Individualism In 1984

Can you relate to living in a society where control overpowers the thoughts and actions of the people? The novel 1984, written by George Orwell, is based off on his future projection of life in Oceania in the year 1984. The novel was published in 1948 and it is centered on his personal idea of politics and power. In addition to this, Orwell does a great job reflecting his personal fear and vision of living in a society completely manipulated and oppressed by the power of a totalitarianism regime. Orwell being a socialist, he fears totalitarianism and believed that in the future there'd be an inherent improvement of a resistance. In the novel, he begins by clarifying some of the big roles that are played and how a few simple changes made by

Through the perspective of Winston Smith, we see the subject matter of the novel and that is the outcome of individualism and its dangers in totalitarian Oceania. In Oceania, it is strictly prohibited that the people express themselves or have thought of doing so. If anyone were to have such thoughts, it was ordered to eliminate them as quickly as possible before facing the consequences. The people are too scared to even think of the idea of expression because Big Brother has implemented the idea in their heads that they are being watched and heard at all times through telescreens and hearing devices that are planted all over Oceania. Think of it this way, Big Brother is the captor and the people are the captives. Big Brother has the people driven by propaganda to the point where they fear leaving anywhere else because they have this thought that everyone is out to get each other. The people are so fixated that Big Brother is only doing the best for them that they've eventually become robots to society. Orwell presents this theme through the eyes of the protagonist Winston Smith. Winston contributes to society by working in the Records Department in the Ministry of Truth, his job is to rewrite the history of Oceania in accordance to the Inner

It's not just him, other people in Oceania find it hard to trust others as well because of the strict rules that were set out along with a dictionary that goes by the name Newspeak, that required the people to speak in a certain way. Winston tries to as careful as possible with what he says and what his actions say because anyone could turn him in at any time for breaking the rules. On top of all that, Big Brother has the youth work with the Thought Police, their job is to turn in anyone who isn't following the rules. When Winston sees a suspicious girl who falls on the ground, the narrator describes this feeling as “a curious emotion…,” because “in front of him was an enemy who was trying to kill him.” At this point, Winston didn't know how to respond or think about how to handle the situation. His humane side wanted to help the girl meanwhile, his protective instincts thought it was a trap and the girl would turn him into the Thought Police. His reaction is something that anyone would agree with if they were to put themselves in Winston's point of view. When you live your life under a strict totalitarian regime you have to put your guard up and you cant let anyone appeal to that little part of you that is still human because you will become the victim of the Thought Police who will severely punish