Violation Of Power In 1984 By George Orwell

s one of the most influential works of dystopian fiction, George Orwell's 1949 novel ‘1984’ provides a compelling and forewarning critique of the dangers of governmental control and the violation of human rights. Throughout the novel,

Orwell employs a variety of symbols to represent different aspects of the government's power and the ways in which it manipulates and oppresses its citizens.

Four of the most significant symbols in the novel are Room 101, Big Brother,

Goldstein’s book, and the four ministries, but the greater significance is how Orwell uses these symbols to illustrate the dangers of governmental control and the violation of human rights.

Room 101 is perhaps the most powerful symbol utilized by George Orwell in the novel as it

Big Brother is another powerful example of symbolism in 1984. Big Brother is an omnipresent image that serves as a constant reminder of the government's power and control. As a representation of complete control over every aspect of the citizens of Oceania’s lives such as their thoughts, beliefs, actions, and relationships, The Party idolizes Big Brother as a higher power though he is a fictional character used to instill fear in people, much like Uncle Sam is used to represent the United States government in order to encourage people to enlist in the military in America. The slogan “Big Brother is watching you” serves the purpose of emphasizing 1984’s themes of oppression and the importance of resisting totalitarianism. The symbol of

Big Brother is used to illustrate the dangers of governmental control and violation of

Fuchs 3 human rights by showing how the government seeks to maintain dominance over people and demonstrates how the fear of being watched and monitored on a continual basis can lead people to abandoning their principles and submitting to the government's authority. Resistance to The Party and Big Brother such as Winston's writing of “DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER DOWN WITH BIG BROTHER”

When

Fuchs 5 looking at a can that says 15% more, people are most likely to continue buying and using the products, unbeknownst to them, they are actually getting less and less each time. These ministries continue to emphasize the themes of oppression and resistance of totalitarianism by representing another way that the government has complete control over everyone’s lives in order to bring light to the dangers of governmental control and the violation of human rights.

In conclusion, George Orwell's use of symbolism in 1984 effectively illustrates the dangers of governmental control and the violation of human rights. Through the symbols of Room 101, Big Brother, Goldstein’s book, and the four ministries, Orwell highlights the ways in which governments can violate, torture, and manipulate their citizens. Several examples Orwell used in the novel can relate to things in the real world, such as Hitlers concentration camps and Room 101, Big Brother and Uncle

Sam, and rationalized food being advertised to seem like an abundant supply, all of which serve the purpose of warning people about the dangers of governmental control and violation of human