1984 Chapter 1 Mood Paragraph
In the first chapter of the novel of 1984 by George Orwell, the overall mood developed is depressing. The mood is developed through society in 1984 being constantly under surveillance, through the slogans of the Party, and through the description of the setting. Firstly, the feeling of being always watched leads to the reader to feel depressed. The feeling of being watched is evident in the novel when Winston Smith says, “There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment”(Orwell 4). The condition of depression is usually diagnosed when a person is unable to fully express him or herself. The sense of being constantly watched helps lead to the condition of depression as it restricts people from fully expressing themselves. This is illustrated in the first chapter in 1984,creating a depressing mood. Secondly, the slogans of the Party create an element of depression for the reader. The slogan of “freedom is slavery” (Orwell 6) further creates the mood of depression. In today’s society, freedom is valued. Placing something that is so valued with something so cruel creates a depressed mood for the reader. Lastly, Orwell’s description of the setting of the first chapter creates a depressed mood. An example of Orwell’s depressing setting occurs when he describes the world as cold (Orwell 4). The feeling of cold usually foreshadows something bad to come. When Orwell sets the setting as cold, it associates a negative/depressed mood with the reader, leading to the overall mood of depression. To conclude, the constant surveillance, the Party mottos, and the setting description all help create the mood of