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George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984

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The totalitarianistic control that the Ingsoc government exercises over its citizens relies on the alteration of historical documents, terror, and brainwashing. In 1984, by George Orwell, the entire plot revolves around Winston and Julia’s actions to defy the Ingsoc government and attempt to enlighten the citizens and retake their freedom. The main opposition they face is is Big Brother’s influence over the citizens and themselves. Big Brother employs brainwashing tactics such as constantly stating altered and fake information over telescreens throughout the day, Hate Week, and limiting the amount of words people know to prevent them from any sort of free thought. These actions continuously oppress the citizens with just words. The Party …show more content…
Winston constantly denies it but soon gives into the pain being inflicted on him and agrees that it does equal five just to stop the pain. Winston continues getting tortured until he actually believes that it does equal five. “Four, five, six-in all honesty I don’t know.” (Orwell 252) Winston is no longer sure in what he believes and is in a very vulnerable state in which he will accept any information that he receives. This is what the Party wants to do with the adamant citizens who refuse to yield to their beliefs. Large and powerful governments can actually alter scientific facts, such as gravity, and either remove anyone who doesn’t believe in that idea. After that, they can simply just feed the information to the new generation and what they said will be “true” to future generations. Big Brother also uses the telescreens to constantly announce information to the citizens. The use of media is prevalent in present society. News stations, newspapers, advertisements, and social media are all ways that the government can and does exert control over its citizens. This use of media is Orwell attempts to explain destructive this sort of government can be if it ever succeeds in completely controlling the

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