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Justin Jenkins
Elizabeth DiGennaro
English IV
26 April 2012
What if?1984
“War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is strength.”(Orwell 7) These statements
are the exact opposite of what one might expect. However, in the land of Oceania, this was the
mantra for the people. This was their “normal.” George Orwell's projected vision, in his novel,
1984, illustrates a world full of total and complete government control. It makes people wonder
what if? What if the world was controlled, totally, by a single group of people? In George
Orwell's classic novel, 1984, he creates an entire fictitious world, in which he adds gripping
detail that makes the story not only fantastical but surprisingly believable. Orwell uses a
combination of a unique writing style and unparalleled verisimilitude to create this classic
masterpiece. Through the point of view of the protagonist, Winston Smith, the world he creates
becomes a reality.
This is how the Inner party and their almighty ruler Big Brother rule the land of Oceania.
Bg Brother is a sense is the cult of personality that rules with a strict, iron fist. Oceania is one of
three totalitarian countries left in the world. Each country is ruled in fear and is run by a single
tyrant. All hopes of a free civilization and democracy are all but dead. They lie in the dreams and
beliefs of one man, Winston Smith. Smith is an Outer party member who is the last hope for
democracy. Winston Smith HATES the party and Big Brother and all that they stand for. Smith
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is a frail and weak man who does not believe in himself and his ability as a person. He is lonely
and desperate. Smith works at the Ministry of Truth, where he meets Julia. He loves Julia he
finds her impurity beautiful. He seeks out O'Brien, a man who Smith believes is a member of a
rebellious organization, The Brotherhood, in an effort to stop the tyranny of Big Brother. In his
attempted rebellion he writes in a journal "Down with Big Brother,"(Orwell 19) he also has an
affair with the women Julia. "The sexual act, successfully performed, was rebellion. Desire was
thoughtcrime." Desire is thoughtcrime in Oceania because it elevates the human, the individual,
above the powers of the state to control him. Fitzpatrick, Kathleen. "Overview of 1984." This
shows how serious the affair was between Smith and Julia. How illegal and how rebellious their
affair was and the level of crime committed against the Inner party. Smith and Julia rent a room
from Mr. Charrington, where they house their affair. Mr. Charrington is actually a member of the
thought police and turns in Julia and Smith to O'Brien. O'Brien tortures Smith, in the infamous
room 101, in order to make him "Party acceptable”, he uses Smith's fear of rats to break his hate
of Big Brother. He betrays Julia begging O’Brien to torture her and not him. At the end of the
story Smith finally loves Big Brother and cries at his love for Big Brother. Throughout the story
Winston Smith battles against Big Brother and his ideals. Smith, representing democracy, fights
Big Brother’s, representing totalitarianism, motives, and his demands, all that Big Brother stands
for Smith hates it.
The first thing Orwell uses to write 1984, is very vivid points of view from his
characters, and Orwell’s point of view of the world. Orwell lived in one of the most turbulent
times in world history, the rise and fall of totalitarianism and fascist and communist leaders like
Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. He also, witnessed first-hand what the dangers of these new types
of complete control, or “total” leaders and governments were capable of. Orwell was a soldier in
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the Spanish civil war, where communist were on one side fighting the democratic half of the
Spanish government where he witnessed the horrors of totalitarian rule, he uses his experiences
from the war to write, 1984. Orwell writes, 1984, as a complete foreshadow of what would
happen if Hitler and Stalin were to win. He uses his point of view on totalitarian rule to create the
extremely vivid and surprisingly believable world of, 1984.
Winston Smith, Orwell’s protagonist in, 1984, is a rebellious Outer party member who
works at the Ministry of Truth. Orwell uses Smith to symbolize the final hope of Democracy
against the almighty totalitarian rule of Big Brother.”The Last Man in Europe, reveals Winston
as symbolic of what critic Ian Watt has described as Orwell's conception of a dying humanism.”
Fitzpatrick, Kathleen. "Overview of 1984. He uses Smith to show the hardships of a citizen
under strict rule from a despot dictator. Life for Smith is not as good as other members of the
party. He is unappreciated and is intentionally undermined by the party. Smith is beaten down by
the party every day by their beliefs and practices, like their daily workouts, daily songs of
Oceania superiority and their rations. " With the tobacco ration at 100 grammes a week it was
seldom possible to fill a pipe to the top."(Orwell 29) The rations described by Orwell, show the
demands and the restrictions of a totalitarian type government. Smith rebells to fight these
restrictions and drastic quarantines set by Big Brother and his party. From the Outer party life, to
the life of an Inner party member is a drastic and unreal change. Smith’s life was so poor,
structured and rigid. Yet for the life of O’Brien, a dedicated Inner party member, luxury, lavish
and hubris attitudes don’t being to describe the life of an Inner party member. O’Brien is a loyal,
devoted follower of Big Brother, who tries to make Smith betray his thoughts and actually love
Big Brother and all of his beliefs. O’Brien’s life is nearly spotless compared to Smith’s. He is
rich and has servants that cater to his every need. He needs nothing and has nearly everything,
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real coffee, real cigarettes, warm clothes, large houses and newer appliances, not the lesser
quality items given to the Outer party. Orwell uses O’Brien to demonstrate the unfairness of
being a part of the government compared to working for it. The worst point of view of all that
Orwell provides, is that of the Proles. The Proles are at the bottom of the pyramid in the world
of, 1984. They aren’t ruled as strictly as the Inner party. They can live with freedom with not as
many guidelines as the outer party but still are greatly affected by the Inner party. They can be
attacked, taking advantage of, and taxed with no word at all in the government. Orwell uses the
Proles to show how harshly abusing a totalitarian can be. How totalitarian governments are
sinister and sadistic with a despot dictator at the helm.
