Privacy In 1984 By George Orwell

In his novel, 1984, George Orwell creates a dystopia that delves into the fears of society and explores themes of privacy and safety. The ideals of individual freedom, and limited government are emphasized by the lack of privacy depicted in this novel. Through this limitation of privacy, Orwell creates a government with omnipresent surveillance and inflates the control it has over people's lives. The use of surveillance is the Party’s method of totalitarian control over the citizens of its country. Orwell alludes to the idea that privacy is a basic human right, which parallels the unwarranted surveillance in the current modern day. The first few pages hold evidence of the lack of sequestration in any life; The constant surveillance is punctuated

The lack of control over the smallest aspects of a person’s life express the relationship the people have with the government. “It was terribly dangerous to let your thoughts wander when you were in any public place or within range of a telescreen. The smallest thing could give you away. A nervous tic, an unconscious look of anxiety, a habit of muttering to yourself…to wear an improper expression on your face…was itself a punishable offence.” [79] Common habits and body language are enough to punish a person of crime. The society of 1984 uses its expanded abilities to thoroughly and constantly examine each and every person in their country. Additionally, the term “punishable offence” in 1984 is not simply to be put on trial. It is to be killed, and immediately removed from history. Winston describes it as you name being, “...removed from the registers, every record of everything you had ever done was wiped out, your one-time existence was denied and then forgotten. You were abolished, annihilated: vaporized was the usual word.” [24] By removing the basic identity of a person, the Party is removing the individuality, and freedom of expression in the simplest of

His constant, secretive meetings with Julia have proven to be ineffective, as the lack of personal privacy had them caught. While Winston and Julia have their conversations, the Party listens intently to their words, despite not physically being in their location. “ ‘We are the dead,’ he said. ‘We are the dead,’ echoed Julia dutifully. ‘You are the dead,’ said an iron voice behind them.” [221] The “iron voice” of the hidden telescreen frightens both Julia and Winstons. Unwarranted surveillance of their actions, and private conversations lead to their arrest. They had been “dead” before, however the possibility of them actually dying drastically increased after their conversations were recorded. The Party ultimately takes away a fundamental human right, exploiting privacy to further exert its