Totalitarianism In 1984 Essay Research Paper People — страница 2

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theme of individuality versus tyranny and the use of foreshadowing are essential literary devices, it is the application of irony that truly makes the novel a masterpiece. Many ironic events occur during the second book, taking Winston on an emotional spin through the thrills and dangers of Oceania. The foremost irony is Winston s affinity with the recognition of the past. Winston is angered when Julia does not care to remember that Oceania was at war with Eastasia in the past. He is likewise engulfed with happiness when O Brien recalls the last line to a children s poem. It is Winston s belief that the recognition of the past is the key to stopping the Party. This is ironic in that Winston was employed to change the past so that the population was ignorant to past events. An

easily overlooked form of irony is conveyed in Winston s greatest fear, rats. It is paradoxical that in all of Oceania, with all of its propaganda and tyranny, Winston s greatest fear is of a foot-long mammal. This acknowledgment is followed by the irony upon Winston s institution into the Brotherhood, an underground organization formed by Goldstein to rebel against the tyranny of the Inner Party. After Winston is accepted, and receives Goldstein s book, he is soon captured and incarcerated by the thoughtpolice, making his dreams of opposing the Party, worthless. Besides Winston, Julia, herself, is also doused in irony, in her spontaneous revelation that the wars were merely propaganda by the Party, an idea that Winston is unable to conceive. She also acknowledges that she is

nearly unable to contain her laughter during the Two Minute Hate, a situation of irony in itself. The most ironic facet to Julia, is that she is a sash-wearing member of the anti-sex league, while she has committed sexcrime in her association with Winston. The final influx of irony at the culmination of the second book is the revelation that Mr. Charrington, the friendly owner of the convenience store, was the arresting officer of the thoughtpolice who instigated Winston s capture and Julia s murder. It is terrible to know that situations, such as the one produced in 1984 have been real to life for people of certain cultures, such as that of the Russians, Germans, and others. It is even more devastating to think that such a situation could actually become a reality where that

mere thought of a situation could bear vaporization. Though the United States has remained a society based around choice, the antithesis of the fictional Oceania, it cannot be denied, that as technology gains more and more influence over common lives, the destruction of choice by misused technology becomes more and more realistic. Orwell uses literary devices like foreshadowing, themes, and irony to constitute a world he invented in 1948. Though the overall mechanics of Oceania are false, many of the inventions and beliefs put forth by the novel, have come to exist. Between computers, mind-control experiments, and the overproduction of technological propaganda, the purpose of Orwell s novel, a forewarning of possibilities facilitating in society s inability to control the

monsters it creates, is well served. Society must continually advance, for the health and survival of civilization. But, as evidenced by a common hope that no situation similar to that of Oceania occurs, this continuous advance must be made with continuos knowledge and restraint, in order to preserve a way of life society to often takes for granted. 336