvd

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1984 and the Russian NKVD Savanna Fries Honors Literature II Mr. Spalding 10 May 2024 Imagine living in a society with no control over yourself and constantly tortured and manipulated. In George Orwell's novel “1984”, the Party contains control and power through strong surveillance, threats, and the use of propaganda to their society. Similar to the Russian NKVD and the ways of the Soviet secret police. The acts of the NKVD spark terror and are a reflection of the dangers unchecked powers and totalitarianism can have. The actions of the Russian NKVD, with its powerful surveillance and enforcement of state control, make multiple connections to George Orwell's, “1984”. These share the haunting similarities of the ways they use surveillance …show more content…

In NKVD, they would beat them and would leave them with parts of their bodies cut off. In both cases, they also showed power through their manipulation and brainwashing to rewrite history. In “1984” the concept of “doublethink” involves the Party's ability to manipulate historical records and erase anything true. This connects to the NKVD's practice of rewriting history to fit the government's narrative through the changing of documents and the defeat of rebellion voices. Changing the past allows both to control the future and present, making sure their power stays unchallenged. Their strong structure and power to crush dissent and force obedience created a climate where individuals were afraid to have their own thoughts or associate with things outside of the government's rule. Lastly, the impact and legacy of “1984” and the Russian NKVD changed their society forever. The NKVD and “1984” instilled a climate of mistrust and paranoia. This made citizens fearful to speak up and do things on their own. Both made relationships with friends and family untrustworthy and tore them apart because there was no one they could trust for their own individual safety. In the Russian NKVD, the trauma continued through decades of suppression and violence