Marxism In 1984

The book 1984 describes a totalitarian society where citizens are forced to renounce all liberties for the sake of social order. They are guided by the rule of a single figurehead called Big Brother, whom the they are manipulated to entrust their lives to. This figurehead exercises his powers of governing every aspect of the people 's lives by observing and manipulating the populace. Big Brother also divides his subjects into classes as a means to keep the populace oppressed. Throughout this literary narrative the main character, Winston Smith, struggles to survive in this society as he struggles to fit the conventional mold that is preached. The economic and social class structure in 1984 reflects our own society through the similarities in

To illustrate, the book discusses how the government utilizes mind control methods such as providing an alternative definition to words. “All that was needed was an unending series of victories over your own memory. ‘Reality control,’ they called it: in Newspeak, ‘doublethink’” (18). Providing an alternative meaning of words can misconstrue them in the favor of Big Brother. Likewise, the United States has emulated “doublethink” when it presents itself as convenient. For example, President Donald Trump coined the term “alternative facts” to news networks reporting negatively on him. Consequently, some people have come to believe doublethink, not knowing the difference between truth and lies just as in 1984. Additionally, the totalitarian society compromises history books and newspapers to fabricate information. "Who controls the past controls the future; who controls the present controls the past” (18). Big Brother changes history to control the present and future. Big Brother changes who Oceania has been at war with convincing citizens that the war has been with another enemy entirely. Likewise, this reflects the U.S. government in constantly recategorizing minorities to suit whatever rhetoric the White House is spreading. In recent events, the

by dividing the populace into sections in hopes of ultimately keeping members powerless. The society of Oceania is divided into four sections with Proletarian (at the bottom), Outer Party, Inner Party, and Big Brother (at the top). The Proles and Outer Party reflect the lower classes in the U.S. meanwhile the Inner Party and Big Brother represent the upper classes whom possess the most power in society. “But the proles, if only they could somehow become conscious of their own strength, would have no need to conspire” (2). The Proles are comprised of the majority of the population of Oceania and if they wanted to have the potential of causing a change in their government. They just lack the initiative. This reflects the poor and working class in the U.S. where they are the majority of the population yet there is something that holds them back. In 1984 the Inner Party or upper class possess privileges that the Proles and Outer Party could only dream of. “We can turn it off. We have that privilege” (144). In the book the Inner Party is able to momentarily turn off the telescreens Big Brother uses to spy on the population with demonstrating the differentiation in social classes. One way this significance of classes is shown in the U.S is how the country is a capitalist society which has always run on people advancing themselves as much as they can. Perhaps inadvertently the American Dream has become a “get rich