Another major component of english that Orwell utilizes is verisimilitude to compare
truth with reality. Orwell’s imaginative world of, 1984, is a complete foreshadow and is accurate
on the style of totalitarian governments yet isn’t true with the outcome of the world. He
accurately describes a false world of despot dictators and totalitarian rule, making the world of
Oceania real, so real it feels like it could happen. Orwell’s masterpiece brings to light the horrors
of totalitarian rule. In, 1984, the party acts like it is nearly spotless and pristine. In the eyes of
Big Brother and the inner party, their regime is all but perfect. The higher party members follow,
blindly, one of the most corrupt types of governments imaginable. Yet each member still follows
orders. The true nature of a totalitarian government is to manipulate and control all aspects of life
in society. They can tell you what to think, eat, say, and wear, yet people believe that Oceania is
the greatest country in the world. The party believes that, “ who controls the past controls the
future. Who controls the present controls the past.”(Orwell 24) The party believes that
controlling all aspects of life like the past, present and future, they can remain in power and
continue to undermine democracy. Also, the party may say to the other nations of the world that
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they are improving life, when in reality life is the same if not worse. The living conditions and
rations are all things that are represented as truth or positive to the party but are negative to the
citizens.
The final thing Orwell uses in, 1984, is a unique style of writing. Orwell foreshadows
every event in the book yet it seems strangely realistic. Orwell uses a blend of foreshadowing
and verisimilitude to create the classic novel that is, 1984. Orwell uses, at his time, modern
problems in the world and projects a what if scenario, what is these monsters, theses totalitarian
governments would win? He blends the point of view of his protagonist, Winston Smith, with the
untruthful, yet realistic phenomena, 1984, to make readers feel as if it is the actual world we live
in. Orwell draws on readers emotions like love and the affair that Smith and Julia share with each
other. The imagery he uses during the affair makes the sneaking around and the slyness of Julia
seems like you could touch or feel what was really going on. “The youthful body was strained
against his own, the mass of dark hair was against his face, and yes!” (Orwell 100) You can
envision her hair, you can envision what was going on throughout the entire story. Orwell wants
to make 1984 feel realistic, even though the story behind it is completely false, it gives accurate
details and realistic scenarios about totalitarian governments. Orwell uses foreshadowing to bring
the world of 1984 to life. The story behind 1984 is completely false, however the historical
context is relevant. “In Nineteen-Eighty-Four Orwell envisions a time in the near future—when
the world has been divided into three super states, each of which is ruled by a system of
oligarchical collectivism that has brutally eliminated privacy, intellectual freedom, friendship,
and the autonomy of the individual, and each of which has systematically deprived its inhabitants
of a verifiable history and of the resources of a cultural consciousness.” Zehr, David Morgan.
"George Orwell." DISCovering Authors. Detroit: Gale, 2003. This shows how Orwell
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foreshadows everything about 1984 every bit of Oceania is false, it is mythical, yet we still
continue to read from the first page to the last.
Orwell to writes, 1984, using powerful imagery and detail, mixed with the point of
view of himself and the fictional, yet life like characters he creates. Also, he uses verisimilitude
to bring to light the horrors of totalitarian governments. “In the world of 1984, the mad world
which Orwell sought by his writing to lead men to avoid—for he was a political activist not
interested in simple prediction—in this world, which I call Orwell's "anti-universe," because of
his conversion of all the positives of Western civilization into their negatives, all of the channels
of communication are systematically being closed down, restricted to just the minimums
necessary for the technical functioning of society” Ranald, Ralph A. "George Orwell and the
Mad World: The Anti-Universe of 1984." This poses a question of what if this happened? Could
you live with a world were your every word and action was looked at by thought police and
through a television screen? Could you live when every job you did was monitored by a higher
authority? Could you live when you had to follow false slogans like “War is Peace, Freedom is
Slavery, Ignorance is strength.”(Orwell 7), and “two plus two equals five.” (Orwell 200) Orwell
wanted the world to rid itself of complete and total control and felt that it would lead to the
downfall of humanity, which he shows through, 1984’s, last hope for democracy Winston Smith.
Orwell witnessed totalitarianism first hand and did what he could to prevent it, which was, 1984.
Living in a totalitarian society is what Orwell completely hates and protest living in, hence his
reason for writing his classic novel, 1984. Hate or fear is Orwell’s fuel for writing 1984, but
Orwell should realize one thing, the only thing he has to fear is fear itself.
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Works Cited
Christgau, Robert. "Writing for the People." EXPLORING Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003.
Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 1 Mar. 2012.
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Davis, James E. "Why Nineteen Eighty-Four Should Be Read and Taught."
EXPLORING Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 1 Mar.
2012.
Fitzpatrick, Kathleen. "Overview of 1984." EXPLORING Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003.
Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 27 Feb. 2012.
Orwell, George. 1984. Afterword by Erich Fromm. New York: Signet, 1992. In addition,
Fromm’s Afterword was indispensable to this study.
Ranald, Ralph A. "George Orwell and the Mad World: The Anti-Universe of 1984."
EXPLORING Novels. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 28 Feb.
2012.
Zehr, David Morgan. "George Orwell." DISCovering Authors. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Gale
Student Resources In Context. Web. 1 Mar. 2012.