A common title that pops into one’s mind upon hearing the phrase ‘dystopian literature’ would be the classic work of fiction, 1984 by George Orwell. Through the employment of striking elements of conventional dystopias, accompanied by the deliberate characterization of an anti-hero named Winston Smith, Orwell effectively paints a picture of an oppressed society struggling to survive under the iron-fist rule of an oppressive, draconian, totalitarian government. However, the author also deviates from the regular standards of the genre, inserting aberrant components into the text, in order to give the novel distinctive qualities along with adding a unique voice to the battle of Winston Smith against the Party.

The novel features a variety of common traits evident in dystopian societies which Orwell hyperbolizes to a high degree with the intention of highlighting the depths a civilization can sink under the wrong authority, particularly a totalitarian regime. For instance, returning to a rather primitive nature, the citizens of Oceania staunchly worship a physical manifestation of the Party known as Big Brother. We are introduced to Big Brother on the very first page, as Winston glances upon one of countless posters depicting “simply an enormous face, more than a meter wide: the face of a man about forty-five , with a heavy black mustache and ruggedly handsome features.” Orwell remains ambiguous over the physical characterization of the man in the poster, with the exception of